Given it was 30+ degrees in Melbourne today and i didn't feel much like getting stuck into the gardneing, i decided that i would catch up on some bonsai work that's due (or past due). It basically ended up being a clean up of most of my conifers to varying degrees. So now i'll kick back with a scotch and soda and post the updates. I'll get onto the deciduous and big trees tomorrow
Ezo Spruce #1 was first up. No before photo but it was just getting quite over grown. Thinned it out and cut back the strong shoots with the future plan to get a bit more definition and sight lines through the tree. I need to properly restyle this one but one thing at a time
After photo
Ezo Spruce #2. I quite like the rough look of this one, but it doesn't have much future direction as the branches are all over the shop. I don't want to completely sterilise it, but it only made sense if i turned it into a twin trunk with the lowest flat branch
Before:
After:
Hinoki Cypress. This has just been in a big nursery pot growing on, but time to cut it back a bit to let light back inside to inner foliage and start a new leader for better taper. Just an informal upright type thing going on.
Before:
After
i disturbed a visitor too, released safely outside of course
Finally a dwarf Ginkgo, just a cut back and removed a few big leaves
Before
after
Conifer Cleanup
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- Aussie Bonsai Fan
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Re: Conifer Cleanup
For me, there's enough movement in the trunks of the second Ezo to make a good tree one day. Just as matter of tactics, because they are very slow growing, you might consider putting it into a large growing-on pot for a few years, to get thickness in the trunks and complexity in the branches. For me, a bonsai pot is the last thing that happens in the process.
Good luck, they all look promising.
Gavin
Good luck, they all look promising.
Gavin
- TimS
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Re: Conifer Cleanup
I agree it should be in a plastic nursery pot, but i only have ones that are either too small or way too big, so for now it can be in that one until i happen upon a better option for it.GavinG wrote: ↑January 23rd, 2022, 10:03 am For me, there's enough movement in the trunks of the second Ezo to make a good tree one day. Just as matter of tactics, because they are very slow growing, you might consider putting it into a large growing-on pot for a few years, to get thickness in the trunks and complexity in the branches. For me, a bonsai pot is the last thing that happens in the process.
Good luck, they all look promising.
Gavin
I agree it has a good future with the movement in the trunks, as you say they are very slow growing so it won't be any time in the near future.
Annoyingly the conifers i do like (ezo, hinoki, ginkgo) are all quite slow growers so it becomes very important to select good stock to start with.
- Keep Calm and Ramify
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- TimS
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
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Re: Conifer Cleanup
Only non-spikey ones (ezo needles are very soft). The pines and needle junipers give me mad rashes on my arms touching them so i don't grow them but i love hinoki especiallyKeep Calm and Ramify wrote: ↑January 23rd, 2022, 10:34 am you sneaky thing! I didn't think you owned any conifers...