Zelcova forest from seed

[Hack Yeah!]

Winter boredom post.... these are 2 yo seedlings I placed on this stone last year. I've got a couple more growing larger in pots to add to this down the road. Whatcha think?

 

[Hack Yeah!]

 

[atlarsenal]

I like it and the slab too. Better get some wire on them while you still can.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Still kicking, summer heat was brutal today.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I cut this one back pretty hard today. All trees still alive.

 

[Kanorin]

Just seeing this thread for the first time today. This is off to a nice start!

I love that stone. Is it a stone you found or is it a man-made stone? In either case, it's a great shape to be able to keep a bit more substrate in but still looks natural.

You've shown a few different angles, which all have interest. What do you think the front of this composition is?

 

[DirkvanDreven]

Zelkova are fun! I started a group about ten years ago, planted in my garden on a tile.
Trucks/roots are fused by now. Takes time! In your rock your trees will probably not grow fast and big enough to fuse!
Have fun with your project!

 

[leatherback]

I started a group about ten years ago, planted in my garden on a tile.
Trucks/roots are fused by now

Pictures, or it never happened!

But yeah, Zelkova is a great for bonsai!

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I love that stone. Is it a stone you found or is it a man-made stone? In either case, it's a great shape to be able to keep a bit more substrate in but still looks natural.

You've shown a few different angles, which all have interest. What do you think the front of this composition is?

Thanks for looking. It's a natural stone i bought from a club member. This pic was my front as designed but I think it needs to be turned a bit when I repot. This is from today.

 

[Eric Schrader]

Nice variation in sizing and nice placement. You might try harder pruning to get the branching dividing more at a lower level unless you want the forest to be even taller than it is now? Keep in mind that cuts even as small as 1/4" across can cause reverse taper - the technique for preventing it (which I have never tried...) is to wrap the cut site in grafting tape or something similar so that it can't swell outward.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

@Eric Schrader , thank you for the input. I was thinking for this kind to be the rough canopy or at least into secondary branching for the #1 tree. I'll cut back the others a few inches below this line after this season.

 

[czaczaja]

I'd love to see the progress on this.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I'd love to see the progress on this.

Thanks for asking, unfortunately I've not given this one much attention and the leaning trunk out to the right died over the winter. I've got several other seedlings going so I can add a few next year. Pic from today.

 

[BonsaiDTLA]

Any sign of them fusing at the roots?

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Any sign of them fusing at the roots?

I'm sure they'd all lift together but I doubt they've actually fused.

 

[Gabler]

Thanks for asking, unfortunately I've not given this one much attention and the leaning trunk out to the right died over the winter. I've got several other seedlings going so I can add a few next year. Pic from today.
View attachment 492832

I like the spacing on that composition. It's uneven in a way that feels very natural. If this were my composition, I'd keep the trees straight and tall, and I'd get to work ramifying the branches for a slender, feminine composition. That's not a look you see too often, and I feel it's underappreciated.