Recent content by MACH5

Colorado blue spruce before and after. Styled last year and now repotted this spring in a Tom Benda pot.

Sorry I have no clue. Oldest tree in my collection. Bought it at MABS 25 years ago!

Yes looks much better now that is fuller. It needed a little time to adjust going from the field back into a pot. Evidence of the care we can give our trees as bonsai can exceed what they can do on their own.

Colorado spruce in my experience is by far one of the toughest and dare say best spruces for bonsai. They can take a great deal of work and still bounce back with no issues. Very much unlike other more touchy spruce species such an Engelmann in which the work should be much more carefully...

Looking pretty in pink and white this spring!

You're not alone Judy. Same here. The leaves emphasize the different planes as they tend to come out tight and flat. I suppose we may feel a bit different about its winter look in 1000 years when the forest is well ramified! 🤣

Trust me we all go through it!

They are really beautiful particularly in flower. I would like to increase the caliper on mine a bit more but keep it relatively small. As you can imagine the can be quite expensive as bonsai.

Be patient. As long as it's still green you are good. They like lots of water and do not tolerate dry conditions very well. Be aware that they often drop secondary and tertiary branches often during winter. They back bud with no problem even from old wood.

Thanks! Yes quite slow in developing. They tend to grow short tubular straight branching which is not ideal but overall an outstanding cultivar. They'll challenge your patience!

The smaller tree at the back helps add depth. It also flows left going along with the general direction. Sure, it may work also if planted in the front. A different look but I don't think necessarily better.

Yes, you should be able to air layer them with relative ease.

Yes, of course. Forgot about that one. This is Bill's. A well known tree. Even more remarkable is that he literally developed this tree from a stick in a pot!

True dat! I hear ya!