Possible...or wishful thinking

[Cadillactaste]

Are those rocks glued on the top of the soil?

They were when they arrived...chiseled them out...and used craft pebbles. (Before I was accepted as a member here. Planning on a repot...and bonsai mix soil)

Thank goodness a friend knew about the glued rocks...so I removed them the same day of purchase.

 

[Paradox]

Again an absolute, "unless you were ten when you planted it." The tree that was from seed that I was thinking of was around twenty five years old when I saw it, if I remember correctly. I understand that almost no one wants to take that much time. It just bothers me when people say it can't be done when in reality is only very difficult to do.

Can you post pictures of this tree that went from seed to "great" bonsai in 25 years?
Id love to see it.

 

[Gene Deci]

Can you post pictures of this tree that went from seed to "great" bonsai in 25 years?
Id love to see it.

If I had a picture, I would have posted it. It was in Chicago a few years ago. Also, you put "great" in quotes. There is obviously some interpretation there The tree was not comparable to a hundreds of years old Japanese masterpiece if that is what you mean by great but it did win a ribbon.

 

[Paradox]

If I had a picture, I would have posted it. It was in Chicago a few years ago. Also, you put "great" in quotes. There is obviously some interpretation there The tree was not comparable to a hundreds of years old Japanese masterpiece if that is what you mean by great but it did win a ribbon.

It is a subjective term. Opinion resides within a broad and differing spectrum. What you might consider a great tree, some one else might consider a very nice tree. What I consider a nice tree someone else might say is crap.

 

[edprocoat]

My very small Procumben...I have been advised to grow out 3-4 years without touching it. (Which I am fine with) but...so would prefer to have some direction with it when I do develop it.

That said...this appeals to me. Is it possible? (Sorry I found this in google imagines...no recognition went to the creator of said bonsai)

Is it just me or does that Juniper that Darlene admires look like its on its way out ? The foliage looks very stressed, its potted in mud with a lot of roots hanging out of the soil on the right side. What foliage is there is sparse and I said looks, well, less than healthy. And besides all that I thought the lowest branches were supposed to be the thickest....

ed

 

[sam]

hi darlene.

consider wiring the trunk upright with wiggles for movement. this'll will give you more options later

best wishes, sam

 

[october]

Hi Darlene,
The tree is too young to really pull off anything. Probably not even jkl's mame. You don't have any option for a jin or shari. Also, the older tree you posted that you are wondering if you can create it. You can, however, your tree will need to age 20-30 years depending on growing conditions.

Hi Ed, the tree looks ok. Sometimes, although there are recommendations to not strip a tree down to a skeleton. It can yield a very nice tree and is sometimes almost necessary to create a successful bonsai. Also, the soil looks ok. It has probably been in that pot for a while and soil has washed away. Also, you are probably seeing the actual root ball of the tree.

Rob

 

[edprocoat]

Hi Darlene,
The tree is too young to really pull off anything. Probably not even jkl's mame. You don't have any option for a jin or shari. Also, the older tree you posted that you are wondering if you can create it. You can, however, your tree will need to age 20-30 years depending on growing conditions.

Hi Ed, the tree looks ok. Sometimes, although there are recommendations to not strip a tree down to a skeleton. It can yield a very nice tree and is sometimes almost necessary to create a successful bonsai. Also, the soil looks ok. It has probably been in that pot for a while and soil has washed away. Also, you are probably seeing the actual root ball of the tree.

Rob

Rob, actually I am looking at the roots of the tree on the right side. I seriously doubt that tree has been in that pot much longer than it took to get the camera out and photgraph it, if you look at the turntable its on you can see the disturbed soil laying on it, it looks like it was just set in the pot and photographed as the left side seems to not have any soil there yet at all. The soil is wet and not very compacted like that type of soil would be after even a few months. Add to that the fact the tree is setting way high in the pot and the foliage that is there is sparse and many of it has a yellow tinge I would not be surprised if its not in the burn pile by now. The design of it is odd, the largest branches are all in the top quarter of the tree. Just my humble opinion !

ed

 

[Cadillactaste]

hi darlene.

consider wiring the trunk upright with wiggles for movement. this'll will give you more options later

best wishes, sam

I just want to somewhat have a future plan...even if it leaves this a mame bonsai. I'm fine with that. This was my impulse bonsai that I wish to do more with than leave it look as a box store find.

A few more inspirations...

This one being my favorite I think...

 

[Poink88]

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get something you can use to get to those goals starting today.

 

[bonsaibp]

There's absolutely no way you can do anything with a young little juniper like this. The difference between this and your little guy is that this is in a nursery can. They are both probably two year old or less cutting. Skinny little trunk and no woody branches.

Doesn't do any good to trim them.

Or put any kind of wire on them.

And it certainly won't look like anything if you put it in a little pot ( in this case a drainage saucer with holes drilled in it)

Nope not worth it at all. Doesn't matter if you had to think about what branches to keep or get rid of. Doesn't matter that you got to do a little wiring, or that you got to think of a design or practice transplanting. Or even that you wind up with a cute little tree. Nope none of that means squat just not worth it. Put it in the ground for a decade.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get something you can use to get to those goals starting today.

I hear you...but I am fine with growing this out...to develop it. Making it at least something worth looking at down the road...even if it's 5 years or so in the making. I am prideful...and do not wish to just chunk this away. But wish to still do something with it. Or...can one keep it this pathetic style...for say...20 years...as the size it is? And just let it be my "mistake" purchase. That it seems taller to me. (From the trunk...length from soil to the bottom branching)

I've got my goals this spring...on a contorted cherry...and rosemary. The recent wisteria a surprise bonus.

