Rudd’s Pseudo-Apprenticeship at Bonsai Jidai

[Deleted member 47471]

Yesterday we repotted this one that I call “The Mountain.” It took a forklift to lift it out of the collection box. View attachment 530196View attachment 530197View attachment 530198View attachment 530199

We also did this small corkbark black pine.
View attachment 530200

A tree that size can name itself

 

[Ruddigger]

Put a few more hours in on this one.

 

[Ruddigger]

It doesn’t look like much, but this is what 5 hours of wiring gets ya. Getting closer.


I also repotted this very old Prostrata raft on Monday, mossed it up today.

 

[Scriv]

I just wanna be like Rudd when I grow up

 

[Ruddigger]

Yesterday some of the Chino Club members split this massive clump into 5 separate trees.


It took 8 hours, but we got all the trees separated and potted.

 

[Cajunrider]

I just wanna be like Rudd when I grow up

My lady tells me I will never grow up so I can never by like Rudd. I have been admiring his advancing skills. When I retire, I will go to some intensive courses. For me, it might be too little too late. However, I am having fun mangling my trees.

Edit to add: She actually said the following this very morning: "The flower bed at the front of the house is a mess. You play in the backyard all day every day this past weekend like a kid. When will you get the front yard done? *Big sigh

 

[ZombieNick]

It took 8 hours, but we got all the trees separated and potted.

Long day, some action shots:

 

[Scriv]

Long day, some action shots:
View attachment 533233View attachment 533234

Why is Nick always filming and Ryan always lifting? I sense a theme in this thread.

 

[ZombieNick]

Why is Nick always filming and Ryan always lifting? I sense a theme in this thread.

I was working on other things

 

[Cajunrider]

I was working on other things
View attachment 533244

Heavy lifting!

 

[Deleted member 47471]

My lady tells me I will never grow up so I can never by like Rudd. I have been admiring his advancing skills. When I retire, I will go to some intensive courses. For me, it might be too little too late. However, I am having fun mangling my trees.

Edit to add: She actually said the following this very morning: "The flower bed at the front of the house is a mess. You play in the backyard all day every day this past weekend like a kid. When will you get the front yard done? *Big sigh

What an astutue observation

 

[namnhi]

My lady tells me I will never grow up so I can never by like Rudd. I have been admiring his advancing skills. When I retire, I will go to some intensive courses. For me, it might be too little too late. However, I am having fun mangling my trees.

Edit to add: She actually said the following this very morning: "The flower bed at the front of the house is a mess. You play in the backyard all day every day this past weekend like a kid. When will you get the front yard done? *Big sigh

To us... back yard is our yard. Front yard is people's yard.

 

[Ruddigger]

We’ve been travelling the last couple weekends, doing demos and workshops for some clubs, so I haven’t been able to get back to this California Juniper until today. Finally done with it, though. It was a slog, but I think it turned out pretty well.

 

[Ruddigger]

Started on a new one. Just a few hours on it so far.

 

[Ruddigger]

Put in about 3 more hours this morning.

 

[Ruddigger]

Little more.

 

[Hartinez]

Little more.
View attachment 554953

Looking good Rudd. Pic makes it all look like deadwood! Is there way more of a live vein than I’m realizing?

 

[Ruddigger]

Looking good Rudd. Pic makes it all look like deadwood! Is there way more of a live vein than I’m realizing?

It’s mostly live vein. It needs cleaning after the summer to show it off. I do plan to add more shari.

I’d also like to change the angle by tilting the right side up about 4-6”, to make the two apexes more cohesive, but that’ll have to wait for repotting season.

 

[pandacular]

It’s mostly live vein. It needs cleaning after the summer to show it off. I do plan to add more shari.

Do you mean that the part live and dead are the similar gray-ish color, or that all the live vein is hidden on the back? I know people often keep Calis a lot more natural looking in the contrast than shinpakus, but I’m not terribly familiar with the colors on these (color blindness doesn’t help!).

I’m curious because I’m a fan of the subtlest hint of live vein on junipers and yews. If there’s a way to make the live vein to “pop” —llike on the one from your March 29 post above in fact—this tree will be a beast!

Thanks for keeping us posted, you’re making me look forward to getting back to it when I finish moving.

 

[Ruddigger]

Do you mean that the part live and dead are the similar gray-ish color,

Yes, exactly.