Indian Summer Crabapple...
- Thread starter Cadillactaste
- Start date
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I like how the foot of the pot resembles the color of the tree.
Sorce
Sorce
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
You're going to have to address the reverse taper and clump of branches at the top of the main trunk.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Trying to buy a pick me up...from my rosemary disaster. Something for that pot...I love the pot...to be able to slip something into it come spring...a plus. But...if the stock photo is so poor...what will the rest bring. 
not feeling as excited...but best to pull my heads out of the clouds and face reality. Appreciate your advice Vin.
not feeling as excited...but best to pull my heads out of the clouds and face reality. Appreciate your advice Vin.
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
Don't forget I'll be giving you mine if I can get a decent leader to grow off the trunk in the spring.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Cool...thanks for thinking of me.
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
Well, let's just see what happens with the crabapple. It may amount to nothing. So sorry to hear about your beloved rosemary
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Thanks Vin...Well, let's just see what happens with the crabapple. It may amount to nothing. So sorry to hear about your beloved rosemary
That it was thriving...and the next day brown from what I did...just sickening. I will water it through winter just in case I only killed off the foliage...but, I'm not holding my breath. So done with trees that aren't zone friendly. For my own negligence killed it when I lovingly pampered it...for the duration in my care. If it weren't for the new tools...I was so upset I pondered even ditching bonsai because I'm so stupid. Loved that tree...which was a dumb sulking stage I found myself in. That and the dumb Bougain caused leaf tip burn on my cutting bougies. (Assuming the roots weren't developed enough to handle it?) Though they are bouncing back thank goodness. Add a case of spider mites to the lantana...which is also bouncing back. But it all happened within a week. I was beyond crushed...
Though not the best being SS...they will work for me. Since a gift...they pulled me out of my depression. Which even the kids and the husband kept commenting on. But...I didn't dare tell them it was bonsai related.
My trees in the gazebo seem good...even the hemlock. So that is a plus...I really like the twin trunk lilac ...I think my favorite nursery find.
edprocoat
Masterpiece
Darlene, just some friendly advice for you to take or leave. If you get depressed over losing a Bonsai and having a few setbacks in a weeks time maybe you should get out of Bonsai. Those things are bound to happen and if it affects you that much is it worth the possible mental health problems you have experienced ? If it was bad enough that your husband and kids noticed it then it is not only affecting you but also affecting your loved ones, life is too short for that type of worry especially over a plant....
ed
ed
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
My dad's health is questionable...it was just the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. I lost an entire yard of plants one year not understanding juglone, yet have not given up and have had success since. I think dealing with long term medical issues with my dad and tests nor doctors can diagnose the major underlying culprit...I just was having a pity party...holidays and all...With my dad and I can't keep a plant alive sort of thing. I am always so up beat and positive that after months of dealing with my dad...the plant thing set me off. Since I felt it was something I can control. Yet...didn't. I think...I should have a get out of jail FREE card on how I reacted...with all going on.
edprocoat
Masterpiece
Darlene as I said take it or leave it. My dad is in a nursing home suffering from Alzheimers, I have just recovered from a kidney stone procedure and I am deeply in debt at a time of year where my work slow down. I have so much worry and stress on me, the only thing that gives me some peace and comfort is the time I spend with my plants. Believe me though that if I were to receive any stress from them I would toss them in the garbage immediately. Why add to your stress over a hobby ?
ed
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Sorry to hear about your dad...mine has his mind,but my uncle had dementia and that was hard...but, my dad has all sorts of other issues going on. 7 months strong...it's just so frustrating. Specialist after specialist...tests and more tests. But to see him just a walking skeleton of the man he once was is hard to swallow.
My husband had bilateral kidney blockage from kidney stones last Christmas...scary stuff...emergency surgery. Sorry to hear you had something similar...
I guess stupid mistakes is what frustrated me the most...for each could have been prevented...and I should have at least known better. But, I think it was just something to take my mind off of what I can't control. That being a diagnosis on my dad's behalf. Feeling so helpless for so long. I am not prone to pity parties or wallowing in a funk. But...that week about did me in. Dad as well...domino effect I guess. Typically working trees are relaxing...but I wasn't working trees...my mind just wasn't in it and my trees show for it. But...my trees in the gazebo are thriving...so...that's a plus.
I'm done wallowing...when my dad complained he messed up the catheter...and peed on his leg...I was the first to tell him...dad don't take this the wrong way...but...be glad you had a leg to pee on. I'm always trying to look for the silver lining...but...that week just got the worst of me. Little to no sleep didn't help matters. I've lost bonsai...it's not my first...and won't be my last. Just came at a time where I was done feeling strong I guess. I put my big girl panties back on...and I'm good to go. I do enjoy bonsai...just had a week of self wallowing. I'm not prone to those thank goodness...actually...I can't recall having felt that bad. But...being up beat and positive for my dad's sake...is hard...when it's hard to find the positive at times. But...not pushing up daisies...that's a plus! Or so I remind him.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
It (mistakes that lead to dead trees) happens to most of us at some point. I was kicking myself a couple of years ago after 2 of my potentially better trees (including the most expensive one I had purchased to that point) turned up dead after getting too dry during the winter. What a stupid and completely avoidable mistake! It's natural to be mad/pissed off/depressed to some degree when you do something like that, especially if there is a bunch of other stuff going on in your life.
Learn from it and move on. As I said via PM, the rosemary may be OK, I had one that I left in my winter storage a couple of years ago (temps in the upper 20s for most of the winter), a large percentage of the foliage browned and died off but the plant came back from it. Hope yours does too.
Chris
Learn from it and move on. As I said via PM, the rosemary may be OK, I had one that I left in my winter storage a couple of years ago (temps in the upper 20s for most of the winter), a large percentage of the foliage browned and died off but the plant came back from it. Hope yours does too.
