Blue Atlas Cedar Projects

[Hartinez]

This last year I purchased only 2 trees. This is not common as in the past I was buying a decent amount of nursery stock on a yearly basis. This is for a few reasons. 1 As my eye gets better at seeing quality, I see far less at nurseries than I used to. 2 I’ve really made a concerted effort to attain more trees through collecting than anything else. 3 my ability to keep trees alive has just gotten better year after year. 4 I only want trees that I know will do well here and can stay outside all winter.

These trees caught my eye because of the trunk and base, the subtle movement, the low branching and the price point.

This is the first and smaller tree I purchased. Normally when I see these, as you all know, the graft is horrible, the branching is minimal and yet they are still pricey. I picked this one up for around 80 bucks I believe. I immediately cut back to the best branch and just let it run. I eventually carved down the stump that was left over. I cut it back on second time mid year and was able to get 2 really solid flushes of growth. BAC seem to really enjoy my environment. I repotted this spring and a bit of an over sized pot. I will need to wire and thin at some point this year if the tree shows signs of being ready for that.

 

[Hartinez]

The second BAC is much bigger and far more upright but has some great wiggle top to bottom. The branching is abundant and the base is very big. The graft is indistinguishable on this one. Ran me 100 or so dollars. After purchase I chopped it down and wired up a new leader. Repotted this spring into a large round. This purchase was inspired by a Mauro video I watched of him styling an upright BAC.

 

[Hartinez]

The second BAC is much bigger and far more upright but has some great wiggle top to bottom. The branching is abundant and the base is very big. The graft is indistinguishable on this one. Ran me 100 or so dollars. After purchase I chopped it down and wired up a new leader. Repotted this spring into a large round. This purchase was inspired by a Mauro video I watched of him styling an upright BAC.
View attachment 546724

View attachment 546726

This video

 

[Dabbler]

Got some great bones here!

 

[Hartinez]

This last year I purchased only 2 trees. This is not common as in the past I was buying a decent amount of nursery stock on a yearly basis. This is for a few reasons. 1 As my eye gets better at seeing quality, I see far less at nurseries than I used to. 2 I’ve really made a concerted effort to attain more trees through collecting than anything else. 3 my ability to keep trees alive has just gotten better year after year. 4 I only want trees that I know will do well here and can stay outside all winter.

These trees caught my eye because of the trunk and base, the subtle movement, the low branching and the price point.

This is the first and smaller tree I purchased. Normally when I see these, as you all know, the graft is horrible, the branching is minimal and yet they are still pricey. I picked this one up for around 80 bucks I believe. I immediately cut back to the best branch and just let it run. I eventually carved down the stump that was left over. I cut it back on second time mid year and was able to get 2 really solid flushes of growth. BAC seem to really enjoy my environment. I repotted this spring and a bit of an over sized pot. I will need to wire and thin at some point this year if the tree shows signs of being ready for that.

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The circled branch is the same branch after a season of growth and is the branch I chose as my new leader. I debated keeping it taller, but the trunk got awfully straight at that point. They def thrive when happy.

 

[Hartinez]

well. The smaller of these 2 BAC ended up dead. Im almost certain I was early on my window for repotting and it never recovered. Live and learn. The other, bigger tree however, has gone gangbusters and is growing so dam well. These 2 pics were taken 5 weeks ago. Its grown even more since then.




in my search for inspiration of natural BAC, I found this tree.

 

[Hartinez]

Here is another tree that will serve as some inspiration. @MACH5 has so many hidden threads that are just awesome. Just found this one the other day. I know his example is a spruce, but his Shari down the trunk is what I’m looking at.

Thread 'Ezo spruce'

Aug 16, 2013

Sharing my new Ezo spruce. I am not usually around these parts of the forum but inspired by the Ezo Spruce that Brian Van Fleet purchased from Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks I decided to get one from Brent as well. I do not posses many conifers at all but this species does intrigue me. Perhaps it may be due to the fact that it is a classic subject for bonsai with a long history in Japan?

Anyhow, below are some pics of the tree as offered. It will not be touched until next year. Even so it will most likely involve light work and nothing too radical.I am new to this species so please give...

• MACH5
• Replies: 37
• Forum: Other Conifers

 

[Hartinez]

Carved a Shari now that vascular growth is at a maximum.

Next year I’ll trim back and wire.

 

[Applicative]

a few questions because I have similar products and material like this is available locally.

What's the plan for lack of taper?

when looking to induce back budding, how long do you let new growth go before trimming back?

 

[Nybonsai12]

This one is coming along nice. Really great branching and foliage s nice and tight. What does your calendar of work look like? What do you do when? Thx.

 

[Hartinez]

a few questions because I have similar products and material like this is available locally.

What's the plan for lack of taper?

when looking to induce back budding, how long do you let new growth go before trimming back?

No plan for more taper. For the style of tree and species, the taper works just fine for me. I did chop the branches back a decent amount as I’m trying to induce more taper in them.

I’ve always been of the mind with most trees that back budding occurs when you trim a HEALTHY tree. Basically health is the primary driver for back-budding.

 

[Hartinez]

This one is coming along nice. Really great branching and foliage s nice and tight. What does your calendar of work look like? What do you do when? Thx.

Thanks Brian. No schedule just yet. I only bought this tree last year. I chopped the top off when I got it home and this year reduced the rootball significantly at repot. It was slow to respond initially so I didn’t want to mess anything up. I’ve been basically letting go all season with the exception of reducing a few of the branches back that were long taper less and straight. Next year I’ll start to reduce more and wire some. That is if the branches are ready!

To be honest also, I’ve basically been following the Mirai guide for the species in regards to timing. Biggest thing for me is the fact that they seem to love my climate and water. Which quite a few species do not.

 

[Hartinez]

This one is coming along nice. Really great branching and foliage s nice and tight. What does your calendar of work look like? What do you do when? Thx.

When I dive into the tree with more significance next season I’ll get a better feel for timing that’s for sure.