Bonsaimatt
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How many Bonsai do you have? (everybody)

Hello yall!!

How many Bonsai do you have in your collections?

I have 38 plants total, maybe 15 of those can be called "Bonsai". The others are still working on it :) or they're less than 2-3 years old. I know, 2-3 yrs really isn't bonsai'd yet and 5+ is better, but I'm just starting! Ok well thats not right either, I started four years ago, in bonsai years thats about 1 year :). Newayz, how many plants (I guess over 4-5 years old) do you have?

alexp
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Hey Bonsaimatt!

I only have one Juniper, but Its completely addictive! I'm going to see how it goes, and may end up buying another one in the spring time!

Alex

ynot
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Good question:

I have recently moved over a 1000 miles so I was forced to cull the herd in a rather drastic fashion...lol, By about 2/3 actually.

I gave away a ton of cuttings and smaller stock that was growing on [Ficus, Serissa, Jade ] as well as a pair of junis and other assorted potentsai.

How many 'Bonsai' depends on how you count them.. IE:Do I count the ones 'Still in development' ? Another example is that I count my 7 tree ficus forest as a single bonsai, Same goes for two tiny serissa growing on a large rock...etc.

I still have around 15 indoor projects. Primarily Ficus and serissa.

Oustide, 8 or 10 or so potted projects, Maples, Boxwoods, Wisteria, Crape Myrtle, Jasmine etc. I know there are a few more varieties stashed outside at my folks farm also but at the moment but I cannot recall what they are...lol.


And...[Not bonsai yet by any stretch of the imagination ] In the ground I have 4 trident maples, A massive Boxwood, And a bunch of red maple seedlings [Over 6' high some of them :) ]

Not a masterpiece in the group by any means...but they are a lot of fun and I love 'em... Even the ugly red-headed step child types..;)

ynot

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Gnome
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Matt,

I have a few decent Chinese Elms, one cork bark and one smooth barked variety. Two Zelkovas, one informal upright and one broom style that is due for it's second round of work this season. A nursery Juniper that I have had with me for less than one year. A collected Boxwood that shows promise and a large one that is still in shrubbery form that I may begin work on this year. Three Azaleas, several collected American Beeches one that has a very heavy trunk but is still several years from any real work, if it survives. Several collected Elms and a collected Forsythia with a decent trunk that has had no work done yet. Not to mention numerous Jades and Portulacarias.

Smaller material including, Japanese Maples, Japanese Beeches, Spruce, Crab apples, Zelkovas, Barberry, Ficus and Scots Pines. I'm sure that I am forgetting something but you get the idea.

In short, hundreds of plants, perhaps a dozen pieces of decent stock and only a handful of anything that could even remotely be called bonsai. This year I intend to make a renewed effort to obtain at least a few pieces of better stock as should everyone here that is interested in improving their collection and their skills.

Norm

Bonsaimatt
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right on guys!!

I guess I forgot to eleborate. So here it goes!

I have two Chinese Elms (zelkovas I think) one I just got this weekend from a standard garden center (broomish style, it needs wiring, about 6-7 inches tall from top of pot) and the other I've had for about 1 year (maybe slanting style, still to early to tell, but that might be where it goes; that one is about 8-10 inches tall). I got that elm at a bonsai nursury about 50 miles away. Also, I have (just started the processes last night) a few zelkova seeds germiniating.

I have a garden center (lowe's) juniper that trimed up really nice, it looks really good (apx 15-20 inches tall in a perfectly small pot, the root system was really nice and compact (not overgrown like most) and it took to pruning and root pruning very very well). Another juniper that I got from that bonsai nursury, mentioned before, is 16 yrs old, I put a bunch of jin on it to resemble aftermath of a sick tree (and to do something with badly (like 1 inch long badly) pruned branches that needed to go or be jinned).

I also have 5 (I think 5 I can never remember) gumpo white satzuki hybrid azaleas, all those are in small mame pots for now (they're so cute :wink: ). The parent plant isn't doing as good as the babies though. And my mom just got me a pinkish colored azalea from wal-mart (it's in bloom too?!?). The leaves are a little big, so we'll see how it turns out.

