Alder - clip and grow

[MJL]

Good Morning.

This little plant is close to my heart. I believe it to be an Alder - self seeded in dad’s garden. He didn’t want it - I wanted to play.

I guess I have had it for perhaps three years? I may have wired it in past - but if so not much. It’s as close to clip and grow from the get go as I have.

Anyway - here it is this morning and after a hair cut. I’m trying to repair all my mistakes of the past while I make mistakes now ... I hope you get what I mean. I guess what I am saying is the little tree is tolerant of my treating it as a learning exercise.

I like the little fella - nothing special to folks on the outside but he and I are growing together.

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I suppose this is the issue with not letting a tree grow freely when young to fatten trunk, not using sacrifice branches etc... - the trunk remains thin, little taper etc... I imagine in the same time period, with such a vigorous tree, people would have trunks three times as large ... and probability achieved better ramification as well.

Still learning ....


Bonsai teaches me patience.
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[Matt S]

I like it. For such a young tree it's got a bit of character and we all have sentimental trees with a back story that we are more forgiving of their flaws. The interesting thing about bonsai is that the older one of your trees is the less experienced you were when you started it, and although most trees are improved with age it will reflect your less experienced self.

I reckon keep going with the routine you have. The branches are showing nice movement and will only improve with ramification.

Matt.