Chris
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Thanks Chris... Yes, I feel the overall of everything just weighed me down...making me take it worse since it was something I could control. My bottlebrush died...that poor thing...had so many things happen against it. I didn't lose sleep or get my pants in a twist. I paid far more for it than the rosemary. As for the rosemary I'm going to continue to water it...but, not get my hopes up overly. Trying to keep my feet on the ground with it.
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
Cows
I’m going the say something that really got me thinking about my trees. When we had our Box Store Challenge a little while back you may remember that on the final day of submissions I was out collecting some free Junipers that were advertised on Craigslist. I was there a few hours and established a pretty good report with the owner. She asked me what I planned on doing with the Junipers and reluctantly I told her about my bonsai quest. She became very intrigued and started asking quite a bit of questions. They were good questions about the process and care of "trees in a pot" so I decided to show her some photos of my work I had on my phone. Now let me tell you, the worst thing a person can do when talking to a “Bonsai Nut” is give praise and admiration or show astonishment over what we do. We just start spilling our guts when that happens.
After a little more conversation she said something to me that will probably stick with me for the rest of my bonsai days. As we were talking about the necessary care and attention that is required of these little guys and girls she said “they must be like cows.” There was a silent pause and I replied “cows?” “Yes” she said, “you can’t go a day without taking care of them in some way. Cows are unable to care for themselves.” Well, at first I felt a bit insulted that she compared my babies to cows. After all, what the heck does she know? Then she explained that she grew up on a farm and someone always had to take care of the cows, every day without fail.
Now that’s a heck of a commitment. Rain or shine, feeling good or feeling bad, at home or out of town, taking care of others or not; someone must look after the cows. It’s a responsibility that only some can handle. For me, I have decided to accept the challenge and feel as though I’m a better person for it. I’ve seen your work and read your posts. You love your trees and they are in a better place because of you. Take care of your cows Darlene, even if you have to give them to someone else for a little while. I’m sure they won’t mind.
I’m going the say something that really got me thinking about my trees. When we had our Box Store Challenge a little while back you may remember that on the final day of submissions I was out collecting some free Junipers that were advertised on Craigslist. I was there a few hours and established a pretty good report with the owner. She asked me what I planned on doing with the Junipers and reluctantly I told her about my bonsai quest. She became very intrigued and started asking quite a bit of questions. They were good questions about the process and care of "trees in a pot" so I decided to show her some photos of my work I had on my phone. Now let me tell you, the worst thing a person can do when talking to a “Bonsai Nut” is give praise and admiration or show astonishment over what we do. We just start spilling our guts when that happens.
After a little more conversation she said something to me that will probably stick with me for the rest of my bonsai days. As we were talking about the necessary care and attention that is required of these little guys and girls she said “they must be like cows.” There was a silent pause and I replied “cows?” “Yes” she said, “you can’t go a day without taking care of them in some way. Cows are unable to care for themselves.” Well, at first I felt a bit insulted that she compared my babies to cows. After all, what the heck does she know? Then she explained that she grew up on a farm and someone always had to take care of the cows, every day without fail.
Now that’s a heck of a commitment. Rain or shine, feeling good or feeling bad, at home or out of town, taking care of others or not; someone must look after the cows. It’s a responsibility that only some can handle. For me, I have decided to accept the challenge and feel as though I’m a better person for it. I’ve seen your work and read your posts. You love your trees and they are in a better place because of you. Take care of your cows Darlene, even if you have to give them to someone else for a little while. I’m sure they won’t mind.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
I'm a farm girl...grandpa raised black angus along with several other livestock. We took care of a neighboring farm when they left on fishing trips.
I'm not the only sibling...but the only upbeat one of the bunch for the most part. My brother is carrying a big load with up keeping the property where my dad lives. I do enjoy the bonsai...It typically is my stepping out of what's going on...and refreshing. Even if it's just tinkering out in the gazebo looking over my trees out there. I honestly don't trust no one to do long term with my trees...and I'm not willing to part with them. If it came a time it was to much...I am sure I could part with them. But, at this time...I'm fortunate to have a sibling also helping. It's more of an emotional roller coaster...a weak moment.
I am already planning on scouring nurseries this spring for two trees...an unconventional magnolia. And something that just catches my eye...nothing pegged...something that is an ah-ha moment when I see it. But more than anything...I'm excited to take the lilac to a bulb pot and out of the nursery pot. And taking a peak at the roots of the hemlock. Really contemplating chopping it and taking a branch for the new leader. That inspires me...for it looks a lot healthier than when I picked it up...with the color it now has.
Edit: I wish I could have seen your face as a she compared cows to bonsai!
I'm not the only sibling...but the only upbeat one of the bunch for the most part. My brother is carrying a big load with up keeping the property where my dad lives. I do enjoy the bonsai...It typically is my stepping out of what's going on...and refreshing. Even if it's just tinkering out in the gazebo looking over my trees out there. I honestly don't trust no one to do long term with my trees...and I'm not willing to part with them. If it came a time it was to much...I am sure I could part with them. But, at this time...I'm fortunate to have a sibling also helping. It's more of an emotional roller coaster...a weak moment.
I am already planning on scouring nurseries this spring for two trees...an unconventional magnolia. And something that just catches my eye...nothing pegged...something that is an ah-ha moment when I see it. But more than anything...I'm excited to take the lilac to a bulb pot and out of the nursery pot. And taking a peak at the roots of the hemlock. Really contemplating chopping it and taking a branch for the new leader. That inspires me...for it looks a lot healthier than when I picked it up...with the color it now has.
Edit: I wish I could have seen your face as a she compared cows to bonsai!