I also have (with lots of wiring on it) one alberta spruce, he's in a small pot as well, but not mame size. Just small bonsai (huh, about 8 inches tall or so). I think that ones going to turn out really nice.

I have a gardina that I air-layered from my moms garden (I let it root for about 4 weeks then cut it, way to early, but it's doing fine!).

I have some willow cuttings that rooted well (what willows don't ? :)) but I think a frost hurt em. No big deal the parent tree is still there in the woods and I can get more cuttings in spring time, and they'll have all summer to get ready for winter (I cut the ones I have now I got in early fall).

I have a maple tree (I think trident, it's regluar maple leaves) (the parent has small leaves to begin with, they are about 2-3 inches wide, and the bonsai guy has got 1 inch leaves, it was kinda growing as bonsai by it self, nature sure does do weird things sometimes) that I found in my front yard growing as a seedling. He's apx 3 yrs old give or take a year, there is "mature looking" bark starting at the base of the trunk, if that helps for yearage. I also found 2 more growing (maybe first year plants) around the same spot. Those had the smallest red leaves in fall, they were so pretty, the leaves were at least half an inch!

I got 2 japanese maples, one is somthing like kikohime (should have vari. pink leaves, I havn't seen them yet; I got it in winter dormancy, that will be a spring surprise!) and the other I have no idea what type it is, but the leaves are blood red, could be a bloodgood or whatever. That J. Maple needs some serious work, but thats why I got it, nice project.

I have a beech from my local woods, I saw those leaves :), well right before they fell off for winter anyways!

Also got a lot of jade, they are so cheap here! I even got one at work; sits under flor. lights all day.

I have a very nice (will be even nicer after some grafting, I'll start that project soon) ficus. I don't think it's a benjamina, the leaves are longer and narrower. I do have 2 other ficus benjaminas though, one is a (well going to be) parent plant for air layering (I guess I should start that soon too) then be cut stock to grow from there for a tighter apex. He's a big project guy, he looks horrible! I've chopped him up so much, just to see how he'll grow back. Tested pruning techniks on him too. I've learned alot from him! The other one is just bought and planted as a group (about 7 plants), but not forrest or clump, just a bunch of little guys in a pot for now. I'm going to try a fusing project with those. I had to trim up the top since they were way to tall, the cuttings went into a starter tray with a clear cover, there's a lot of those cuttings. I guess we'll see what happens to them.

I got an aralia parsley in forrest style. Only problem with that one is the forrest has 6 trunks, I need to take one out to make it uneven, that will also give me another indvidual bonsai. Plus they got a lot of suckers growing that need to be cut too. I'll get there on that one. BTW my kids love that forrest, my oldest son (he's 6) was playing with a helicopter around it one day, so I asked him what he was doing, and he said "I'm catching the bad guys running thru the woods to get away!". That made me feel great to know my forrest really does look like a forrest to other people (not that I have any doubts). That and the whole thing with a new pot cost me just 15 bucks and about 15 mins to plant, and it looks so real!

I found a little tree thing growing in nature that was already bonsai'd too. Well starting anyways. We have alot of thick clay in our ground that helps slow trees down. I have no idea what is yet, It's kinda early to tell.

I have a Japanese holly that I "gave" to my wife. She gets to pick what gets pruned and so forth, she also has alot of say on whats happens to the plant in general (like she gets to learn how to wire it soon). But regular maintance (watering and such) is carried out by me when I work on my other plants. It's in a style thats similar to broom, but by far not broom. Kinda like the junipers on joebonsai.com. With that african plains savanah look going on.

I have a fukein tea too. It's doing nicly, I paid 9 bucks for it, and later on after I bought it I went back to the same garden center and the bonsai lady had a problem with some of the bonsai she had, those bonsai had millebugs. She applied rubbing alcahol to them to kill the bugs, but she used 90% instead of 70% and burned all the leaves off every tea she had. So I picked another tea that was burned for 3 bucks! I was repoting it (after it grew back all it's leaves, like 4 weeks or so) and cut the wrong root, so more than (way more than) I wanted got removed, then it died. Serves me right for not paying attention. I killed a good deal :(. But I learned from it (and the mistake only cost 3 bucks!).

