Alpineart's Blog

This was purchased in August 2010 as a pre -bonsai trainer,

trimmed back hard and the unwanted branches removed, several sacrifice branches were purposefully left to pump the trunk and heal the scars from the removed branches  . 

A single inarch grafted branched was positioned into the mid section void and and then the tree was grown on last season . The home made bonsai mix is soft red scoria and aged composted pine bark sieved and washed . It can be reused indefinitely with the addition of more pine bark on periodic re-pots

Due to a couple of accidents being laid up is no reason to sit idle.I decided to removed about 50 % of the needles and un-wanted shoots and rewire the branches into position .

Due to the fact the roots were a little odd the front of the tree was never chosen until today as i didn’t want to remove too much of the original roots and it fitted into the oval pot as was

.All the branches including the sacrifice branches have been wired into position ,just in case i change my mind as to the new front

After careful consideration this will hope fully be the new front , utilising the movement of the trunk to it best .

The roots have not been disturbed , the front  may alter slightly depending on the narebri .Now this will grow on for a couple of seasons with a re-pot and root prune on the cards . All in all i’m happy with the progression .

Cheers and Happy Bonsai .Alpineart

This was a collected tree which was growing in water logged or bone dry red clay .It constantly died back over the 12 or so years prior to its removal a couple of years back . When it was removed a found it to be buried 300mm deeper than the root ball ??by whomever planted it ‘ The root ball itself was very poor which is understandable, so it was potted up in a quality free draining mix for a season , then a set of multiple layers were placed onto the trunk .Last year they were severed and today the original 90mm base and the middle layer got some much needed root work/Narebri improvement .Using a method i learned from a Member of Ausbonsai.com and have successfully employed on Maples , Plums and Chinese Elms and are soon to trial on pines i  set to work . I have also used this method on the layer of the mid layer taken off last year ,  to see if it works above the ground . No reason why it shouldn’t but nothing ventured nothing gained . First of all the plant remained in its pot and the roots were inspected by removing some top soil and making the decision form there ..I tilted the tree over just enough so i could drill a series of 2.5mm hole where required around the appropriate section of the base and trunk  in the case of the layer .Using bamboo toothpicks snapped in two  simple soak water and dip the blunt end into some hormone powder and insert into the drill holes. I have in the past used soft wood toothpicks and the strike rate was less than 60 % bacteria and decay seemed to destroy all hope of the roots forming . With the tooth picks set a blend of Bonsai mix with added spagnum moss is placed into or around the base/trunk , which ever the case maybe . Because the tree has been disturbed i have used a probe/chop-stick to settle the soil back around the roots as per a normal re-pot . With this task complete a good soak to settle the soil and potted layer , i wont trim these 2 tree’s , allowing all the growth to grow unhindered for a few months ,then cut back by 50 % allowing the excess growth to generate the power to produce the new roots .

Cheers Alpineart

What to do with some shabby plum tree trunks that would take for ever and a day to transform into a suitable trainer . Many idea’s came and went until a topic on Ausbonsai.com showed a magnificent specimen grown by an elderly gentlemen whom unfortunately has Passed away . Inspired by his Penjing i have decided to dedicate this trainer to his magnificent work . These were collected 2 years ago and left in plastic pots to battle the elements . Little or no trimming or care has been taken with the plants , until the topic on Ausbonsai hit a spot in my heart as to the possibility or creating a clump style Prunus Cerasifera . I have search high and low for good specimens but have been unable to locate anything of interest . Starting with 5 plants i simply arranged them i a suitable order to not only have balance but would and could be turned into a clump style raft . I began by drilling and screwing each base together using stainless steel screws , starting with the 2 main trunks 1 of which has very poor roots . An area of bark and sap wood was removed for a close snug fit then screw into position . The next tree was added using the same method , the forth tree was place to the rear of the setting to give it some depth and anchored as the previous trees were . Lastly the final trunk was positioned and screwed onto its sister tree . With the hard work done i potted the clump trainer into a large plastic pot , removing a section of the pot to allow the outermost trunk to lay over somewhat , this hopefully will form the raft section of this trainer in the coming years . This will now be grown on it this pot and come next season i will be ground grown for some serious growth . The shaping and pre styling will be maintained over this growing season .

Cheers Alpineart