Salix viminalis

[bonsai.w]

Hi bonsai friends!
I want to show my willow. I'll be glad to hear your comments and criticism.

[BonsaiPanda]

I like the taper and movement in the trunk and also the contrast of the pebble colour to the pot colour. Overall looks great.
A beautiful display stand as well
Regards Panda

[alpineart]

Hi bonsai.w , thats a very nice willow, fantastic trunk .I have tried several times to maintain a good specimen but they tend to get die back throughout the growing period .Obviously you have a different approach to them .Care to share some info ? MEDIUM, WATERING , FERTILIZER . Cheers Alpineart

[bonsai.w]

Hi, alpineart!

I have three secrets to grow willow :

1. Water
2. Water
3. Water

overwatering is very important for salix.

[alpineart]

Hi Mate i use plenty of water but mine don't look like yours .Cheers Alpineart

[Guy]

nice -good taper -Ive found willows are too rampant for me so I avoid them -If you can,flip a couple of the danglers to the back and try not to hide too much of that nice trunk

[Tony Bebb]

Well I'm a bit jealous.

I have always wanted a good willow, and whilst they grow in some colder parts of Queensland, not so good here in Brisbane. This is a good willow and on it's way to being a great Bonsai. Very nice trunk and lots of branches. I agree with the comment to open up the front a bit and would definitely start working on the steps to the branches to make the tree look much older.

Very nice work and best regards.

Tony

[hugh grant]

Alpine,to prevent die back in your branches you need to keep a constant water supply. if you regularly water or keep the tree submerged in water it will not solve the problem. the trick apparently is to set up a sythin dripper system. place a bucket at a higher level than the tree and put a tube it the bucket with water. run the tube down to tree and place it on the surface of the soil. the part that is placed on the soil should have holes to let drops of water come through at a constant rate. this maintains moisture in the pot at all times and lets water be running through all day. all you have to do is refill the pot every day. i have not tried this myself but it is supposed to work and prevent the die back.

By the way very nice tree

[bonsai.w]

Thank you very much for advices and critics.
I keep the tree submerged in water in warm months. No problem. It feels good.
Let show you progressions of the tree :

November 2009 :



June 2010 :



...and few days later :




April 2011 :

[Tony Bebb]

Thanks for sharing those pics W.

Nice to see where it started and I would like to repeat, very nice work. Would love to see the future of this tree.

Tony