Will you nuts help me?

[Ashbarns]

I would be most happy to work on this tree. My choice would be pic. no.2 which I would lean further to the left. I would also jin the point at which the tree makes that dramatic turn to the right.

Ash

 

[No it's not...]

Sorry for the delay, I've been extremely busy the last week. I'll try to post some pics of the next one tomorrow, a spruce that is more dead than living for the time being...

 

[No it's not...]

So, the next one. I've posted this tree before but not too many said anything about it. Long story short, it was collected at the wrong time and hence look like it does today . Anyway, I'm positive it will survive but I'll know for sure when spring comes.

It's a small Picea abies, about 15 cm high. The diameter of the trunk is no more than 1,5cm or something like that. I have no clue as to how old it is but it's probably not that old. Collected from a bog nearby. As usual, the quality of the bark is what made it interesting to me.

 

[No it's not...]

Two more pics, one from above just to show where the main branches start and one of the bark (wich IMHO is pretty nice for a spruce of this size).

 

[Rick Moquin]

IMO with the physical description provided, it's a tosser. Although Robert Steven says there is no such thing as an ugly tree, just one that needs more TLC. You started this thread with intent on culling the heard, hence my recommendation.

 

[No it's not...]

Funny, I think this tree has more potential than the previous one haha.

Thanks for the input, and a special thanks for "keeping it real"!

 

[Chris Johnston]

I would keep his tree. I'm not sure what to do with it right now, but seeing it in person would be the real test.

 

[Rick Moquin]

I would keep his tree. I'm not sure what to do with it right now, but seeing it in person would be the real test.

We could all plant them out Chris. I'm being honest with a trunk dia under 3/4 of an inch??? and looking to cull the heard....

 

[Rick Moquin]

Funny, I think this tree has more potential than the previous one haha.

Thanks for the input, and a special thanks for "keeping it real"!

No problem my bonsai friend. I promise to give you the poop, the whole poop, and nothing but honest poop, so help me god.

 

[No it's not...]

We could all plant them out Chris. I'm being honest with a trunk dia under 3/4 of an inch??? and looking to cull the heard....

For a shohin, a ratio of 1:10 isn't the worst I've heard of. Just to clarify, my plan for this tree has never been to make it a big tree. It's really hard to find shohin yamadori with spectacular bark (wich I think this tree has). The most negative aspects is that there is a significant amount of reverse taper and that the bark is not so spectacular on the lowest quarter of the trunk. However, I still think that it has potential to become a somewhat decent shohin someday. But then again, maybe someone else can see the tree is a more "truthful" way than me so I'm still open for the fact that it might not be as decent as I think it is...

 

[Behr]

I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Rick on this one...IF your desire is truly to reduce the number of trees and make room for better material, this tree would be a good one to donate to your club auction or plant it as a landscape tree and check it again in a few years...However, having said that IF you are really fond of the tree, which judging from your defense of the tree seems to be the situation, only you know what you are seeing in real time...

Regards
Behr

 

[Ashbarns]

If it didn't have the inverted trunk maybe but this tree is taking up valuable real estate. I agree the bark is very interesting but that to me is 'falling in love' with a certain part of a tree and ignoring the technical faults. Back to the bog for this one Emil.

Ash

 

[No it's not...]

Well, I see your points but I really want to keep this one for a couple of more years just to see how things develop. Can't really say that I'm fond of it, but I have a vision for it that I think would yield a decent shohin...Besides, I have worse trees!

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[Chris Johnston]

Well, I see your points but I really want to keep this one for a couple of more years just to see how things develop. Can't really say that I'm fond of it, but I have a vision for it that I think would yield a decent shohin...Besides, I have worse trees!

Thanks for the input everyone!

Well, so much for reducing the collection! I have certainly found myself in that position once or twice!

 

[No it's not...]

On to the next one:

This is also a spruce. 25-30cm high with a trunk that's about an inch. Collected last autumn (as an experiment wich taught me that spring is much better in my climate).

This is a tree that I could toss or give away without hard feelings, not great bark, leggy growth, not much of a width/height ratio and a huge scar on the trunk because a secondary trunk was cut at the wrong time of year. If I remember correctly the nebari is somewhat decent and with some backbudding and a trunk chop the taper could be at least better for a small tree. Like I said, this tree was more a test to see if autumn collecting was a good idea or not...

BTW, feel free to comment on the other trees if there's something you didn't think of or what not..

 

[No it's not...]

And a top view:

 

[No it's not...]

Well, so much for reducing the collection! I have certainly found myself in that position once or twice!

Hehe, it's hard man! It's hard! Wait 'til you see my other trees, they're much easier to get rid of

 

[Chris Johnston]

I could donate this one without much thought. When you do all the work on it, what do you have? An almost formal upright spruce. Good material to practice spruce techniques on.

 

[No it's not...]

Yeah, I feel the same way...And not much to practice on, I think spruce is fairly simple.

 

[Chris Johnston]

Okay, majority rule here, out with the tree!!!