First forest planting

[AlainK]

a metric

???

Isn't that a measuring tape in inches?

I can't believe these are 10 centimetres tall (metric system), 4 inches in the imperial system...

 

[imhar5h]

Woops, posted something in the wrong thread.

Good progress on the forest planting btw!

 

[Lars Grimm]

Quick fall update after a brief trim. I removed a bunch of the longer internode growth that was apparent last year and have tried to start growing shorter secondaries. One challenge is because of the very small scale, it is easy to get some knuckles of growth. I need to be more aggressive during the growing season, but it is very tough. I think there are a few thicker branches that I might want to remove and regrow as well. Overall, I think I am making very steady progress with this. I appreciate any and all thoughts and feedback.

 

[Lars Grimm]

Here is a nice side by side for comparison.
2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

 

[AlainK]

I find this forest is great.

I counted the trees 8 ?...

"Oh no, even number, bad, bad, bad !!!". Frankly, I don't care a fig, it's a very nice forest in my opinion.

But I would slip the whole slightly to the left. I love long, rectangular conainers for such trees, but maybe flat, irregular stone would even be better. My 2 €cents...

Great job anyway

 

[Lars Grimm]

I find this forest is great.

I counted the trees 8 ?...

"Oh no, even number, bad, bad, bad !!!". Frankly, I don't care a fig, it's a very nice forest in my opinion.

But I would slip the whole slightly to the left. I love long, rectangular conainers for such trees, but maybe flat, irregular stone would even be better. My 2 €cents...

Great job anyway

There have alternated between even and odd numbers of trees depending on what dies! I find the even number does not bother me at all given the large number and lack of symmetry.

I'll take a look at trying to reposition slightly when I repot this year. It is now one huge root ball and I like having the negative space on the right. I think it will look much nicer when it is mossed up as well. I'll have to find some very fine grained moss though given the small size.

 

[AlainK]

I find the even number does not bother me at all

... and I wholeheartedly support you !

 

[Schmikah]

Here is a nice side by side for comparison.
2016
View attachment 343755
2017
View attachment 343756
2018
View attachment 343757
2019
View attachment 343758
2020
View attachment 343760

First off, I just find it insane the huge leap this planting took from 2017 to 2018. I assume that's the year you put it in the larger basin (good trick if that was the case because I'm going to have a lot of trident cuttings that might find there way into a forest in the next few years).

And as far as even and odds go, I can't remember where I read this or from whom, but I have found it to be true in my limited experience; groupings of trees into clumps that can easily be counted (2 or 3 or even 4), destroys the effect, but as long as the spacing is asymmetrical and any sub-grouping makes it difficult for our brain to easily distinguish the number, its fine. And I think you have balanced it well enough that I don't see the even or odd number, just a forest planting.

I like it, and thanks for the progress reports. Keep em' coming.

 

[Lars Grimm]

First off, I just find it insane the huge leap this planting took from 2017 to 2018. I assume that's the year you put it in the larger basin (good trick if that was the case because I'm going to have a lot of trident cuttings that might find there way into a forest in the next few years).

And as far as even and odds go, I can't remember where I read this or from whom, but I have found it to be true in my limited experience; groupings of trees into clumps that can easily be counted (2 or 3 or even 4), destroys the effect, but as long as the spacing is asymmetrical and any sub-grouping makes it difficult for our brain to easily distinguish the number, its fine. And I think you have balanced it well enough that I don't see the even or odd number, just a forest planting.

I like it, and thanks for the progress reports. Keep em' coming.

Yes, I left the tree in the shallow pot and let the roots grow out into the larger container. It really allowed them to thicken up and develop quickly. The root ball was quite large. I think this year, I will have to scale that back though to maintain a really smaller growth, but it will be more difficult to water as a result. I might end up leaving it in the larger container, but constantly prune back the roots that escape. That way I will still get the effect of the humidity tray but not the rapid growth.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Here is a nice side by side for comparison.
2016

What a nice accomplishment! Thanks for recording your progress. The difference between last year and this year really brings this grouping into quite nice shape. I look forward to watching this forest mature!

 

[LanceMac10]

Super sweet!! Maybe @Roy Minarai can make you a sweet pot like @MACH5 's ?

Awesome work!! Nice!

 

[Lars Grimm]

Fall 2021 update. I'm really focusing on trying to chase back some of the internodes on the apices and building up ramification. This tree didn't quite as much attention this year, but slow and steady is the race.

 

[AlainK]

Very nice, good natural movement, slight differences between the trunk calipers, but just enough to look good, very nice overall shape, and once again looking very "natural".

To me, it deserves 5 stars :



Bravo, c'est une excellente forêt !

 

[Lars Grimm]

December 2022 update. Not the most progress from last year, but some small gains.

 

[penumbra]

December 2022 update. Not the most progress from last year, but some small gains.

View attachment 465721

Really beautiful and proof that even numbers in sufficient quantity works out well.

 

[Lars Grimm]

The one thing I did this year was a complete outer canopy defoliation. I got an interesting response with 7 of the 8 trees having a vigorous response, but one smaller tree leafing out very slowly.

 

[GGB]

small gains

That means you're doing the fun stuff. It's coming along nicely

 

[Yamabudoudanshi]

Great progression.
This forest has a really "creepy" look. - I mean that as a compliment.
I love the shallow rectangle as it's so unconventional from what you typically see maples in.