AusBonsai

I got given this pot by a family freind over a year ago and I haven't had anything that really went with it. He was telling me that his parents had a group planting in it long ago. I didn't get an answer as to what species was in it then. Anyway, he passed away last month and I have been looking after the stock of plants he had for markets. So out of frustration some inspiration struck one day recently and in went these golden pencil pines.

The pines had been left in 3 inch tubes for years in a neglected part of the nursery he had. I repotted the pines a year and a half ago. They have only just started to regain vigor, so it was only a very light trim to get them into the pot.

I have tried with a 3 individuals of these and killed them all. I learnt that they take a long time to harden and take a bend. They really don't llike being manipulated at all, you can quickly kill off a branch by pushing it oout of the way. So it will be the "clip and grow" method from here. I'll need to reduce the exposed sides of the trunks (the right sides when viewed from the front) to get a water swept look that I think will work.

Really I'm just hoping they survive and I can work on this for the next 15 years,

Learning by doing again, not shore that I would recommend this. I already think the front view should have been rotated to the last picture by reducing some gaps, maybe a change for later.

Using what you have ... I like it

I collected a large one & grew it for a few years, they are not the easiest tree to work with, as you have found out. Clip & grow works well, instead of tip pruning, remove the elongated shoots back to an inner bud, this gives stronger growth & keeps it close to the trunk. Not only the growing tip but all branches are very apical dominant so prune heavier & more often in these areas. They also prefer to be a bit on the dry side & will be sluggish if kept too wet.

At the moment the arrangement looks more like a tree farm... What you want to do in a forest composition is vary the distance between the trunks while trying to create a cohesive whole. If you have more trees you could slip them in to mix it up a bit but I would look to rearrange the trunks next time you repot. In the mean time you can look at examples of forests here on the forum or by a simple G%$@# search

I am guessing you meant family friend OVER a year ago ?

Have a look at Harry Harringtons bonsai4me website - he has an excellent tutorial on group plantings. Keep learning

Proof reading is always a good thing isn't it.

Thanks for the advice. I will need to start drying it out I guess and find a nice pair of scissors to get in amongst it.

The composition is a bit rough. I'll start thinking about that for next time. There are some spares but they are for worst case scenarios.

I understand what I have done wrong now. I took a quadrant of a landscape and put it into a pot. I took the progression of smaller trees to bigger, with filler second generation trees and drew a square around it. That's the wrong point for a bonsai pot.

I was meant to take the landscape and distill it INTO the pot. That's where the detailed of expression creates a narrative of a landscape.

I think I just learnt a lesson by doing something wrong. Now I have to figure out the right path (for this pot and these trees).

Traditionally a group planting should be in an oval pot and that is why you are not getting the look you want. The square edges detract from the setting. Maybe find a good specimen tree for the pot and replace the setting into a shallower oval for a more dramatic look.

Now you got it....

Those extra's you kept for worst case, grow them on nice & strong in individual pots, when your ready to repot the group planting they will give you some bigger trees to create some more variety & interest in the group planting. Just because oval pots are more often seen it doesnt mean you can't make it work in a rectangle but it takes more skill to do well.

Keep & keep trying.....