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Bonsai Trees

1 shot willie

Very Obsessed
Messages
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Age
70
I have always had a fascination and interest in Bonsai trees but not really done much about it....until now.
Ordered a "Chinese Elm" cracking shape to it and nice root exposure.
The leaves are very small....but stunning detail.

Any one else into Bonsai keeping?

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My dad makes them bill, he use to have a shop full of them , thought about doing it myself a few times but never got round to it , might save that one for my golden years 😂

What’s your plans for it ? You changing the direction of the branches?
 
Hi Mark.

I know where to come for advice now if I run into trouble 🤣
No plans to alter the shape yet mate....quite like the way it is at the moment.
The tree is 16 years old and 43cm......so I could have a bit of a wait to start any wiring and shaping 🤔....if it survives.
This particular tree is supposed to be for begginers.....easy to look after.......hope so because we are nothing like greenfingered 🙈
Does Dad still grow them?
 
My dad gave me one , it’s now a twig out in the back garden somewhere 😳😂 best not tell him lol… so I’m no green finger also😂


Yeah mate he’s still growing them, he uses anything he finds lol even if it’s not a tree 😂

Here’s a few of his ,
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They are the dogs danglies mate.....liking the pots with the Carp on them 👍and also the tiles behind the tree.

Any idea of the age of the trees?
 
Stroll on Mark......they have grown quickly mate.....what type of tree are they?
That twig I bought is 16 years old.....apparently.
Thanks for asking your Pops mate 👍
 
Stroll on Mark......they have grown quickly mate.....what type of tree are they?
That twig I bought is 16 years old.....apparently.
Thanks for asking your Pops mate 👍

No worries bill 👍🏻
Not sure what trees they are mate.

showed my old boy your one , he says it’s a belter (Glaswegian for lovely looking tree 😂)

Have you got all the tools for trimming and stuff?
 
I've been in to li'l trees since 1999 when I had an accident at work and was off for a few months, Was bored and saw an ad in the Free ads when it was made of green paper, Went and bought a couple!!

It was a daft thing to do to cure boredom as nothing happens for weeks!! :rofl::rofl:

Anyhow, Here's a couple of mine..

Shimpaku Juniper..
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Trident Maple that needs repotting in to something smaller, I've had it since 2013 and never repotted it! :oopsy:
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This one is a Lonicera Nitida yamadori, I dug it from a school in Barnsley that was being demolished, My mate who lived nearby obtained permission to collect some, The excavators were on site,A driver lifted them for us and we gave him a couple of quid per plant to do so!!
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Also brought a couple of Cotoneaster home too!
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This one was a twin trunk that had a lot of dead wood, I carved it but then removed too much from the right trunk and it died so I sawed it off then carved it more with a rotary tool, I actually prefer it as a single trunk tree!
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This one is an Abies..
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A young Cotoneaster full cascade (Kengai), It was in a smaller pot but either the birds or squirrels knocked it off on to a concrete slab, Didn't have a pot the right size so it'll have to grow in to this one!!
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A Buxus in a training pot, Otherwise known as a plastic bowl!
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A small Chinese Elm from Morrisons for a fiver in 2019, Had to chop some thick branches that were too high (Thicker branches lower, Thinner branches higher), I removed it from the plastic planpot and in to this one which is too deep but will do fore two or three years!
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An Acer palmatum, Unknown varity, It turns some fab colours in spring and fall!
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This one is a Hawthorn, It was in terrible compost and was the wrong season to repot (Mid summer), I really thought it was going to die as foliage was dying back and a thick branch died!, I made the box, Lined it with sphagnum most then lifted the tree from it's pot and plopped it in then put more moss in, It was looking top hole two years later!!, It went back in it's pot with new compost then!
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A few more Acers in autumn..
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Chamaecycyparis (Hinoki Cypress)..
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This is a Corkbark Elm that I bought in 2005..
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This is the tree now, I didn't like it much as a broom style so altered it, The pic was from last year or the year before, It's put a little bit more growth on since, I noticed a bit of rusty steel wire sticking out of the bark (Left on in China and grown over), I pulled it and a big lump of the thick bark came away with it!!
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Common Juniper, The type that has needle foliage that stabs every little cut on your hands when you're working on it!!
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Azalea in flower..
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If I could only have one hobby/interest it would be the trees, The guns, Knives, Guitars, Binoculars/telescopes, Watches and lathes would have to go!!


