Japanese Beech Forest

[MACH5]

Good to know. Ive got a european beech purple cultivar that is early in development.

In the beginning stages of development I believe in heavily wiring deciduous trees to set the design in motion. The idea or goal is to eventually wind down on the amount of wire they receive and lean more on the "clip and grow" method. The downside of course is that you need to be very vigilant of wires biting in.

 

[Hartinez]

In the beginning stages of development I believe in heavily wiring deciduous trees to set the design in motion. The idea or goal is to eventually wind down on the amount of wire they receive and lean more on the "clip and grow" method. The downside of course is that you need to be very vigilant of wires biting in.

I Agree 100% Sergio. I really loved your interview with Ryan Neil on his podcast where you talked about this. Laying out the branches on deciduous like doing a line drawing to set initial structure. I almost completely wired out an elm i had after listening to that episode. Thanks for the advice per usual Sergio.

 

[MACH5]

When you repot, do you intend to reduce the height of the moss ball? Or do you have a different container in mind?

I plan on continuing to keep it on the slab. Horticulturally speaking I think it would be unwise to keep this forest in anything shallower than what it is right now. I think visually I am also fine with it.

 

[MACH5]

I Agree 100% Sergio. I really loved your interview with Ryan Neil on his podcast where you talked about this. Laying out the branches on deciduous like doing a line drawing to set initial structure. I almost completely wired out an elm i had after listening to that episode. Thanks for the advice per usual Sergio.

Yes of course Danny!

 

[MACH5]

Beech tonight and recently repotted.

What happened to the slab!!?

As I had just finished repotting it and with my head still hazy from covid, I spun the tree around to put some finishing touches at the back and suddenly fell off the worktable. I just didn't realize how close I was to the edge! One side of the slab hit the ground first and broke the fall which prevented the tree from any damage. Thank God! Anyway, I was lucky to have a pot that fit the entire forest just right. Now looking at it, it actually looks quite nice in a pot. So I'll have to see if I keep in a pot moving forward or move it back again onto another slab? What do you guys think?

 

[August44]

Beech tonight and recently repotted.

What happened to the slab!!?

As I had just finished repotting it and with my head still hazy from covid, I spun the tree around to put some finishing touches at the back and suddenly fell off the worktable. I just didn't realize how close I was to the edge! One side of the slab hit the ground first and broke the fall which prevented the tree from any damage. Thank God! Anyway, I was lucky to have a pot that fit the entire forest just right. Now looking at it, it actually looks quite nice in a pot. So I'll have to see if I keep in a pot moving forward or move it back again onto another slab? What do you guys think?

View attachment 431478

View attachment 431479

Always like slabs and wish I had a bunch!

 

[ajm55555]

You can't go wrong with a blue pot ;-)

 

[ABCarve]

I think they both look great. I always like changing pots……it’s almost like getting a new tree! There’s always many solutions and results to a problem. Nice!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

A tree this nice would look good in an old shoebox.
Normally, I prefer pots, but this one looked really nice on that slab.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I agree with Brian that this would look good in anything but I think the rough edges of the slab helped contribute to the overall natural feel of this one.

 

[namnhi]

Let's have a comparison shots of slab and pot side by side, Mach5 style.... so we can vote.

 

[MACH5]

Here is a side by side comparison. Now please keep in mind that the pot is not final. It is what I had at the moment which is a production grade Chinese pot. If in fact we go for a pot, I would have to find one of much better quality. Maybe in blue or cream.

Vote away!

 

[August44]

Slab all day! Where do you get those slabs anyway?

 

[Canada Bonsai]

I prefer the slab over this blue pot in particular, but I think I would love to see this tree in an unglazed shidei (brownish-purplish) oval with a good down-turned 'kokufu lip'

I was told that the one in the attached example pics might just be a heavily patina'ed shirokochi, but I'm sure I've seen shidei nakawatari pots that would do the trick, and Gyozan, Kinka and Yamaaki also come to mind.

(sorry I lost track of sources for the pics)

edit: this 'black' koyo just came to mind too, which I always thought might be right for a coppery stewartia because of the matte finish, but the ghostly trunks of fagus might be interesting, not sure. Curious what you think either way

 

[namnhi]

I like the rough look of slab over the neatly looking pot. Slab got my vote!

 

[Carol 83]

It's gorgeous either way. But even though I am a big fan of blue pots (), I prefer the slab.

 

[namnhi]

Looking at it again. The wall of the pot is what I dislike. You don't see the wall on the slab if you know what I mean.

 

[MACH5]

Slab all day! Where do you get those slabs anyway?

That is a granite slab most likely sourced in PA. When I bought this forest back in 2014, it already came with the slab.

 

[MACH5]

I prefer the slab over this blue pot in particular, but I think I would love to see this tree in an unglazed shidei (brownish-purplish) oval with a good down-turned 'kokufu lip'

I was told that the one in the attached example pics might just be a heavily patina'ed shirokochi, but I'm sure I've seen shidei nakawatari pots that would do the trick, and Gyozan, Kinka and Yamaaki also come to mind.

(sorry I lost track of sources for the pics)

edit: this 'black' koyo just came to mind too, which I always thought might be right for a coppery stewartia because of the matte finish, but the ghostly trunks of fagus might be interesting, not sure. Curious what you think either way

Derek I think that black pot would look striking with this forest! The contrast would be quite dramatic. Very interesting. What are the dimensions?

Looks like the slab is winning all the way! There is a certain formality that a pot imparts on a bonsai that I like. I personally don't think one is better than the other. They are just two distinct looks.

 

[PiñonJ]

What do you guys think?

You like to experiment. I say clear acrylic pot, no substrate, bare root with only hydroponic solution!