Rusty Davis
Shohin
9/16/16 Purchased Gold coast juniper $15.13
9/28/16
Cleaned/Jin/Raphia/wire/Rock carving
Practicing Bonsai 9 months
in the future I will refine the large jin and work to fill in and define the pads
Fall Contest 2016... An Honest Balance!
- Thread starter sorce
- Start date
- Status
9/16/16 Purchased Gold coast juniper $15.13
9/28/16
Cleaned/Jin/Raphia/wire/Rock carving
Practicing Bonsai 9 months
in the future I will refine the large jin and work to fill in and define the pads
wireme
Masterpiece
As purchased, last weekend. "Little gem cedar" A cultivar of Thuja Occidentalis. $29.99 CND 
Finished up today, front in daylight and again at night with celebratory beer can for scale.
From the top down and a couple interior shots. 
Comments on styling: I tried not to prune the hell out of this one. Removed quite a few entire branches but what I kept I mostly left intact to the tip. Pretty lanky branches as the interior was so shaded. This meant a lot of wiggles to bring it all as compact as I could. A bunch of horizontal layering to make it look like anything other than a big old mess.
I tried to keep the wire both effective and pretty. Almost all was effective, a fair bit pretty as well.
Future plans: I like it but will like it more if it's bigger and burlier. More girth in places, more room for shari and hollows, replacement of a couple funny looking bits.
Will be sent back to development stage for a while rather than maintained as is. Grown in the can for a bit. A similar but better tree in 5-10 years is the hope.
I've been growing and collecting trees with the intent of bonsai since 2003ish.
Finished up today, front in daylight and again at night with celebratory beer can for scale.
From the top down and a couple interior shots. Comments on styling: I tried not to prune the hell out of this one. Removed quite a few entire branches but what I kept I mostly left intact to the tip. Pretty lanky branches as the interior was so shaded. This meant a lot of wiggles to bring it all as compact as I could. A bunch of horizontal layering to make it look like anything other than a big old mess.
I tried to keep the wire both effective and pretty. Almost all was effective, a fair bit pretty as well.
Future plans: I like it but will like it more if it's bigger and burlier. More girth in places, more room for shari and hollows, replacement of a couple funny looking bits.
Will be sent back to development stage for a while rather than maintained as is. Grown in the can for a bit. A similar but better tree in 5-10 years is the hope.
I've been growing and collecting trees with the intent of bonsai since 2003ish.
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Quince
Mame
Juniperus communis 'Green Carpet' $2.99
10/12/16
10/13/16
After thinning and wiring the tree, I lifted the middle section of trunk and bought the apex forward to improve the trunk line. I tried to use as much of the foliage as I could, to make a pleasing image and full crown. I am hopping to get this plant through this coming winter and move it to a slightly larger pot in the spring. With any luck, I will be refining the branches building an apex in 2018.
Been growing little trees since 2008
10/12/16
10/13/16
After thinning and wiring the tree, I lifted the middle section of trunk and bought the apex forward to improve the trunk line. I tried to use as much of the foliage as I could, to make a pleasing image and full crown. I am hopping to get this plant through this coming winter and move it to a slightly larger pot in the spring. With any luck, I will be refining the branches building an apex in 2018.
Been growing little trees since 2008
Attachments
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Josh88
Shohin
Here we have a Ramapo Rhododerdron purchased for $10.99.
After branch selection and wiring, I tilted the angle of the planting by about 10 degrees, and used the "magic cloth" to cover a low back branch that I will keep to thicken the trunk and minimize the shock from this initial styling. The second to last picture shows the back branch uncovered.
As for the future of this tree, I will enjoy the bloom in the spring, then start working on getting foliage in closer to the trunk and getting better taper in the trunk base.
I've been practicing bonsai for a year and a half, and this is the first of my trees I have posted to the site.
View attachment 120583
After branch selection and wiring, I tilted the angle of the planting by about 10 degrees, and used the "magic cloth" to cover a low back branch that I will keep to thicken the trunk and minimize the shock from this initial styling. The second to last picture shows the back branch uncovered.
As for the future of this tree, I will enjoy the bloom in the spring, then start working on getting foliage in closer to the trunk and getting better taper in the trunk base.
