How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Share your success stories about defoliation, bare rooting and anything else relating to maintaining healthy bonsai.
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Jow
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How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by Jow »

A couple that I did this spring. They are already getting close to pencil thick.

*edit: seems tapatalk is playing up again. Take two hosted off site.

Image

Image
Last edited by Jow on February 10th, 2013, 6:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by Damian79 »

HI Jow
thanks for this thread. As a beginner its great to be inspired every day by new ideas and techniques. After reading a lot of posts on this thread, im going to have a crack. I actually have a couple of nursery junipers (seems thats all I can get where I live) that ill be twisting the bejeebers out of to see what happenes. Also I think ill either plant some seeds or cuttings for future use.
Once again thanks and keep the posts coming. :tu:
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chinese juniper 1.jpg
The Basic stock I have access to.
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by lackhand »

I'm glad I found this thread. After fighting to try and find good stock here, I've been unable to stop my urge to just grow my own, and I have 25 Chinese elm seeds cold stratifying right now (our winters aren't cold enough to just plant them). I've been doubting myself because everybody talks about collecting, or working with established nursery stock, so it's nice to know my seedlings have a bright future. :cool:
Cheers, Karl
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by Jow »

lackhand wrote:I'm glad I found this thread. After fighting to try and find good stock here, I've been unable to stop my urge to just grow my own, and I have 25 Chinese elm seeds cold stratifying right now (our winters aren't cold enough to just plant them). I've been doubting myself because everybody talks about collecting, or working with established nursery stock, so it's nice to know my seedlings have a bright future. :cool:
Particularly if you are happy with smaller trees this can be a very quick way to get quality results.
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by craigw60 »

Thats the way to do it Joe. I noticed you have put in some pretty extreme curves which means even if you want to grow trees with heavy trunks the movement will still be evident. Those last couple you showed us would be good candidates to put on a rock.
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by lackhand »

Jow wrote:
lackhand wrote:I'm glad I found this thread. After fighting to try and find good stock here, I've been unable to stop my urge to just grow my own, and I have 25 Chinese elm seeds cold stratifying right now (our winters aren't cold enough to just plant them). I've been doubting myself because everybody talks about collecting, or working with established nursery stock, so it's nice to know my seedlings have a bright future. :cool:
Particularly if you are happy with smaller trees this can be a very quick way to get quality results.
I like all sizes of trees, so I'll probably keep some small and put some in the ground to fatten up for a few years. Might even try a mame size. I'm excited to start working with them.
Last edited by lackhand on February 11th, 2013, 12:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by anttal63 »

Well done Jow !!! They will reward you very quickly !!! :tu:
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by Scott Roxburgh »

Here is a small one of mine started this year, hasn't done much in the small pot.
IMG_1203.jpg
IMG_1202.jpg
It'll be going into a colander this year, like the others.
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by Damian79 »

Hi guys
I was wondering if i should make sharis on my juniper (pic above) now before wiring or get the shape gooing first then worry about it. The trunk is about 10mm thick and I plan to do some hefty wiring.
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by MoGanic »

Wire first, let it grow, get the design right. Sharis will come naturally as when you cut a branch a particular vein on the tree dies. Creating these yourself can damage the trees growth or kill it and wont look as good. Let nature do its thing ;-)

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Post by Andrew Legg »

Jow wrote:A couple that I did this spring. They are already getting close to pencil thick.

*edit: seems tapatalk is playing up again. Take two hosted off site.
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Post by Andrew Legg »

Andrew Legg wrote:
Jow wrote:A couple that I did this spring. They are already getting close to pencil thick.

*edit: seems tapatalk is playing up again. Take two hosted off site.
You are a law unto yourself! :whistle:

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ozzy
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by ozzy »

I have wired a few different things up, I found a sheoak that I must have overlooked and its almost absorbed the wire, looks pretty cool, must get some pics. :cool:
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by Neli »

I was wondering,
I have some big junipers in the ground, too hard to bend. Can I bend the top in the same manner , grow it for some time and then airlayer the top off and grow on?
Will it work?
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I started a blog:http://nelibonsai.wordpress.com/2013/07 ... a-nursery/
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Re: How to grow good bonsai stock like the Japanese nurseries

Post by daiviet_nguyen »

Hi Neli,

Bending large conifers is not my expertise, but there is a technique where we split along the trunk/branch, insert wire(s), then bind it up with raffia, grafting tapes etc, then some more wire, then bend it using some hand "powered' instruments -- this is one of the thread in my book mark: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5391

( I did one https://ausbonsai.com.au/forum/viewtopic ... 131&t=8610 -- but there are several mistakes. I am not so proud of this! )

There are several more, but I cannot flush them out yet.

[quote=Neli]
I was wondering,
I have some big junipers in the ground, too hard to bend. Can I bend the top in the same manner , grow it for some time and then airlayer the top off and grow on?
Will it work?
[/quote]

I think you best post a juniper in question up... that way we have a better idea of the sizes and etc.

Regards.
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