My Greatest challenge ever

[alpineart]

This had a bit of work done today

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. I have set another open pot layer on 3 branches that need removing

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. The first layer has good roots so i thought i might as well try again and trim this up at the same time .With a basic trim and wire the main layer will make for a nice slanting style

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.

Cheers Alpineart

[Jason]

Wow dude! I've just caught up on the thread, but... just... wow! Your work is inspirational mate

I'm glad that at least one of the babies has survived for you! Can't wait to see where you take it

[alpineart]

Hi Jason , mate if only a few more made it . This is still a little too big for a pot just yet , measuring 1.6 meter in diameter . I will endevour to contort it back to around 1.2 meters then remove the layers and pot all 5 up . The big stump itself will make for a great project over the next few years .

Cheers . Alpine

[Brian]

hey alpine, that looks nice and healthy. You are fertilising well my friend.

[alpineart]

Hi Brian , mate its very healthy , I'd like to say that about everything around here but thats not the case . The foliage on the layer is somewhat different to the stump , being much courser and greener in colour than the finer blue foliage on the trunk , but its better than being brown . Ihave got plenty of brown pines and juni's laying around after the heatwave .

Cheers .Alpine

[Djs19992]

This is beyond mind blowing. Totally amazing. Congrats. Well done. Sorry only one survived. Sometimes i think our bonsais die to force us to be more creative or think of new ways to tackle the artform. They seem to insist on keeping me always on my toes but im sure thats half the fun of it all.
Deb


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[alpineart]

Just sizing her up

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, nothing serious just checking

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It may very well fit into a 720 pot

Cheers . Alpineart

[MoGanic]

What a beast! Mate, you've got to get yourself a forklift or something haha.

The base on the main tree is gorgeous, with what looks like a lot of potential dead wood features. That's the stuff dreams are made of in Juniper Bonsai land (trademarked)...

Look forward to seeing it without the layers, and the layers without the main plant.

Is there much foliage in close to the base or will you be using mental bending techniques to get this compacted when the time comes?

-Mo

[alpineart]

Hi Mo' here's some pics just for you mate .The layers

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seperated sitting in a 720mm pot

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, potted into a 600mm bowl with the tripple trunk layers removed

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Imanaged to drop all the layers but "done bun cant be undone" . The trunk slipped into its new home

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, just couldn't help myself.

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Potted and compressed a little bit

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The base 300mmx220mm clean

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The naked rear plenty of jin material here however most are still green so the may very well continue to sprout new shoots , inarch grafts are another possible option

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The top of the base with a new shoot at the rear . This will now be left alone , no root pruning took place however i did remove the ground layer , severed at around 400mm from the base to fit it into the pot . I doubt if 2 of the smaller layers will survive as the drop cost me 50% of the new roots , the larger layer should survive as will the ground layer .

Cheers Alpineart

[wattynine]

Wow Alpineart, just catching up having read the thread, what a heart breaking story.
The time, the effort, the EVERYTHING.
Hope you've come out the other side OK,
By the support you have gathered over this thread I kind of get the opinion this won't keep you down.
Dare I say better luck next time with perhaps a slightly smaller project.
keep us posted
Watty

[alpineart]

Hi Watty, its been worth the effort to have 1 survive . The old saying ,"Nothing ventured Nothing gain , Winners never quit and quitters never win , I saved 1 trunk and will use the other stumps as Phoenix Grafts .

A few layers on this trunk plus a few other ground layered green forms of this species have survived so its a Win - Win situation .

Plenty of experience gathered during this challenge and plenty more to come , still learning , it's an ongoing process as is every situation i get myself into . "The more I learn the less I think I know" thats a fact for sure .

Cheers . Alpine

[MoGanic]

Just saw the pics mate, thanks for taking the time.

They look so promising it almost hurts! Shame about the couple of layers though, still a bloody good venture I say!

The look of that nude behind (hey?...) is incredible, really hope you get some shoots there.

Might be worth putting some grafts on sooner than later though incase it does dry up?

Top work as always mate, and you deserve some good rest.

Cheers,
Mo

[bodhidharma]

Hey Alps, long time no talk too. When did life get so busy. This will be a winner no doubt and what you say is true. You got one out of it all, and it will be a goodun.

[alpineart]

Hi Mo' I should have waited for some assistance but good reliable help is hard to find when I'm ready to rock and roll . It has a few small buds but each good branch has a leggy end growth so the sap is flowing . I did set a few grafts but none took, too hot in Summer maybe , the branches used are still alive .

Hi Bodhi , mate it just seems to happen , life that is . I could of should of got the priorities in order but at least I'm making progress . Now it's potted things can progress and if the heat hits like last season then i can move it out of harms way .

It will be a ripper that's for sure and as with all things it will take time . If i feel the urge to play i will do a Phoenix Graft and hack at one of the dead trunks .

Cheers Guys . Alpine

[alpineart]

Karen has given instructions to tidy up , so i thought i would start at the front and progress to the mess in the middle

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.The planed angle for the next re-pot

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and the trunk with a couple of comparisons

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. Now back to the grindstone .

Cheers Alpineart