Introductions and a Question or Two

[PixelGripPunk]

A hearty 'hello' from Canada (Saskatchewan, to be specific). It only seems right to say a bit about myself before blundering forward with questions: My half-arsed bonsai journey started almost ten years ago with a few garden-centre and flower-shop pre-trained, pre-potted, pre-pruned (and for the most part pre-ruined) trees. The goal was to decorate my recently-purchased house with things I liked to look at. As you might guess, everything went wrong in a number of ways and I devoted my hobby-time to fixing up said house.

In the last 12-24 months, my real bonsai journey began. I've read, studied, watched, and researched a lot. Enough to be dangerous; enough to know how much more I need to learn. This year specifically I have been focused on developing pre-bonsai, as finding anything close to developed is very hard in small-town, small province Saskatchewan. I hope to post bits and pieces of my cobbled-together collection as we get to know one another, but that's enough groundwork to begin.

Why is that enough to begin? Because I am 30 days away from our historical first-frost.

tl;dr (do we do that here?): questions are in bold

Tree 1 - The Wrong Siberian Larch (Larix siberica 'Durcarl')



First thing first: I bought the wrong larch. This Oasis larch was mixed in with the regular Siberian larch and I didn't notice until I got it home. Oh well; this is the only one that had any movement on the trunk at all and I need something with a decently thick trunk (about 3 cm dia. here) and this is all I could get. He is the subject of two questions:

1a) I'm leaning towards repotting this tree ASAP, probably just breaking up the soil that is there, amending with a fair bit of perlite and coco coir to maybe get some root growth before winter. I'm curious if we think this is worth it, or if I just leave it in the current pot until spring.
1b) This is also a candidate for a trunk chop before winter when I doing some wiring. The last of the lower branches is about 16" from the soil level, the whole tree is just under 6 feet. I just realized this isn't a question. Please yell at me if I am missing something obvious and shouldn't give it the chop.

Tree 2 - Honeywood Saskatoon Berry (Amelanchier alnifolia)



This is a terrible picture, but the plant is a project. There are a few 'quintessentially Saskatchewan' trees and bushes that I want to acquire and work on. None of them are great or common bonsai species but some might be similar enough that I can apply the same logic. This tree will get repotted into a slightly acidic Canadian peat mix with added perlite and a little grit.

'Tree' 3 - Lemony Lace Elderberry (Sambucus Racemona)



I won't say too much about this one aside from that it's a weird plant, in a weird shape, and I have a weird pot for it. We'll see what it turns into. It will be getting my standard 1:1:1 mix of screened Safe T sorb, lava, and pumice, with about 10% coco fibre.

Tree 4 - Sango Kaku (grafted)



All 5 of these trees are from a landscape nursery sale a week ago. This guy was sunburnt and crispy, but had two things going for it: it's very existence and a decently clean graft. Soon to be slip-potted into some soil for future trunk growth. Ideally I would grow this into a larger container-tree and take air-layers off of it. I have a lot of time and a lot to learn about maples before it comes to that, though, and this will also be a lovely container-tree at any size.

Tree 5 - Red Dragon (grafted)



Well if the last tree had two things going for it, this has one: it is the only Red Dragon maple I've ever found in-person. The graft was poorly done leaving ugly swelling and ragged edges even after healing. It will lessen with time (probably), but I still have a lot of wasted trunk under the graft. Slip-pot, grow, see what happens.


Well I guess I had fewer direct questions than I thought. I'll have to post some of this year's spring work one of these days, as well as my upcoming projects (almost time to cut of a double-flowering plum air layer from May). I also look forward to an in-depth discussion on how to shelter collections from our harsh winters. I have thoughts and plans. More coming soon.

 

[Colorado]

Welcome!

I would think there is some pretty awesome yamadori to be found in Saskatchewan Once you get confident with your nursery trees I’d be looking to go collect some trees from the wild (since it seems unlikely there are many bonsai vendors nearby). With proper permits/permission of course.

Have fun!

 

[PixelGripPunk]

Thanks! I travel the Southern parts of the province pretty extensively so I've seen more than a few I would love to collect. There are two beautifully malformed honeysuckle bushes and a few cedars that are due for some heavy reduction (and may consequently find parts of themselves potted up), but I don't want to get ahead of myself.

Bonus pic, front to back: cotoneaster, juniper, and some miscellaneous $10 chamaecyparis

 

[Michael P]

Second welcome!

I will be no practical help since my climate is so different from yours.. But there are few members who also live in cold climates. You might start another thread with a title like "Japanese maples in zone 3b". And thanks for putting your location and zone in your very first post! We must pry that critical information out of many beginners, LOL.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Welcome aboard. Love the username, RATM? I don't have any of the trees you listed except for the Larix, & if it were mine I'd leave it alone until next spring, you may be able to amend the soil, but I wouldn't disturb the roots too much. I've never chopped mine so I'm not helpful there. I'd also plan on giving the Sango Kaku some good winter protection, once the leaves drop it doesn't need sun. An attached garage if you have one. Looks like you're off to a good start

 

[Shibui]

I'm leaning towards repotting this tree ASAP, probably just breaking up the soil that is there, amending with a fair bit of perlite and coco coir to maybe get some root growth before winter. I'm curious if we think this is worth it, or if I just leave it in the current pot until spring.

Repotting now will probably mean very little root work?

One problem with commercial grown trees is that they have usually been started in tiny pots and potted on without any real root work year after year. When we go looking for nebari (roots showing on the surface close to the trunk) we usually find the roots tied in knots and tangles. If you value good nebari and well formed radial surface roots I would urge you to wait for the appropriate time of year for your climate then check the roots properly and make whatever changes you can manage given what you find down there. Getting any extra growth before doing the roots will only make it more difficult when the time comes as the roots will also grow and thicken commensurate with the trunk and branches.

it is the only Red Dragon maple I've ever found in-person. The graft was poorly done leaving ugly swelling and ragged edges even after healing. It will lessen with time (probably), but I still have a lot of wasted trunk under the graft.

Red Dragon is a weeping form of JM. They are always grafted on a long stem to give a mounded tree. If grafted lower it would just end up as a flat mat on the ground.
Long root stock is no real problem. If you want it shorter, JM respond to layering very well so you can choose where on that stem you'd like the roots.

It looks very young so the graft probably has not had time to heal properly. Sometimes poor grafts heal over and disappear, sometimes they just swell and look worse.

 

[PixelGripPunk]

Thank you very much for the responses! I was a little hesitant making my first post, but glad to see I avoided any major faux pas.

@Michigan Tree Murderer Thanks, and yes: RATM was the inspiration. I just needed to make it a little less violent and a little more tech-y.

@Shibui

One problem with commercial grown trees is that they have usually been started in tiny pots and potted on without any real root work year after year. When we go looking for nebari (roots showing on the surface close to the trunk) we usually find the roots tied in knots and tangles. If you value good nebari and well formed radial surface roots I would urge you to wait for the appropriate time of year

I have definitely noticed the mess of roots I end up finding when I have repotted commercial trees. It seems common practice around here to purposefully tie a few roots into a knot around other roots (possibly to attached them to a previous nursery pot). Patience is a virtue I'm working on, but not very well. As long as it stays healthy before winter the larix can keep its pot until a proper repot in spring.

Now off to a provincial park for inspiration and hunting for possible yamadori (for future collection, only on leaseholder-approved land!)