Buxus Harlandii - Progression - First Ever Bonsai

[BonsaiBobbie]

Hi All,

The Bonsai Bug has Bitten...

thought I'd post a small progression of my Bonsai journey through my first ever Bonsai, a Buxus Harlandii which I got as a starter plant.

With no clue, no research, other than I wanted to get into it, I bought this plant, guessed a size of a pot and away I went.

I've been learning every since.

Here is the tree just after potting in September 2021.

IMG_7355.JPG

[BonsaiBobbie]

I was pretty happy with it at that stage, and would proudly pull it out and put on the dinner table.

Since then the Bonsai / plant collection has grown considerably (between all the various seedlings / cuttings / pre-bonsai / Bonsai), I'm up to 100 or so plants.

Most are just developing as I'm keeping my costs down.

What I'm really saying is that since September I've learnt a lot and tweaked the plant a bit more, and finally worked out where I'm going with this plant.

[BonsaiBobbie]

Here it is today.

It is definitely Shohin at the moment. Haven't thought to see if I'll keep it there, not really fussed.

Front view

IMG_9980.jpg

Rear view. It is hard to tell from the pics, but it needs development on this side. Hence I'm trying to build up / grown the top, and extend backwards.

That is a sacrifice branch down the bottom. I don't expect it to make a noticeable difference to thickness anytime soon!

IMG_9981.jpg

Not sure if this is any clearer to show the top / problems with it.

IMG_9982.jpg

You can see I'm trying further techniques / ways to get ramification / decrease leaf size. I occasionally come across something and give it a whirl. Fortunately there is still plenty of growing to be had in Sydney at the moment.

the left side has only really just started to develop.

Any feedback is welcome.

Thanks for looking.

[shibui]

Full credit for achieving this much with very little help or knowledge.
What sort of feedback are you interested in?

Many things we do in bonsai take way more than a year or 2 to have much effect. Smaller leaves doesn't happen immediately, ramification and branches do not develop immediately after applying a technique. One international bonsai professional said you really need to pick a technique and use it for several years to get full benefit. Swapping from one to another often does not work for us or the plant.
For most developmental things in bonsai I now allow 2-5 years because that's how plants grow. Good bonsai growers learn to think long term rather than in weeks or months.

[BonsaiBobbie]

Thanks shibui.

Happy to hear whatever people want to say.

For the moment, this thread is mainly about documenting things, and seeing where things go. I'm not precious about the plant, it is my first one after all. It being quite hard-dii (boom-tish), it is good to work on and try and understand things, but also plan things more.

The first lesson I learnt / am learning, is patience. eg this was the first plant, and I learnt if you are going to "do" Bonsai, if you have one plant you will be either very bored, or totally destroy the tree.

Somewhere along the line was not necessarily put it in a bonsai pot straight away. But no regrets on that front with this tree. I'm sure it is a path most of us have done.

Next step to add some height back (not sure if that was lost as a result of how I cut it, or as a result of bending the branches down), and overall balance at the back, whilst working on the right and left pads. I realise that will take time.

But I can just imagine a little swing under the left branch in top "now" picture.

[shibui]

I've found the best way to develop both trunk and branches is to grow and cut - over and over.
Grow and cut introduces taper which is very important to how we perceive bonsai as old and mature trees.
Cut and grow also adds some bends to the trunk and to branches.
Cut and grow also seems to be the best way to add ramification to trees. Each time you cut a shoot it produces several replacement leaders resulting in gradually increasing density.
A long time ago I discovered it is a mistake to grow branches to full length in one season. The result is straight, untapered branches with few side shoots. Good bonsai branches are almost the opposite and that's what I get with slower development through regular chop and grow cycles.

The pics don't seem to be making clear what the problem with the back is but I suspect it may related to lack of pruning. All the tree's energy goes to the longer and taller parts rather to growing lower and inner shoots. Pruning upper and outer areas changes hormone production and balance and new shoots can grow.

BTW I think Buxus harlandii is a great bonsai plant. I have quite a few of these now for small sized bonsai and they naturally seem to develop well tapered trunks. Corky bark is fantastic even when young. Growth is slow but I've had several in larger grow pots to get maximum trunk thickening for around 8 years now and starting to get some good trunks. Next comes severe pruning to establish a trunk and main branches, followed by several years of cut and grow to slowly develop the branching.

[BonsaiBobbie]

Thanks Shibui.

Grow and cut is definitely being used on other plants. I think that is a challenge for a lot of people new to Bonsai. How to get some form of instantaneous “reward” vs the satisfaction of developing something over a number of years.

There are a lot of elements I “currently” like with this tree, and not having many to display (in bonsai pots at least), I’m content for the immediate future to keep working with it and current limitations.

Like I said, it is a great learning tree. Eg had kept the original cuttings from back in September (more had I had the materials to so this), I’d have a good number of plants on the way. I now understand how easy these are to take cuttings even if they are tiny.

As to the back, apologies, it is hard to tell and I know what I am looking at! The back is essentially flat / straight. The problem is more too much pruning vs how the tree was (compared with the rest of the branches). In my quest to stimulate growth, I kept cutting, and nothing would come.

I now realise this is probably a combination of two things. Lack of fertilisation and too much other growth in other places given I didn’t really have a plan.

Now that I have started some regular fertilising, and have a plan growth is happening in areas where I want.

Again, that isn’t to say a different / better outcome couldn’t be achieved with cut and grow, just that I have learnt something.

Whilst it sounds as if I am a bit precious with this tree, I hope not! Two days before this pic I cut off a branch I had spent some time developing / shaping when I realised it ultimately had to go. I am hoping that allows the other branches to develop more (or at least growth where at want it). If not. Ho hum.

[Raging Bull]

Just a quick observation about Buxus, they are not a particularly fast growing tree, so don't prune and expect new shoots a week or two later. The plus is that Buxus take well to pruning and are often used as low hedging plants. Be patient and don't over-work the little tree.
Cheers, Frank.

[BonsaiBobbie]

Thanks Frank,

I am learning that!

[BonsaiBobbie]

Thought I'd look back at this and update.

B2.jpg

B1.jpg

After posting the above I decided I may as well try and push some growth and repotted into the above pot, as well as cut back some of the growth and have just let it grow for most of the the last year other than a clip where for some reason that I don't remember (lifes other priorities are taking hold) I left one longer one to keep growing.

It has been good to see it thicken up since I first took these pics.

I'll have a proper tidy up / look soon before leaving it again for another year or so.

[BonsaiBobbie]

B3.jpg

Decided to do the chop.

Will let it grow again for another year.