Black pine seeds are in the works. So hopefully I'll get some pines in my collection. Pines hate me, I've killed a bunch of those from the woods trying to grow them. So I hope I have better luck with these guys.

I think thats it. If I missed any then those plants will just feel bad that I forgot them :). I'll give them some water and they'll love me again. lol Maybe if they're really sad I'll give them some super thrive. HA ha.

Sorry for misspells BTW. Thanks for reading about my lovely plants!!

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tarian
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about 20 in pots and 9 in need of pots
mostly pines

Petra26
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I have 2 wal-sais...

and 1 jade stem cutting which I will try to bonsai in the future.

have a dward jade stem cutting also but it is dying :(

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Gnome
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Petra,

Are you referring to Portulacaria, if so they are handled much the same as full size Jades. Free draining soil, as much light as you can manage. Watch your watering although mine seem to like a little more water than Jades.

Norm

Petra26
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I think is also known as an elephant bush? not sure... all ive been doing is putting it in coarse soil and a small pot for stem cutting and watering once a week or if soil is very dry. and I only water it a little bit at a time. basically giving it the same treatment as my other jade stem cutting. that one seems to be growing fine...

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tarian
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any pics

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Gnome
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Petra,

Yes, Elephants Bush is a common name for Portulacaria. I see that this is a cutting and is not yet rooted. Is that correct? I have no trouble rooting mine but I usually do it during the summer after my yearly round of pruning. The usual advice is not to water it until after it has rooted.

Norm

constantstaticx3
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I have a variaty of deciduos trees such as a chinese elm, which is the only tree I have that could be considered a bonsai. I just recently purchased a cork bark chinese elm and am looking forward to working with it. I have a japanese grey bark elm, or zelkova, that I bought from the philadelphia flower show last year. It is going into its second year of training and lookes great. I have a green japanese maple that is now in its 3rd year of training and a red japanese maple that I found growing on the side of the road, its very small but shows great potential although there are no branches. I also planted a three tree trident maple group last year that is doing great. I have a pond cypress also that is going to start training this year with a trunk chop because it is tall and thin with absolutely no branches.

I also have a shimpaku juniper that I bought offline 4 years ago that is still far away from being a bonsai. I collected a hemlock from the mountains of New York, it is probobly around 50 years old as it was in a very sheltered spot and it grows very slow, the tree is only about a foot tall. I also recently bought a 3 year old pine and a 1 year old pine that shows great potential but it has a very long road ahead. This is my first attempt at black pines and I'm hoping it goes well.

In total I have 10 trees not bonsai, they will eventualy be bonsai but that is a long way in the future. I don't really want to get too many more trees as the price of soil and time that they require is increased with the amount and variety of trees. Although I am not very good at this as I cant stop from buying more, its addicting. This will be my 4rth year of seriously trying to grow and maintain bonsai. I have loved the art of bonsai for my whole life and gained so much knowledge from books, the internet, and this forum. I find bonsai a very rewarding and enjoyable hobby and I don't ever see myelf not growing bonsai for the rest of my life.

Tom

ynot
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Gnome wrote:The usual advice is not to water it until after it has rooted.

Norm
Petra, Gnome is exactly right about this.

Just take your cutting [Or even just a single leaf] and set it on some sand, Do not water it.

Leave it be until you see the white hairy roots growing [they are seeking moisture] then water it..... and off you go. 8)

Tom,
An excellent list, Any chance you could post some pictures?
Thanks for posting it.

ynot

constantstaticx3
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thanks, I love to share my love for bonsai with everyone. I find it enjoyable just talking about it. I do have some pictures but they are of poor quality because I haven't had the chance to take any in daylight. This weekend I'll take some better pictures and post them later.

