My 1st Itoigawa

[Japonicus]

At the 2023, 8th Nationals I bought an Itoigawa pre-bonsai.
It is the only live purchase I made there and I failed to check history
I'll probably be starting the transition this Spring coming.








I have some Kishu + cuttings, but have never had Itoigawa.
I understand they throw juvenile foliage easier than Kishu.
Hope the nebari is off to a good start.

 

[mwkohler]

That's a nice one. There were a few vendors that had Itoigawa material in a similar state. I grabbed a younger one from Mark Fields. I want to root a bunch of cuttings as well.

 

[roberthu]

Nice tree for that price!

 

[Japonicus]

That's a nice one. There were a few vendors that had Itoigawa material in a similar state. I grabbed a younger one from Mark Fields. I want to root a bunch of cuttings as well.

Yeh I think, it was Bonsai West up front, that had some really nice ones I couldn't afford
or would've hurt more had it died down the road. They had some nice shari.

 

[Japonicus]

Nice tree for that price!

Thanks but you'd think I would've at least asked for some history on it.
I always at minimum ask how long it's been in the pot. Oh well.
They had other Itoigawa that were deeper green like my Kishu, but he said
they'd been in the green house, whereas these lighter ones were in full Sun.
I like my Kishu, so this one should be ok.

 

[pandacular]

I'm looking forward to following this tree. I really admire your procumbens, hoping to see similarly insightful posts on shimpaku.

 

[mwkohler]

Yeh I think, it was Bonsai West up front, that had some really nice ones I couldn't afford
or would've hurt more had it died down the road. They had some nice shari.

Yep, they had Kishus. They get them from Gerald.

 

[BrightsideB]

Very nice! Will be interesting to see how you choose to style. Itoigawa root easily. I just took some because I did some work on one. I usually get some to root before winter and a good amount end up rooting in spring. But quicker rooting success in early spring before growth.

 

[Ruddigger]

Looks like a good one. That could be styled into something presentable really fast.

 

[Japonicus]

Looks like a good one. That could be styled into something presentable really fast.

Thanks. As you now know, I'm pretty slow so that's a good thing
I really was torn between this one and one of their Catherine Elizabeth JWP. When I asked what cultivar the pines were my heart skipped a beat. Just wanted one bigger. Pine was already in bonsai pot though...

 

[Scorpius]

Itoigawa are fairly easy as long as you don't do too much to fast.

 

[roberthu]

Thanks but you'd think I would've at least asked for some history on it.
I always at minimum ask how long it's been in the pot. Oh well.
They had other Itoigawa that were deeper green like my Kishu, but he said
they'd been in the green house, whereas these lighter ones were in full Sun.
I like my Kishu, so this one should be ok.

This one would have easily sold for double the price if bought online. I really need to go next time…. Even if it means I have to drive 30 hours round trip…

 

[Ruddigger]

Now throw it in a pot and sell it for 5K.

 

[Ruddigger]

This one would have easily sold for double the price if bought online. I really need to go next time…. Even if it means I have to drive 30 hours round trip…

Really? I can get these locally for less all day long. I got this one for 175 last year including a workshop.

 

[Japonicus]

hoping to see similarly insightful posts on shimpaku.

My 20-$25 Shimpaku from NEB 2008

Time for a dedicated thread for the 1st Shimpaku I owned. Oct. 8th 2008 I carried this one around with me in fear it would get snatched up if I set it down. Pretty good sized area NEB is. Tag read-shimpaku 20 or $25 and the fella at the register questioned the cost, and I said I had not...

www.bonsainut.com

Thanks again for the kind words.
I haven't updated this thread since I potted this Kishu up 3 years ago, but has been thinned some since.

 

[Japonicus]

Really? I can get these locally for less all day long. I got this one for 175 last year including a workshop.
View attachment 508199View attachment 508200

You do excellent work!
A skill level I've yet to attain.
But again, I've been to one workshop in my life and that was at PCB in Georgia recently. Nothing around here till I start one, not.

 

[roberthu]

Really? I can get these locally for less all day long. I got this one for 175 last year including a workshop.
View attachment 508199View attachment 508200

It’s a nice tree you got there. For $175 that’s a good deal too!

 

[Srt8madness]

Really? I can get these locally for less all day long. I got this one for 175 last year including a workshop.
View attachment 508199View attachment 508200

If you've got the hookup on where you can trees like either of those for 250 or under online, I'm all ears! Or eyes, I guess.

 

[roberthu]

If you've got the hookup on where you can trees like either of those for 250 or under online, I'm all ears! Or eyes, I guess.

Yeah me too!

 

[Japonicus]

I'll probably be starting the transition this Spring coming.

I won't repot or work on the roots on my procumbens before April. This has been a mild Winter again and the runners are starting to grow.
Decided to make hay while the Suns a shinin' today at 78ºF despite a Winters chill returning next week.


Here's one angle worth considering for a front.


Rotating clockwise.


Rotating further to the "back" it appears to have been HBR the way the exterior roots look.



More to follow...