I've been practicing bonsai for a year and a half, and this is the first of my trees I have posted to the site.
View attachment 120583Attachments
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Fall Contest 2016 entry from Underdog aka Mark Underwood
Blue Star Juniper - Juniperus squamata
I picked this one up for free from a friend with a nursery on September 23rd 2016 after reading about this contest. Normally $15. I brought 2 nicer ones home earlier in the summer and saw potential for this contest to try another. Eventually I’d like to do a group planting of the three along my pond’s bank on a rock(s).
After a gentle clean up of the root ball I got a shot of the yet to be developed nebari on October 4. This is the strong side but the other side has hope too.
I thinned out the canopy, chose some branches to work with and applied a few wires. A few more branches could go but I’m growing fond of this little guy and wanting it to survive. Poor little tree is taking a beating in this “Instant Bonsai” attempt. October 10th.
After deciding on a pot or a less abusive landscape style planting for photos, I went for the gusto and bought a beautiful Ching Wen for on FB for $42. I think the pot color and texture compliment the bark on this tree and the hints of blue/green highlights in the glaze accentuate the Blue Star’s healthy colors. This is the eventual and originally intended front view of the tree not yet ready for prime time. October 17th.
After more pruning and fine wiring I’ve decided this is what I have for an entry. I’ve looked at it long enough and tweaked a bit here and there, taken too many pictures. I still see a couple healthy shoots sticking out of place, which could be addressed, but I believe this guy has had enough for one month of “instant bonsai”. My photography skills need improvement, as I just couldn’t figure out the focus on this new camera. I hope you like it.
I have been lovingly abusing little trees for 18 months so I’m still a newbie. My first over priced little Juniper came from “That White Van” in April 2015. I joined last winter and have learned almost exclusively from this site’s archives and it’s members. 2016 is my first real season from start to finish gathering collected native material, discarded landscape plants, local nursery stock and a few online purchases for trees not available locally. I guess it’s not even a full season yet as I now have to over-winter all of this. I’m over 25 trees and my grandson thinks I’m his tree crazy PaPaw. (He doesn’t yet know I hope that the good ones may be his one day)
Blue Star Juniper - Juniperus squamata
I picked this one up for free from a friend with a nursery on September 23rd 2016 after reading about this contest. Normally $15. I brought 2 nicer ones home earlier in the summer and saw potential for this contest to try another. Eventually I’d like to do a group planting of the three along my pond’s bank on a rock(s).
After a gentle clean up of the root ball I got a shot of the yet to be developed nebari on October 4. This is the strong side but the other side has hope too.
I thinned out the canopy, chose some branches to work with and applied a few wires. A few more branches could go but I’m growing fond of this little guy and wanting it to survive. Poor little tree is taking a beating in this “Instant Bonsai” attempt. October 10th.
After deciding on a pot or a less abusive landscape style planting for photos, I went for the gusto and bought a beautiful Ching Wen for on FB for $42. I think the pot color and texture compliment the bark on this tree and the hints of blue/green highlights in the glaze accentuate the Blue Star’s healthy colors. This is the eventual and originally intended front view of the tree not yet ready for prime time. October 17th.
After more pruning and fine wiring I’ve decided this is what I have for an entry. I’ve looked at it long enough and tweaked a bit here and there, taken too many pictures. I still see a couple healthy shoots sticking out of place, which could be addressed, but I believe this guy has had enough for one month of “instant bonsai”. My photography skills need improvement, as I just couldn’t figure out the focus on this new camera. I hope you like it.
I have been lovingly abusing little trees for 18 months so I’m still a newbie. My first over priced little Juniper came from “That White Van” in April 2015. I joined last winter and have learned almost exclusively from this site’s archives and it’s members. 2016 is my first real season from start to finish gathering collected native material, discarded landscape plants, local nursery stock and a few online purchases for trees not available locally. I guess it’s not even a full season yet as I now have to over-winter all of this. I’m over 25 trees and my grandson thinks I’m his tree crazy PaPaw. (He doesn’t yet know I hope that the good ones may be his one day)
Wilson
Masterpiece
Ok @sorce I got this guy for $5.00, it's a Fairview juniper I believe. I wanted to capture a favorite image of mine from when I was a child, battered windswept trees growing on the rocky shores of Georgian bay. As a canuck, I have a real love of the group of seven's paintings of the great white north, and often when thinking of designs I refer to memories of their paintings. I have been growing trees in the ground for a few years, actual bonsai work was limited to a lot of reading. I have now been doing more real bonsai work for around a year.
