just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Hahaha, I've heard of this technique...seeing it is funnier!
Arctic blue willow
- Thread starter Arcto
- Start date
Just a quick update. A little frost nip this past June. Didn't set this tree back much. There were 3 large stems coming off the main trunk. One was dead, the others partially dead. I removed 2 and chopped back the remaining one and waited for a new leader to establish. Beyond that just letting it grow to prevent further dieback. Also rubbing out any adventitious buds that kept popping out of the lower trunk. Next year I plan to continue letting the top part of the tree push and start exploring just how much dead wood there is under the bark. The native Willows are already starting to turn yellow here. This one is starting to show yellow at the base of the leaves and sliding towards dormancy.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Welcome to it!
I like your willow....
Looking at them all makes me think....
About how these really shouldn't "weep" until the final branching.
Trunk...Up..
Sub trunks....up and out a bit...\_/
Branches up less out more...
Or out and down...
And then weeping ones.
Also.....the buds to set the final weeping branches...these should be set while upside down. So they point down initially.
Should make it easier to keep them trained down.
Anyway....just thinking.
Sorce
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Be careful with that thinking...that stuff can be dangerous....
Seriously though, yes, good thinking.....
wireme
Masterpiece
New one. 
wireme
Masterpiece
How are you guys doing with these? I'm more and more convinced that these are great for bonsai culture, wish I had a larger one or two like some of the others in the thread. I'm skeptical of a lot of willows as are many people but this variety seems to respond very well as far as I can see so far.
This is what I got from the bush above this spring. I'll probably just set and forget it for awhile, repeat similar prunings in spring, let it gain a bit more size before trying to get serious with it. Growing well now.
This is what I got from the bush above this spring. I'll probably just set and forget it for awhile, repeat similar prunings in spring, let it gain a bit more size before trying to get serious with it. Growing well now.
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wireme
Masterpiece
The other one. Did the best I could with it last season striving for a nice fall image and was pretty happy, moss was super thick making it appear very mounded and hiding the base, otherwise not bad, far from finished and perfect but I liked looking at it. 
This spring, lost the lower branches to rodents, oh well, regrow, redesign a bit. Did some root work, wired to a small plastic dish and replanted, it is also growing well now
This spring, lost the lower branches to rodents, oh well, regrow, redesign a bit. Did some root work, wired to a small plastic dish and replanted, it is also growing well now
Chicago_Willows
Seedling
Looking good wireme. At this point I've got all mine in the ground growing trunks. I'm doing some training while planted trying to control which branches I want to thicken and feature. They tend to sprout branches EVERYWHERE if let go. I'll post some pics soon.
Cosmos
Shohin
Anybody has updates on the trees posted here?
Mine was handed of to another hobbyist in Bend when I moved.
Yosemite Goat
Mame
Hey @Arcto , what were your biggest challenges with the willow while you were in Bend. I am thinking about getting one based on what I have seen and after your comments.
They were pretty tough. Took everything the climate there threw at them. Biggest challenge with them I had was die back. My understanding is that can occur wherever they are.
Yosemite Goat
Mame
Thanks, I have been tempted to pick one up but just not sure the long term results. Looks like it would be a fun project.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
I had an 'Arctic Blue'. They look like good candidates with small leaves. They are twiggy, grow fast, but twigs die back when you try to shorten them for fattening. Therefore very hard to make progress as bonsai.
