Newbies - want to share your trees?

[Mara of dragon clan]

 

[Colorado]

Hey @Colorado ! This is a great little tree!! If I may give some unsolicited advice.

This tree is very healthy and could easily use a complete styling. I’m talking trunk to tip. Maybe not every tip, but don’t be shy. Spend 3+ hrs with as small of gauge copper or aluminum wire as you’ve got and really do your best to establish a layout. Focus and be deliberate with your wraps and how each branch will layout and rotate. Go in to each branch with a clear idea of your going to wrap it and where your going to place it. You may end up changing that plan but it’s good to start somewhere.
When wiring ultra thin or non woody juniper foliage, I don’t actually wrap the wire tight. I start right at the trunk then slowly create sort of a cage as I get further out, wrapping the foliage enough to move it one way or another. This way I can start to guide new growth tips with out damaging supple growth.
I would also consider thinnin out the apex a bit more and leaving more of the foliage on the lower branches.
I would also consider cleaning your deadwood and live tissue thoroughly before wiring, it’ll help your final image when your done!
Really really though, you’ve got a great little tree here and I feel like I’ve seen you on here enough and have seen enough of your ability to spot good trees and of your other work for you to really give this one a go. Just take your time! After 9 years I just now feel like I’m getting the hang of wiring and complete initial stylings of juniper. In my first 2/3 years I’d “fully style” a juniper in 30 minutes and wonder what wasn’t right. I didn’t quite understand why guys in videos would take 3+ hrs on one tree! I fully get it now. Either way, be confident in your skills and be deliberate! Great tree and great start!

Thanks for the tips! I definitely appreciate the advice

I think you’re completely right that I could have (and still can) take this further. I just repotted it this spring so I was a little gun shy. I did get most of the structural branches set, at least.

Maybe I will break out the lime sulphur and 20 gauge copper wire this weekend

 

[HorseloverFat]

Hehehehehe!!!



*ghost-like voice* Oooooooh... what could it beeeeee?

 

[Toshi]

Morton Bay Ficus, my only tree in a pot. I think the pot is too large for it but I wanted to test my soil mix in a ceramic pot.

 

[Vali]

Hehehehehe!!!

View attachment 322644

*ghost-like voice* Oooooooh... what could it beeeeee?

I had a tree in a cup too. It was my first "bonsai". It was still a toddler

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Hehehehehe!!!

View attachment 322644

*ghost-like voice* Oooooooh... what could it beeeeee?

I only know those hairy flaps from Kiwi's. I don't mean I shared a bed with a New Zealander, I'm talking about the plant.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I only know those hairy flaps from Kiwi's. I don't mean I shared a bed with a New Zealander, I'm talking about the plant.

Yes! Correct!!

 

[HorseloverFat]

I had a tree in a cup too. It was my first "bonsai". It was still a toddler
View attachment 322813

I have a lot of trees in cups... and yogurt containers.

 

[Vali]

I have a lot of trees in cups... and yogurt containers.

We should stop talking about this. The pot makers might get angry with us.

 

[HorseloverFat]

We should stop talking about this. The pot makers might get angry with us.

HAHAHA!! I’ll give ‘em “fancy shoes” one they’ve earned it!

Hopefully by then I’ll have a larger kiln, too.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

We should stop talking about this. The pot makers might get angry with us.

What are they gonna do? Slap you with some clay?
That stuff is good for the skin. They'd be doing me a service.

 

[HorseloverFat]

What are they gonna do? Slap you with some clay?
That stuff is good for the skin. They'd be doing me a service.

I thought that too.. but since I’ve been processing my own clay.. my hands seem.. worse.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I thought that too.. but since I’ve been processing my own clay.. my hands seem.. worse.

Get a skin cream containing urea. It makes everything silky smooth.
The clay does draw out water, just like bare hand concrete mixing does. But urea tends to fix that problem by forcing your cells to take up water again.
Also, watch out where you get your clay from. If the river has been polluted in the past, the clay will probably still contain whatever was dumped in the water. We have some issues around a Dupont factory that produced non-stick pan coatings. Governments tend to hide those reports to be as inaccessible as they can be.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Get a skin cream containing urea. It makes everything silky smooth.
The clay does draw out water, just like bare hand concrete mixing does. But urea tends to fix that problem by forcing your cells to take up water again.
Also, watch out where you get your clay from. If the river has been polluted in the past, the clay will probably still contain whatever was dumped in the water. We have some issues around a Dupont factory that produced non-stick pan coatings. Governments tend to hide those reports to be as inaccessible as they can be.

Thanks, friend!

I have noticed that ONE of my spots.. which is Right near (within half mile) of a nuclear plant, gives clay that’s REAL rough on the hands.

Good thing i’ve found better “pull spots” since.

 

[Dues12]

Hello everyone! Always wanted to do bonsai, and finally went to a nursery last week and have been back once already. I have 5 pre-bonsai; 2 Junipers, 2 versions of Cypress, and an Elm.

I’ve started working and learning on the Junipers, both were naturally windswept, but I’m shaping one to cascade and one to be vertical. Pics attached of where they are currently at.

The right angle of the cascade style one at the bottom of the trunk bugs me a bit...but I don’t know if I can change that. Or is it ‘acceptable’ style wise?

Happy to be here amongst other enthusiasts and newbies, and hope to become a good member of the community.

 

[Vali]

What are they gonna do? Slap you with some clay?
That stuff is good for the skin. They'd be doing me a service.

Unless it's baked. I would take that statement back if I were you

 

[Mara of dragon clan]

I finally get all the hype about thicker trunks. Found this baby for 25$

 

[the.ecologist]

View attachment 308748
150 different ones, and counting. Picture from a couple weeks ago.

there's no way you're a newb like that

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Unless it's baked. I would take that statement back if I were you

No, I'm taking nothing back! I want those potters to give it a try. If I'm quick enough, I might catch one and keep it. That would save like.. A couple hundred bucks!

 

[the.ecologist]

Fukien in front, propagations from Fukien under jar, barberry (with lots of stress) in tall pot, china doll in back