I do realize that the way I chose to style the tree is viewed by many as a style that often looks contrived, or just plain bad, but I really was happy with the final result. This is a tall tree at 27" and I do look forward to doing more work when the thaw comes next year. I hope some of you enjoy the tree as much as I do!
I do realize that the way I chose to style the tree is viewed by many as a style that often looks contrived, or just plain bad, but I really was happy with the final result. This is a tall tree at 27" and I do look forward to doing more work when the thaw comes next year. I hope some of you enjoy the tree as much as I do!
thomas22
Chumono
Juniper Chinensis "Sea Green" bought for the contest at Southwest Lanscape Nursery on 9/15 for $20.
Next pics are during styling where you can start to see the trunk line and possible deadwood branches.
I have been practicing Bonsai for 6 years. Here is a the back and a pic of my Photograph studio. Ha ha.
ATTACH=full]122101[/ATTACH]
Final
My plans are to develop pads, compact it a bit a put in a nice pot.
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jordystokes
Yamadori
I wasn't going to enter but I liked this plant so much, I thought I'd give it a whirl.
This is an andromeda/fetterbush (pieris is the genus name. I'm unsure if the species, probably phillyreifolia). $10.18 at Home Depot.
Before:
Middle:
Last:
Been trying to practice bonsai for less than a year. My future plans would be to increase ramification and try to reduce leaf size. Pieris's new growth comes out red and has small white flowers. The tree should look awesome with those elements are included.
This is an andromeda/fetterbush (pieris is the genus name. I'm unsure if the species, probably phillyreifolia). $10.18 at Home Depot.
Before:
Middle:
Last:
Been trying to practice bonsai for less than a year. My future plans would be to increase ramification and try to reduce leaf size. Pieris's new growth comes out red and has small white flowers. The tree should look awesome with those elements are included.
My entry is this Shimpaku. I bought it from a friend and owner of Cass Bonsai Garden. It was $20.
Got it from the side of the barn "The Junk Pile"
After splitting the piece I didn't want off by hand... Which is still alive.
Some Jin work.
After wood work, posing for pot position.
And finally after three or four hours of actual work over the past month and tonight's last minute wire and style... The end result.
The future of this tree will consist of pad reduction, getting them longer and flatter, better placement. Then a pot that I feel fits the tree better and finding the best position for the tree pot combo... My biggest struggle with this tree was position.
I have been practicing bonsai on and off for a little over 20 years and fairly focused since Feb of 13.
Got it from the side of the barn "The Junk Pile"
After splitting the piece I didn't want off by hand... Which is still alive.
Some Jin work.
After wood work, posing for pot position.
And finally after three or four hours of actual work over the past month and tonight's last minute wire and style... The end result.
The future of this tree will consist of pad reduction, getting them longer and flatter, better placement. Then a pot that I feel fits the tree better and finding the best position for the tree pot combo... My biggest struggle with this tree was position.
I have been practicing bonsai on and off for a little over 20 years and fairly focused since Feb of 13.
Bonsai wifey
Seed
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 4
Salcomine
Yamadori
$17 Thuja Occidentalis Var. Yellow Ribbon 9/11/2016
chop 9/11/2016
Initial Front 9/22/16
Initial Back 9/22/16
Back 11/10/16
Back Detail 11/10/16
Front 11/10/2016
front detail 11/10/2016
Final 11/10/2016
Did most of the jinning throughout october, just didn't take any pictures before I over did the lime sulphur.
Future plans:
- Not kill it.
- Let the apex and sacrifice branch at the bottom grow out, to try to remove the reverse taper.
- Shorten/remove the two side branches.
- Be more careful when applying lime sulphur.
I have been practicing bonsai for about 8 months, this was a good exercise I enjoyed it.
Thanks
Robyn
Attachments
RNbonsai
Mame
- Status
