Diving into Bonsai

[TacomaBonsai95]

Hello everyone!
I am very new to bonsai and I just wanted to share some of my material. Also, the reason I got in to bonsai was when my friend and I were clearing trails on his property and I kept having to transplant young pines out of the way. I kept a few of the pines I didn't think would survive due to being mamed. Picture 1 and 2 are a Western White Pine. Picture 3 and 4 are of a Shore Pine. I'm really unsure if that shore pine will be worth it, I'll have to see how it does this spring.

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

Still trying to figure out how to add more attachments to my post. Here's a lodgpole pine that was also collected on my friends property.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Welcome Aboard Bonsai Nut!

First off, great job taking that first step making your initial posts in our forum. It’s pretty tough to pull that trigger for most folks.

Second, just a matter of protocol, please enter your approximate location and USDA zone by double clicking your icon on the top of the page, then click Account details and scroll down and enter this data. It helps us help give you good advice tailored to your area. These data will appear on your icon henceforth and can be altered if you move,

( Now I know you put Tacoma in your handle, which would put you down the road from us, yet most folks may not understand this.)

Third, your trees. Imho the shore pine and lodgepole would be the ones with most long term promise. Western Whites are harder to handle, especially when it comes to needle length…. but it all depends on your goals.

My initial advice, grow these out the first year. Study these trees in the forum threads using the search engine and on other online sites. Once they root well and make it to the fall, then you might decide to take a next step. Be patient and get some junipers which are great trees to learn on in the meantime.

imho the shore pine has some really low growth one could use to create a decent bonsai.

Also the lodgepole has a nice bend down low with a low branch too. So be sure not to prune these off!

4. Finally If you are truly in the Puget Sound region, tare two clubs near, the Puget Sound Bonsai Assn in Seattle and the Olympic Bonsai Club. Both are excellent resources for expert horticulture and styling advice. I’m pretty sure both clubs and the Pacific Bonsai Museum near you offer a short beginner class.

I’ll stop here and let others chip in as they desire.

Once again, Welcome Aboard!

cheers
DSD sends

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

Thanks Deep Sea Diver!
I updated my info and I actually live in the Gig Harbor area!
I'll update with some pictures of my other plants later tonight I have some japanese black pine and larch as well as a ponderosa pine!
I left those lower branches on the shore pine to thicken up the trunk. Here's one seedling JBP

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

Big ol' bud

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Nice. Be aware those lower branches could be your e trunk and the present trunk there for thickening up.

That’s what I’d be inclined to do. Check out Jonas Bonsai Tonight blog. Search for pines.

Cheers
DSDV sends

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

Nice. Be aware those lower branches could be your e trunk and the present trunk there for thickening up.

That’s what I’d be inclined to do. Check out Jonas Bonsai Tonight blog. Search for pines.

Cheers
DSDV sends

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind . I do find a lot of interesting growth on that shore pine. I believe it got grazed on by something, causing a lot of back budding.

 

[PowerTap]

Welcome, I'm also in the Puget Sound, though less good at this than DSD.

Those should be some great trees over time.

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

Welcome, I'm also in the Puget Sound, though less good at this than DSD.

Those should be some great trees over time.

Thank you! I'm trying to build up my collection so I have trees in different stages of development for practice.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Welcome, I'm also in the Puget Sound, though less good at this than DSD.

Thanks… but we are all just learners here on a voyage of discovery and have a lot to learn!

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[PowerTap]

Thank you! I'm trying to build up my collection so I have trees in different stages of development for practice.

I've definitely started with a lot of less mature material so I can learn through doing before having something nice and killing it.

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

Here are some pictures of my ponderosa pine that I got about a month ago. I also tossed in a few pics of the western white pine I collected. I really like the trunk on it .

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Great start on obtaining material! The first key step this year is work to master the horticulture of each of your trees.

You also might check out some resources on wiring. Here are 2 of the 3 I often recommend.

Basic structural wiring

Bonsai Detail Wire Pt 1. I think Pt 2 requires a Bonsai Mirai subscription.

There are a zillion YouTube wiring videos, lots not so good, the others good to excellent. Yet these are great guides on how to do it right from the gitgo, including key guidelines I still look over if

As mentioned earlier, there is another very basic multi part effective wiring tutorial folks here often recommend, yet I haven’t been able to locate. Perhaps others might chip in with this resource.

As far as getting practice goes, here my two bits. I’ve found the very best way to get a lot of wiring practice really quick is to buy a group of big box evergreen azaleas and wire these. Since you are in the PacNW they are easily obtained. Here’s why I-recommend azaleas.

• AZALEAS: (Avoid Gumpos and Momo no Haru to start with btw)
• Are inexpensive
• Grow fast in treated properly.
• Require lots of structural and detail wiring,
• Also requires lots of initial pruning -helping build one’s styling skills, esp. Clip and Grow techniques.
• Can and often need to be wired a couple times a year
• The wood is not forgiving of careless blunders so one learns to develop a “feel“ for proper wiring and bending techniques fast.
• One uses less expensive aluminum
• Using Aluminum wire on azaleas teaches one how to “guage” up has to make the wire effective.…. and…
• Aluminum wire can be reused a couple times
• Can create a decent bonsai in 5 years and really good in 10….

btw: If you hear that dreaded ‘snick’ sound one isn’t out lots of money and the branch will often grow back comparatively quickly if one wires it back into place.

Anyways, my two bits!

cheers
DSD sends

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

I have never in my life received such great constructive criticism
Thank you soo much. I'm gonna buy some tomorrow because I've been trying to figure out what to practice on!

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

I can also do indoor bonsai. I have a good grow setup for it because I plan on starting some JRP seedlings in February!

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

I did some more wiring on one of my jbp. I think I'll be incorporating the branch with wire into the final design and using the current terminal growth as a sacrifice. Any and all tips would be appreciated . I think this is one of my better wiring jobs so far... and I've got a long way to go .

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

Okay... it's time to show my favorite pine. I don't know why western white pine strikes my interest soo much when I know of the struggle this species has with fungal diseases. It's just such a beautiful species. The big girl is the mother I think

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

 

[TacomaBonsai95]

Got a couple western white pine from forestry stock that I planted into a forest scene. Hopefully this develops well over the next few years .

I want to try and convey the feeling you get when looking into a stand of pines. I often notice the orderly layout at the edge of the stand, upon looking into the forest, I notice the gradual degradation into a more chaotic scene in the middle. It's like the forest is calling you in with the intent to show you its more mysterious side.