your first forrest

[defra]

My little conifer forrest has some casulties but i still like it

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

I would cut the dead trees away. They are a source of fungus. Watch out with the invasive weeds, they do root quite deep. There is a difference in colour between the trees possibly because they do have different characteristics, but keep spider mites in mind. The trees on the back side of the composition seem to be affected the most. The trees are planted on a hill, if the trees are watered from the front chance is big they just dried out. When the black fence is behind them all the time heat might build up during summer.

 

[defra]

I would cut the dead trees away. They are a source of fungus. Watch out with the invasive weeds, they do root quite deep. There is a difference in colour between the trees possibly because they do have different characteristics, but keep spider mites in mind. The trees on the back side of the composition seem to be affected the most. The trees are planted on a hill, if the trees are watered from the front chance is big they just dried out. When the black fence is behind them all the time heat might build up during summer.

Thnx!
The black is only for the pic

The weed is moss i *yes i did it* i pruned it with siccors nigel saunders style lol

The different color is because it are different variety's
Will cut off the dead trees thnx !

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Part of it is normal moss. The rest is "star moss" (sterremos). And its invasive.

 

[ghues]

Thnx!
The black is only for the pic

The weed is moss i *yes i did it* i pruned it with siccors nigel saunders style lol

The different color is because it are different variety's
Will cut off the dead trees thnx !

The wild stuff Looks like Iris moss, it is very invasive and will take water and nutrients away from your trees. Stick with the other one.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Every time I look at it I see about 5 air-layers. In a few weeks I am going to start work.

I had trouble with this tree because of the lack of space at the base of the branches in order to get an airlayer established. Because of the tight quarters, I decided to layer the knot off the top first, and hopefully that will free up the space to tackle the separate branches. I am about to remove the top air-layer, but (given the lateness of the season) may not attempt the other layers until next spring.

I also lost a couple of months because I initially tried the "bonsai soil and pot" method for my layer. It did not take, and calloused over. So I went back to my tried and true sphagnum moss method, and got roots without a problem.

 

[ghues]

Update of forest from Post # 74- It needed a haircut......the second one of the summer.!!! The top soil layer was crusting up so I used a chopstick and poked 100's of holes.....worked really well. Wire was biting in so much of it was removed.....which was my first step, then I removed all down facing branches (and needles), this alone gave me a better perspective for the branch extensions that I needed to remove. I removed most extensions to a bud way back on the branch and some smaller still active extensions were pinched.
Cheers
Graham

 

[my nellie]

Update of forest from Post # 74- ... ...

Hello Graham! You have accomplished a good work up to now!
May I offer an observation of mine, though.... FWIW....
By just looking at the pictures it looks like the trees are positioned in three parallel lines one behind the other... which is kind of unnatural. So, do you have any plans of moving the trees and make any changes to their positioning when you will pot them into the appropriate pot/slab?
But it might be only my impression looking at the photos. Perhaps this is not the case in reality.

 

[ghues]

Hello Graham! You have accomplished a good work up to now!
May I offer an observation of mine, though.... FWIW....
By just looking at the pictures it looks like the trees are positioned in three parallel lines one behind the other... which is kind of unnatural. So, do you have any plans of moving the trees and make any changes to their positioning when you will pot them into the appropriate pot/slab?
But it might be only my impression looking at the photos. Perhaps this is not the case in reality.

Hi Alex, I really appreciate your comments and yes they do look as though they are in lines (ever planted trees for a living? Just kidding but....)
Maybe you missed it.....these trees were basically thrown into this arrangement, no planning, just cut the 1 gal., root mass in half, did some minor root raking and tied them down.....I did try and put the smaller ones to the outside and fit them in as best I could).....these were the only ones left from the forest workshop so not too many options.....I couldn't stand to see them grow another year in those pots as they were root bound enough already.
Future plans....you bet...have to get some more first though. I hope to create a planting with many more trees and will hopefully be able to talk a friend into selling me some.
Parallel unnatural....hhhhhmmmm not in a managed forest, they are planted systematically at a required distance (with a specified minimum)....the forest once mature ( say 80-120 years depending on species)... you'd be surprised how natural it appears....this may not be true for all man made forests throughout the world.....but after 41 years working in Coastal British Columbia forest Industry, I can assure you that many of the second growth forests that were established in the '30's and 40's look very natural, the experienced eye can see the ones planted but as often is the case, other tree species have regenerated with the stand(forest), to provide a more natural appearance.
Would a bonsai forest based on equal spacing look appealing.....perhaps not but it might portray many forests around the world. As we explore the best known Bonsai forests...they undoubtedly are all single species which might look very appealing but also very unnatural to me and my experience here....it's rare.
Hopefully by this time next year, I'll be able to update this composition.
Yours respectively,
Graham