Tom

ynot
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constantstaticx3 wrote: thanks, I love to share my love for bonsai with everyone. I find it enjoyable just talking about it.
Me Too Brother!
constantstaticx3 wrote:
I do have some pictures but they are of poor quality because I haven't had the chance to take any in daylight. This weekend I'll take some better pictures and post them later.

Tom
Cool, I look forward to seeing what you have going on :)

To make the most of your pictures see [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]here.[/url]

Stop by the 'Inspiration' thread while you are in the gallery, There might be a few dozen links in that thread you will enjoy... :D

ynot

constantstaticx3
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Ok, I took some pictures and they turned out ok, here they are...

Just a quick note, I planted these in bonsai pots before I aerlized that you could put them in larger pots to develope them more so I plan to do that with some of them.

This is my japanese grey bark elm that I am very happy with. It has great basal flare. It is 1 1/2 feet tall.
[url=https://img442.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01298jh5.jpg][img]https://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6859/dsc01298jh5.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img79.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01299rw8.jpg][img]https://img79.imageshack.us/img79/5429/dsc01299rw8.th.jpg[/img][/url]

This is my pond cypress that I will be chopping atleast in half for obvious reasons. It is 3 feet tall.
[url=https://img260.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01300wg7.jpg][img]https://img260.imageshack.us/img260/1861/dsc01300wg7.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img143.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01301ma5.jpg][img]https://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5750/dsc01301ma5.th.jpg[/img][/url]
I used spagnum moss to protect the fragile roots at the base.

This is my trident maple group that I planted last year. It shows some good potential. It is 2 feet tall.
[url=https://img517.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01302wb4.jpg][img]https://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4807/dsc01302wb4.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img77.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01266lg3.jpg][img]https://img77.imageshack.us/img77/9602/dsc01266lg3.th.jpg[/img][/url]

This my green japanese maple that I need to repot. It may become a main tree in a group because of its lack of lower branches. I may get two small seedlings and plant them very close to the trunk to take up the blank space. Also on this one and my smaller one the trunk has shrivled a little but its obviously not dead. I don't understand why. Its just under 2 feet tall.
[url=https://img249.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01304gb4.jpg][img]https://img249.imageshack.us/img249/8223/dsc01304gb4.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img261.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01305nx3.jpg][img]https://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1404/dsc01305nx3.th.jpg[/img][/url]

This is the red jap. maple that I found on the side of a road. It has a good base and is 1 foot tall. I will also be chopping this one and repotting it.
[url=https://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01306ql5.jpg][img]https://img158.imageshack.us/img158/8650/dsc01306ql5.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img256.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01307am2.jpg][img]https://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5964/dsc01307am2.th.jpg[/img][/url]

This is the chinese cork bark elm that I recently purchased. I was confused because it was potted in peat moss and I know that is very bad for a bonsai and it shows. This tree is 7in tall
[url=https://img67.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01308cn0.jpg][img]https://img67.imageshack.us/img67/4745/dsc01308cn0.th.jpg[/img][/url]

This is the first black pine that I bought and after I talked with the grower I prunned it back considerably. It is 1 1/2 feet tall.
[url=https://img405.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01310px3.jpg][img]https://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4313/dsc01310px3.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img185.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01311nf8.jpg][img]https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/5756/dsc01311nf8.th.jpg[/img][/url]

This is a smaller one that I recently repotted into a half gallon pot. It is 9in tall.
[url=https://img185.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01312hh1.jpg][img]https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1530/dsc01312hh1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

This is the collected Hemlock. We had a bad ice storm and I had to wait for it to thaw out to take a picture of it. My juniper is still frozen to my deck. It is 1 1/2 feet tall and the same wide.
[url=https://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01314ev3.jpg][img]https://img259.imageshack.us/img259/2159/dsc01314ev3.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01315ow5.jpg][img]https://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6536/dsc01315ow5.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Its tough to see but this tree has great nabari. Also I don't know how I'm going to style this tree so suggestions are welcome.

