Conifer Cleanup

[TimS]

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

Ezo1.jpg

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:

Ezo2a.jpg

Ezo2b.jpg

After:

Ezo2c.jpg

Ezo2d.jpg

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:

hinokia.jpg

After

hinokib.jpg

i disturbed a visitor too, released safely outside of course

hinokif.jpg

Finally a dwarf Ginkgo, just a cut back and removed a few big leaves
Before

ginkgoa.jpg

after

ginkgob.jpg

[GavinG]

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

[TimS]

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 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.

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]

you sneaky thing! I didn't think you owned any conifers...

[TimS]

you sneaky thing! I didn't think you owned any conifers...

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 especially