 

[my nellie]

Graham, thank you very much for your detailed response and of course your time!

Maybe you missed it.....these trees were basically thrown into this arrangement

Yes, I did miss obviously... I was reviewing the pages concentrating more on images and not so much on writing... sorry.

I have also made a group planting myself. Pomegranate is the species.
I would like to create the image of an orchard though. Not a forest.
Upon reading this :

other tree species have regenerated with the stand(forest), to provide a more natural appearance.

even though it refers to forests, had made me immediately to query whether those 2 or 3 more trees I intend to add to my composition, could be a different species!
It could be some evergreen as opposed to the deciduous pomegranates...
I will try and find some time to post photos.

 

[ghues]

Graham, thank you very much for your detailed response and of course your time!
Yes, I did miss obviously... I was reviewing the pages concentrating more on images and not so much on writing... sorry.

I have also made a group planting myself. Pomegranate is the species.
I would like to create the image of an orchard though. Not a forest.
Upon reading this : even though it refers to forests, had made me immediately to query whether those 2 or 3 more trees I intend to add to my composition, could be a different species!
It could be some evergreen as opposed to the deciduous pomegranates...
I will try and find some time to post photos.

Sounds like a great plan Alexandra, It's fun to try these ideas.
The idea of a mixed forest is very appealing but perhaps difficult to accomplish? Thinking of the temperate rain forests around these parts, I think it would very challenging to pull off something half decent...say an old forest of Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock and western Red Cedar, or perhaps, Alaskan Cedar, Mtn Hemlock and Amabalis fir.....which all grow well together but perhaps not in a landscape tray/pot.
Thanks again for chiming in.
G.

 

[defra]

Interesting discussion

 

[berobinson82]

Hey, thought I'd share. Started this a couple years ago. Lost a few. Gained a few. Every year I've replaced a few. This year is going to be a repotting and I'm going to add about 4-5 more little trees. No real idea what I'm doing but that's not new.

Also have this group of 5 planted through a CD a la smoke. Looks like it'll take one more year to air layer itself when I'll take off the tap roots and replant.

Cheers,

B

 

[defra]

Nice some of them have a nice wigle going on just keep on playing around it will get better in different ways everytime you change something

 

[defra]

This is how my first forrest i did over a year ago looks like today it are spruces i collected in the woods as one or two year old seedlings one died the others doing ok
The placement of the trees is bad but ill rearange into a different pot next year or the year after that!
It probably wont look like anything for always but its my first so i like it!



I did prune the top off from the tallest tree after the photo

 

[my nellie]

... ...I did prune the top off from the tallest tree after the photo

Well done!

 

[Underdog]

I'll play again. This is posted earlier in the thread. Put together last winter. Topped and trimed once this year. Lots of new buds close to the trunk. Makes me smile except when the dang birds keep landing on the flimsy tops bending my wire. Norway spruce.

 

[Underdog]

These saplings were planted last year. I have three more growing separately.
Sycamore. Not great choice for bonsai but, tough customers. Leaves do reduce. Cuttings root easily.
Not planted as a forest but maybe next spring.
I just love the white bark standing out along our local river banks in the winter.
Original/current plan is to plant them in the ground along the creek leading into my pond leaning over the water.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Update on my forest. Just 20 more years to go

 

[cockroach]

My forest of F. microcarpa.
started from cuttings in 2012 (I think)
Has recently been replanted onto a slab. This is from 2 years ago.

A picture from about 3 years ago before I let it grow out to add girth.