Shohin Deshojo

 

A bit of neglect this year has meant some long internodes, unfortunately, for this little tree. These were pruned off, along with a reduction in the taller trunk to compact the image.  I think it looks like a better framework now.  Just need to build up the fine twigging over the next number of years.

 

Sacrifice branch left on to speed up wound healing.  Job done. It was removed and the smaller branch beside left on to grow into the space.

Before pruning.

After pruning.

Wiring finished.  Stubs left on allow for dieback.  These will be pruned flush in the new growing season.

I plan to repot into a container about half the size when the time is right.  Hopefully this will slow vigour down and help achieve the necessary short internodes.  I’ll also have to be careful about the quantity and quality of fertiliser in future.

A New Acquisition

Well pleased with this very large European Beech bought at the recent NIBS auction.  Field grown from seed over the last 25 years by Josh.  It’s just out of the ground.  Look at the wooden bench straining!

Serissa Repot

Japanese Maple Leafing Out.

Forest Chump (Creating a Beech Group Part 2)

An apt title given that I thought it would be a good idea to start putting the forest together at 8:30 last night.  Chump indeed!  Anyway, I was raring to go and one of the saplings was breaking out in leaf so I went ahead, naively thinking that it wouldn’t take that long.  Here’s a photo timeline of the composition so far…

8:30 – 9:00pm Looked for this wire rack that I knew was somewhere in the garage.

9:00 – 9:30pm secured rack to the tray and filled a base layer of soil.

9:30 – 10:00pm sketched the tree positions on paper to give an idea of how to proceed.

10:30pm First three trees in rough positions and secured.

More added. A slight windswept look beginning to emerge.

11:30pm Only a few left to add.  The original plan abandoned long ago…

Post midnight. The forest assembled.  Soil was added outside in floodlit conditions.  Well watered in.

I don’t mind admitting that it was a demanding project but I enjoyed it.  The biggest headache was doing it in the kitchen (garage is full of baby related items…)  I underestimated how long it would take me to secure each tree in the right position and how much concentration was needed to ensure spacing was appropriate, perspective developed and all the other ‘rules’ suggested for creating a bonsai forest.  The project is a bit rough and ready at the minute but will hopefully look better when I get a chance tomorrow to prune tree heights and some long branches.  Have to keep reminding myself   that this is only the start of a project which will take years to mature, develop and improve. Part 3 later in the week.

Sawara Cypress Repot

This chamaecyparis was rootpruned  last year but has made such a good recovery that I can reduce the rootball further this year and reduce the time it’ll take to get it into a suitable drum pot.

Into a spare glazed pot that was lying about.  I quite like it for the time being.  I’ll continue to keep the sacrifice branches on until it goes into the next pot.

Formal Upright Hornbeam Repot

It’s been two years since I lifted this hornbeam that had a new nebari grown after applying a tourniquet.  I decided to remove a panel 0ff the box to check on the rootmass.

It hasn’t been draining too well recently so I decided to put it into a spare Ian Bailie pot that I thought suited it really well.  The air layer from last year was chopped off and potted first. Then the nebari checked for the best front, taking into account the trunk and existing branch placement.

The above front had the best nebari but the sacrifice branch is facing the viewer and the trunk kinks halfway.  I decided to rotate it but I’ll wait and see how the threadgraft performs this year.  I suppose it’s not a huge decision now as I can easily turn the round pot!

Future actions: Feed well to encourage the threadgraft and keep upper branching short.