Yamadori style alberta spruce

[october]

Thanks everyone. This tree will be repotted this Spring. I may take the wire off late next Summer. Which will mean it would have been on there for about 2 years. I already removed the wire on the middle and upper area of the tree. Unfortunately, much of the wire was very imbedded in the tree. To the point were I probably should have left it. Those areas seem to thicken very well were the wire damage is. I believe that leaving it on, may have made those areas thicken even more. However, it was the middle and upper part of the tree so I would rather not thicken those areas.

How this tree will ultimately end up looking is still uncertain. I will need to find a pot, probably a crescent moon rock pot to accommodate the new planting angle. The current design seems to work aesthetically. However, I am a bit uncertain that I like the main angle of trunk. I think some shari will be done when the raffia comes off.

Basically we are trying to create older looking yamadori like material from an $18 Home Depot Spruce. On top of it, a species that can be difficult. I can't recall this project/experiment being done by anyone in the past. It is a good and fun project that I hope will reveal a nice bonsai in the end.

Rob

 

[JudyB]

Another great October start... in October! How long do you think it will take to get your roots in a potted position?
Thanks for updating.

 

[october]

Another great October start... in October! How long do you think it will take to get your roots in a potted position?
Thanks for updating.

Hi Judy. I should be able to do it on the first repot this upcoming Spring.

Rob

 

[KennedyMarx]

I'm really impressed with how vigorously it sprang back. I like the cascade image. Hopefully the trunk doesn't spring back up out of the contortion you wired into it.

 

[jedge76]

I am thinking of trying this now after following your posts Rob. It looks like a lot of fun and something to learn from for only $20 bucks. There are a lot of these out there this time of year, may have to pick one up. Anyhow, the progress you have made with this tree is really inspiring and the imagination is off the charts. Thanks for that.

--Joe

 

[october]

I am thinking of trying this now after following your posts Rob. It looks like a lot of fun and something to learn from for only $20 bucks. There are a lot of these out there this time of year, may have to pick one up. Anyhow, the progress you have made with this tree is really inspiring and the imagination is off the charts. Thanks for that.

--Joe

Thanks Joe..It will be interesting to see how it progresses.

Rob

 

[Alain]

Impressive!

I was planing to buy a Christmas Alberta Spruce at Home Depot very soon however I don't plan to twist it like that, I'm not that kind of guy

Your post definitively decided me: if you could do that to this species and it survives, the classical formal upright I envision should be a piece of cake for it to take!

 

[grouper52]

Very impressive work, October, and an impressively adventurous spirit behind it!

If it springs back when you remove the wire, consider rewiring and re-bending it again, then put it in the driveway and run back and forth over it a few times . . . (only partly kidding . . . the tales of this infamous technique may or may not be apocryphal . . . )

If you take a die grinder and hollow out all the old wood that gives it structural support, leaving a deep groove all along the bare trunk with just enough sap wood along the edges to keep it alive (the amount varies from species to species ), it will likely have a better chance of staying bent. Running one or more lengths of thick wire down IN the groove before wrapping it will also add considerable stability to the bends until enough new hardwood forms to hold the bends in place (which may take a few years, depending on the species and growing conditions).

In any event, kudos and respect for a wonderful effort, no matter the outcome!

G52

 

[bonsaiBlake]

ok hows she looking this year. Mine have already flushed out their first set of growth for the year.

Have you gotten to removing the raffia and wire yet?

 

[M. Frary]

ok hows she looking this year. Mine have already flushed out their first set of growth for the year.

Have you gotten to removing the raffia and wire yet?

I have one. Or had. Oddly enough I think it's too cold for those here.

 

[bonsaiBlake]

the one ive got has been in my care for one year today. Its the only tree out of about 15 to have survived my first year of tree torture.

 

[october]

ok hows she looking this year. Mine have already flushed out their first set of growth for the year.

Have you gotten to removing the raffia and wire yet?

Very well. I removed the wire from the top half of the tree, but the bottom half is still wired. There is some deep scaring from the wire on the top half of the tree. I did not raffia the top half when I initially wired it. However, the scaring has thickened up the trunk super fast. Like when they wrap wire around the trunks of grafted white pines to fatten them up quicker. Anyway, the scaring is not visible from the front. I was going to repot it this year, but the buds broke and it is now too late. Which is fine because it is all about keeping the tree happy so it can make it through it's training.

Rob

 

[JudyB]

Crazy cool.

 

[sorce]

Man. Very nice!

How did you winter this?
Thanks.

Sorce

 

[october]

Man. Very nice!

How did you winter this?
Thanks.

Sorce

A shed with no heat. A nice shed though. lol It has a carpet floor and some windows. The trees get some light with average temps range from upper teens to upper 30's.

 

[sorce]

A shed with no heat. A nice shed though. lol It has a carpet floor and some windows. The trees get some light with average temps range from upper teens to upper 30's.

Carpet! I'm on it!

Seriously, with the unspeakable, I thought it would have been pampered!

Awesome! Thanks again!

Sorce

 

[bonsaiBlake]

that is so bad ass looking. . . Seriously. Who looks at an arrow straight alberta spruce and goes "You know what that needs, bout 5lbs of copper and a new planting angle" and viola one bad little tree man. Cant wait to see how she looks in a few years all potted and pretty.

 

[october]

Thanks Blake. I initially only saw a rough version. The actual image made itself apparent later on.

Rob

 

[jedge76]

I have to say, I more less copied this process you came up with Rob as a just for fun project on clearance Christmas Alberta Spruce. It's coming along great, already my best grower this season and a really fun project. Thanks for sharing your great vision. I love the direction you are heading with this tree. Now let's see if we can keep those bends!

 

[october]

I have to say, I more less copied this process you came up with Rob as a just for fun project on clearance Christmas Alberta Spruce. It's coming along great, already my best grower this season and a really fun project. Thanks for sharing your great vision. I love the direction you are heading with this tree. Now let's see if we can keep those bends!

Glad to hear it is growing great. I think the most important aspect for success is during the initial work, make sure to leave part of the middle and all of the upper branches and foliage. Also, I would really like to see a pic of the one you are working on.

Rob