But, one will never know if I brake down and do just what you say this spring/summer.

 

[Cadillactaste]

There's absolutely no way you can do anything with a young little juniper like this. The difference between this and your little guy is that this is in a nursery can. They are both probably two year old or less cutting. Skinny little trunk and no woody branches.

Doesn't do any good to trim them.

Or put any kind of wire on them.

And it certainly won't look like anything if you put it in a little pot ( in this case a drainage saucer with holes drilled in it)

Nope not worth it at all. Doesn't matter if you had to think about what branches to keep or get rid of. Doesn't matter that you got to do a little wiring, or that you got to think of a design or practice transplanting. Or even that you wind up with a cute little tree. Nope none of that means squat just not worth it. Put it in the ground for a decade.

Yowsa! That is so not what I would desire...thanks for taking the time and doing that. Now...not even the literati styles I posted? As a mame style? If not...can one keep the shape and form it has...and just pathetically remain the pathetic cookie cutter box store tree it was from day one? And...leave it as that? (As a reminder of where one came from...so to speak?) Though in my minds eye...my head says no...for it seems to gotten taller since I first got it.

 

[bonsaibp]

Before everyone gets all up in arms and accuses me of promoting mediocrity I am not suggesting that this is what you should strive for. What I am saying is that it is ultimately bad for the art to try to force new people to only try for world class bonsai. That kind of passion comes with time, and not everyone develops it. It's a major commitment to be truly serious about bonsai and I'm willing to bet that less then 5% of the practitioners truly are that serious, in spite of what some of us tell ourselves and others. Like any other art there are many levels of skill and commitment.
I am 100% for elevating bonsai as an art in this country but I also recognize that for a lot of people it is and always will be a hobby, or a horticultural challenge or a pleasant pastime or whatever. Over the years I've come to realize that in order for bonsai to survive and grow that it is important to accept and encourage any and all interest on every level. I have to respect whatever anyones reasons for doing bonsai are. You never know where things end up. How many future Ryan Neils are we loosing because we try to force feed our ideas and passions to someone else. I have students who started out with bunches of 1 gallon plants that they puttered with for years who over time have become pretty decent artists with some nice trees, I also have some whose trees have not progressed much at all but they are happy with them. Who am I or anyone else for that matter to tell them they are wrong?
I'm just suggesting that we be a little more open to the possibility that it is ok for there to be a whole range of levels of bonsai and that it is ok to be at whatever level you want to be at. This is not to say that we shouldn't try to teach or encourage people to strive for better but to be ok with it if they don't want to and not to dismiss those that just want cute little trees.

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

This needs to be drummed into people's heads -- with a bat, if necessary.

At the very least, please print it out and paste it up over your potting bench.

It's not always true.... BUT it is for 99.9% of the people who try. It boils down to a couple of factors....

Available land, knowledge, time, and a collection big enough not to care about your kids in the ground.

Black Pine grown from seed... in and out of a pot for various stages of development since 1957. Daniel Robinson has a huge collection of Black pines equally magnificent... this is actually a smaller one... some of his others are larger and spent more years in the ground.


This is big tree cut down....


See what I mean about the .1%??? I'm not part of that percentage group. lol cept the second half of course... though not THAT big. lol

Darlene... your lil rock says dream... So dream if you will... anything is possible... Put it in the ground.... and grow the living lights out of it. Or... get there faster the other way. Both have their place and their value. It's just a matter of if you think you have 20 years to invest.

Warmly,

Victrinia

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks Victrinia...until I am solidly sure...I won't do anything drastic.

Those were some amazing pieces in the photos! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Poink88]

V,

Is that pine the one in the book cover?

Love the chainsaw action btw. One of my idol...I wish I have half his energy when I am his age.

 

[october]

It's not always true.... BUT it is for 99.9% of the people who try. It boils down to a couple of factors....

Available land, knowledge, time, and a collection big enough not to care about your kids in the ground.

Black Pine grown from seed... in and out of a pot for various stages of development since 1957. Daniel Robinson has a huge collection of Black pines equally magnificent... this is actually a smaller one... some of his others are larger and spent more years in the ground.


This is big tree cut down....


See what I mean about the .1%??? I'm not part of that percentage group. lol cept the second half of course... though not THAT big. lol

Darlene... your lil rock says dream... So dream if you will... anything is possible... Put it in the ground.... and grow the living lights out of it. Or... get there faster the other way. Both have their place and their value. It's just a matter of if you think you have 20 years to invest.

Warmly,

Victrinia

You could fit half of my bonsai collection underneath that one big tree.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I have decided to make some sort of mame bonsai.Because my worst fear is...letting it turn into something like this...(which makes me cringe) so it's a cute little tree...people do mame...and I am fine with doing that with this. Because my fear is of this below image.

Thank you all who contributed to this post...each made good valuable points.

 

[Vance Wood]

OK----here's a suggestion. Get your self a good pair of bonsai scissors, not cutters but scissors that look like scissors and carefully, once you locate the individual branches, tcut away enough growth to expose both the base of the branch structure and the trunk. That way you can see the interior of the tree and try to make some decision to make a bonsai. Don't get carried away, you just want to open the tree up for now. We can discuss removing branches and putting some wire on the tree once you get over this little hurdle. Who knows with a little wire you might have a nice name bonsai.