Baby-sitting this bad boy.

[MJL]

A good mate is travelling overseas for 3 weeks or so. This is a nice tree to look after - hard to give it back!

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Bonsai teaches me patience.
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[bunce]

this tree would benefit from a needle pluck and a wire

Bunce.

[MJL]

Cheers for the advice Bunce.

I don’t have the skills to help with pines (yet) and my mate does get assistance from where it was purchased but it is irregular in terms of when he gets that help.

As it happens - I am looking after a few other trees including a mature’ish Japanese Maple forest and another maple - all with reasonable bones but in need of work.

Upon return, I will definitely highlight some points of improvement and show some links to help with understanding - so that perhaps the tree(s) can receive more ongoing care. I reckon I can help with the maples too; I have enough confidence to do that. Just don’t want to stuff up trees when I am learning too.

I guess it must happen a fair bit - people purchase the ‘art piece’ or statement piece and then don’t have the requisite skills or perhaps time, to look after the purchase. Or perhaps fear doing work at the wrong time and endangering the tree or the design.

Bonsai can look beautiful but ongoing maintenance is part of the contract.




Bonsai teaches me patience.
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[TimS]

It is cerainly an impressive tree, and with some dilligent care and planning could be excellent over the coming years. There is, however, a fine balance in a friendship between "You could consider doing/ having someone look at doing 'xyz'" and them returning from holiday to find you have gone ahead and done it without getting permission, much less any kind of opinion from them as to if they actually like what you plan on doing, so i am with you Mark on your approach of advise rather than do irrespective of ability to perform the task!

[Nate.bonsai]

It is cerainly an impressive tree, and with some dilligent care and planning could be excellent over the coming years. There is, however, a fine balance in a friendship between "You could consider doing/ having someone look at doing 'xyz'" and them returning from holiday to find you have gone ahead and done it without getting permission, much less any kind of opinion from them as to if they actually like what you plan on doing, so i am with you Mark on your approach of advise rather than do irrespective of ability to perform the task!

Nah. Remake it into a semi cascade. Guaranteed to be a surprise.


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[MJL]

Nah. Remake it into a semi cascade. Guaranteed to be a surprise.

Ha! Now that would test the friendship. Even better, I’ve been thinking of designing the full Japanese garden style at my place - I can picture this tree - in the ground - cantilevered over the edge of a serene pond, surrounded by raked sand.




Bonsai teaches me patience.
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[TimS]

I’m sure he’d be thrilled to donate it for your garden plans Mark, go right ahead!