Large Picea Glauca Conica for bonsai?

[Horsefeathers]

Hey there! I have what I believe is a Picea glauca 'Conica' that has been in my yard since I moved into this house a few years ago.

It is about 4' tall and the trunk is about 10" in diameter.


The outside seems very healthy from what I can tell, but the interior of the tree is completely devoid of foliage. I'm reading mixed things on whether this tree will backbud or not if I were to thin out some branches.

I do have a planter that would be large enough to hold the tree after I dug it up. I have never really liked it as is, and was wondering if this would make a viable bonsai candidate as a large formal upright?

If so, would I just dig and pot this season? Should I chop the top and get rid of the dead interior to encourage back budding? Also, if I pot it up, should I go straight to bonsai soil considering I don't need / want the tree to get any bigger?

I added pictures of the tree as well as the base of the trunk and an example of the interior.

Any advice / direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[pandacular]

welcome to the site!

@Dabbler has a great thread and video about his.

Dwarf Alberta Spruce - Christmas tree 5 years later

Finally got around to making this video as I worked on my spruce over the weekend. It's not perfect and I'm still trying to get filming better, and wiring lol. All in all, I think it came out pretty good.

www.bonsainut.com

Looking at this tree, there’s not much to it that separates it from nursery stock of the same species. I have one about this size, though a little less wide, that I bought from a landscape nursery this year. Unless you’re already planning to dig it up, I’d leave it and find a different piece of material to work on. Another species might be an easier starting point for a beginner, particularly because there’s not a great deal of spruce info out there.

 

[Horsefeathers]

Thanks for the link! I'll check it out.

It's definitely going to come out at some point, but might be a year or three if it's not suitable for bonsai.

 

[pandacular]

If you want to use it for bonsai in a few years, I would consider putting it into a pot sooner rather than later. It may take two or three years before it recovers fully from being dug out of the ground.

I have no experience with digging trees, however. Do you know anyone in the local Bonsai Society? I know they have a collection at Krohn Conservatory, so they must be somewhat active.

If you’re just starting out in bonsai, a club beginner course is a great resource!

 

[Horsefeathers]

Yeah, if it's not Bonsai it's firewood, haha!

I guess I would proceed with a proper bonsai soil even if I just let it recover for a few years?

We do have an active bonsai club in the city. I signed up for the beginner class last year and wound up getting COVID so I'm trying again this year. I missed sign-up for the early beginner class so I've got to wait until June. I

figured I'd muck around with some stuff that I've been letting grow in anticipation of trying bonsai. I've got some Maple seedlings turned into small trees and a random Mugo Pine I found surviving under a pile of firewood.

 

[pandacular]

I guess I would proceed with a proper bonsai soil even if I just let it recover for a few years?

Yes, most likely. I know that pure pumice is quite often used for recently dug trees, but really that's getting out of my wheelhouse. Hopefully someone with more experience comes around with better experience.

Definitely a good practice to let things get growing before working them, keep it up, and stick around here and your club. best of luck!

 

[Horsefeathers]

Thanks! Appreciate all the info!

I've got my soil sifted and ready to go so I suppose I'll give it a go unless someone comes along and strongly advises against it.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I only lightly advise against it.
Dwarf alberta spruce has a conical shape because of its upright growth habit. Every branch will want to go up, at all times.
Is it worth to care for a collected plant that will always be difficult on you in all of the future?
Their growth is slow and they can drop branches without warning. Back budding can take ages.

I gave up trying to work with DAS and instead spend my time on plants that are easier to work with.

Don't get me wrong, if you are up for it, go for it! I've found other spruces to be way easier and more reliable, and that is something I think you deserve to know before you get digging.

 

[Horsefeathers]

I appreciate the feedback. I think since I plan on replacing the tree anyway, I'm going to give it a shot.

I saw a Nigel Saunders video where he worked on one and mentioned the upwards growth. He cut the shoots at the top of the limb and left those growing at the bottom in order to compensate to some degree. Thought that was an interesting idea I hadn't considered.