My first bonsai

[bonsaiBlake]

did a little wiring and styling, i have no clue what im doing and the pictures arent very good(from my phone) I'll try and get some better pics this weekend. Any critiques and tips much appreciated.

 

[bonsaiBlake]

Help!! discoloration on the trunk?

I have this white coloration/buildup forming on the exposed roots and base of my juni. any tips/advice?

edit:I believe i may have found the answer in another post on here. I have extremely hardwater where i live and i believe this is the culprit. Planning on trying the vinegar/water, soft brush, treatment. Any advice before i go further?

 

[GrimLore]

I have this white coloration/buildup forming on the exposed roots and base of my juni. any tips/advice?

edit:I believe i may have found the answer in another post on here. I have extremely hardwater where i live and i believe this is the culprit. Planning on trying the vinegar/water, soft brush, treatment. Any advice before i go further?

Looks like you are correct and that treatment will work fine.

Grimmy

 

[bonsaiBlake]

another virtual attempt

Kind of the direction i want to go with this guy. (informal upright, maybe a cascade eventually) Not really sure. I haven't done any styling or wiring on this little guy yet, nor do i plan to for a couple years. Just a repot next spring. Im just experimenting and playing around with different options. what do you guys think. should i put it in a bigger training box? cant really ground it. i have dogs that like to dig and a neice who likes to uproot things.

 

[Cypress]

Kind of the direction i want to go with this guy. (informal upright, maybe a cascade eventually) Not really sure. I haven't done any styling or wiring on this little guy yet, nor do i plan to for a couple years. Just a repot next spring. Im just experimenting and playing around with different options. what do you guys think. should i put it in a bigger training box? cant really ground it. i have dogs that like to dig and a neice who likes to uproot things.

I think you will find, as you develop a bonsai eye, that in the direction you've laid out in your virt the tree will be much too tall to look "right" compared to the thickness of the trunk. I think it is already rather proportionally tall as it is and I wouldn't suggest trying to grow it taller unless you want to make the tree in a Bunjin style eventually. I recommend doing some reading on tree style and on how proportions come into play on making your little tree look like a big tree. Like guidelines for how thick your trunk is should be some indicator for how tall your tree should be etc. Good to see you're as excited about bonsai as I am though!

 

[bonsaiBlake]

i was thinking maybe something like this eventually. i know this is like a 10yr plan but i got nothing but time.

 

[Cypress]

i was thinking maybe something like this eventually. i know this is like a 10yr plan but i got nothing but time.

Oh, right on, so it seems you are actually thinking more of a Bunjin style then. Cool. If thats what you are going for in the long run I would think you may want to eventually remove the lower foliage so it doesn't compete with the crown for the eye's attention. That step would be a few years off at this point, maybe.

 

[bonsaiBlake]

Oh, right on, so it seems you are actually thinking more of a Bunjin style then. Cool. If thats what you are going for in the long run I would think you may want to eventually remove the lower foliage so it doesn't compete with the crown for the eye's attention. That step would be a few years off at this point, maybe.

Yeah sorry i wasnt able to clarify earlier. All the terminology gets a little confusing, bunjin, jin, deadwood, ect.ect. I really like the deadwood look and think i could learn alot from this tree. i agree with you on eventually removing the lower foliage, eventually all of the original foliage will probably be removed. What do you think about putting it in a much larger pot/wooden training box next spring. And i could really use specific advice on a brand of fertilizer that works well for junis.

 

[RNbonsai]

Is your tree still growing?

 

[sorce]

sorry

Is this tree still alive?

You've come a long way in a year!

Sorce

 

[bonsaiBlake]

Is this tree still alive?

You've come a long way in a year!

Sorce

Oh heavens no. Roadside vendor sold this to my gf roots in clay dead before it got to me. I have a ficus in the pot on my porch at the moment.
The only tree to survive my first year of torture is my Alberta spruce I got mother's day last year

 

[Stickroot]

Thanks for everyones advice. Lordy, i like your suggestion of removing the moss, my guess is this tree came from the west side of washington which is very wet and rainy, so even in full sun the moss would have survived. It was probably added for aesthetics to make people want to buy it. Ive added some new photos so you guys can really get a good idea of what im working with. tips on fertilizer when what kind and dilution would be very helpful as well. thanks again everyone

Is it glued in?

 

[bonsaiBlake]

It was actually wired in. Just very poor soil. It was a rum of the mill commercial mallsai. . . . Was. . .

 

[Stickroot]

It was actually wired in. Just very poor soil. It was a rum of the mill commercial mallsai. . . . Was. . .

Yep! In Pensacola and just saw a lady selling rootless sticks at the four way, still fresh. $85!!!!!
I feel like stopping! Unglueing a tall one!
And whipping her with it !
That's bad I know. Just a thought

 

[klosi]

I feel like stopping! Unglueing a tall one!
And whipping her with it !

As many times stated on bnut (and some other 18+ forums), I would love to see pictures of that.