Finaly, this is my chinese elm that I bought finished this way. Ive have it for a year and it is about 9 inches tall.
[url=https://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01319vd5.jpg][img]https://img50.imageshack.us/img50/5124/dsc01319vd5.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01320dg2.jpg][img]https://img19.imageshack.us/img19/2783/dsc01320dg2.th.jpg[/img][/url]
I recently planted this in mostly akadama for a change and I have to say I like the way it looks.

Well thats it, I hope you enjoy them and any suggestions on styling or anything is appreciated.

Tom

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Gnome
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Tom,

I just checked out a few of your trees. I have a Chinese Elm that is very similar. There is a series of photos in the gallery if you have not seen them yet. [url=https://www.bonsaifarm.tv/content/view/72/37/]Here[/url] is a link to a video about them. If you follow the link "home" at the top of the page there are more videos. I see a very well placed branch on the outside of the first bend. This is your #1 branch, cut it back hard this spring to induce taper and ramification. Look for a similar branch on the outside of the second curve. I can't tell if there is one due to the foliage. Remove some branching on the inside of curves, (unless you are looking to use them as sacrifices).

On the the Zelkova, what are your plans for it? They are usually trained in the broom style or informal upright. I'm nut sure this tree falls into any of the traditional styles, not that this is a requirement. I have a broom that has one full year of growth on it since a major chop, I can post a few pictures if there is interest.

Norm

constantstaticx3
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The #1 branch has just recently started to develope, it has had minimal foliage on it the past year. There is a second branch on the second bend and also one in the back and I'll do the same to them. There really isn't any on the inside of the curves unless you mean the one in the front. If I remove that one it will look very bare. I actualy have seen all of those videos I found it once when I was doing some research, good stuff. Its more enjoyable to learn through a video than by reading.

For my zelkova, I plan to grow out the lower branches to induce taper, I really need to work on the apex this year though there really is none to speak of. My overall plan is to keep it in an informal upright, I'm not sure why you say it doesn't fit that criteria, unless you mean the sudden changes in trunk direction (it was chopped many times). Do you think it would be possible to chop it and make a broom style out of it?

Post some pictures I love to see other peoples trees.

Tom

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Gnome
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Tom,
My overall plan is to keep it in an informal upright, I'm not sure why you say it doesn't fit that criteria, unless you mean the sudden changes in trunk direction
No, in fact exactly the opposite, If it is 18" tall then I see about 12" of trunk with no movement. It does not give the feel of informal upright. With the movement in the apex it does not seem to be formal upright style either.
Do you think it would be possible to chop it and make a broom style out of it?
Yes, definitely, but maybe not yet. The one I'm working on was about 1" in diameter at the chop site and I don't think that I would want to do it on anything much smaller. Brooms can, of course be trained from seedlings that that does not fit here either.

Norm

constantstaticx3
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No, in fact exactly the opposite, If it is 18" tall then I see about 12" of trunk with no movement. It does not give the feel of informal upright. With the movement in the apex it does not seem to be formal upright style either.
Sorry thats my fault the tree is not that tall its only about a foot tall and about 8 inches to the noticeable movement in the picture. There is really a lot more movement in it than the picture can really show. The tree was actualy chopped about half way up to the first movement that you can see. I may try the broom style later on cause I have to say I like that look better in the zelkova, I have a book with some pretty incredible pictures of them.

Also do you have any suggestions of the hemlock, I know the trunk is thin and it doesn't look so great in the picture, but when you see it in person it looks a lot better.

Tom

constantstaticx3
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o and don't forget to post those pictures I would really like to see how you did it.

Tom

vdotson
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Location: Wisconsin

1 Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm)
2 Ficus microcarpa - Original and cutting
1 Buxus Microphylla (Boxwood)
1 Lantana Camara
1 Portulacaria Afra (Jade)

Wish I could have more :( , but I'm out of window space and fluorescent lights!

Guess I'll just have to buy a new house :lol:

Bonsaimatt
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looking good guys! Keep it up!

I just added an afra to my collection too, it's a bit of a project though. And a serissa thats about 20 yrs old. I don't have a pics yet though. Later!

vdotson
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And a serissa thats about 20 yrs old. I don't have a pics yet though. - You MUST send the pictures of the serissa!!!!!!



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