John :)
 
No worries bill 👍🏻
Not sure what trees they are mate.

showed my old boy your one , he says it’s a belter (Glaswegian for lovely looking tree 😂)

Have you got all the tools for trimming and stuff?

A Belter....... ye ken :rofl:

When I ordered the tree Mark you had the options of adding bits......so I added a pair of pruning scissors.....some proper liquid food.....and a book/guide on keeping the tree healthy etc.
Need to buy a small mist spray.......but at the moment thats pretty much it :)

There are some kits available for not much money......"Grow your own" type of thing.....might give one a go :thumbsup:
 
@johnbaz

Thanks for posting the pictures of your beautiful trees John.......what a collection you have there.
To a newbie they are inspirational.

Have you grown any of your trees from seed?.......something I would like to have a go at.

In the second picture I posted there is a small stump coming out and up from the main trunk.....from that there is a healthy branch growing and pointing downwards.......thinking about getting some wire and training that brach upwards a tad.......what do you reckon?
 
@johnbaz

Thanks for posting the pictures of your beautiful trees John.......what a collection you have there.
To a newbie they are inspirational.

Have you grown any of your trees from seed?.......something I would like to have a go at.

In the second picture I posted there is a small stump coming out and up from the main trunk.....from that there is a healthy branch growing and pointing downwards.......thinking about getting some wire and training that brach upwards a tad.......what do you reckon?


Hi 1 shot

I've never grown any from seed but I was given a mountain Maple by a friend that grew several from seeds, He told me he'd planted the seeds 20 years before, I've had it for 9 years so, 29 years old now!!

This is the tree, It's just starting to open it's leaves :thumbsup:
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This was the tree back in 2014
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I've started a few from cuttings though, This is an Acer palmatum 'Deshojo', Apparently quite difficult to root from cuttings, I put two trays of 12 cuttings in, Of the 24 this was the only one to root!! 😊
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The same tree with leaves on, The leaves come out blood red then darken and change to green by summer, In autumn they give spectacular orange/salmon pink and other hues!
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I almost lost the cutting some years ago when it died from the top down to the bottom two branches, I had to wire the remaining two branches in to a new leader and first branch!!

Regarding your Chelm, I can't see the stump you mentioned but if it's dead and nothing is growing from it you can remove it, Also, If there is growth from it but isn't adding to the design then it can also be removed, Chinese Elms are brilliant as first trees as they're hard as nails and will normally take any abuse in their stride!


Cheers, John :)
 
It certainly is a passion of patience :)

That Maple is a lovely shape.....and the colours are stunning......as are the Acer.

" I can't see the stump you mentioned but if it's dead and nothing is growing from it you can remove it,"

This is the picture I was referring to John....bottom right hand side.

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It certainly is a passion of patience :)

That Maple is a lovely shape.....and the colours are stunning......as are the Acer.

" I can't see the stump you mentioned but if it's dead and nothing is growing from it you can remove it,"

This is the picture I was referring to John....bottom right hand side.

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Ahh, I'd remove that as it would help the definition of the tree


Btw, Acer is the latin name for Maples, Folk call them by either names and sometimes by both names 👍


John
 
Thanks John :)

I keep looking at it....and I can see what you mean re the definition.
Might leave it for a month or two and then make a decision.......Chicken chit that I am :rofl::thumbsup:
 
@johnbaz

Hi John :)

Would it be possible if I do cut that branch off....to then use it as a cutting?......try and grow it into another tree 🤔

Probably a daft question.....I know jack :poo: about gardening:whistle:......but you would never guess that......would you:rofl:
 
@johnbaz

Hi John :)

Would it be possible if I do cut that branch off....to then use it as a cutting?......try and grow it into another tree 🤔

Probably a daft question.....I know jack :poo: about gardening:whistle:......but you would never guess that......would you:rofl:

I've only ever had any luck with small cuttings, I've several tiny ones going at the moment!

Apparently Willow produces it's own rooting hormone and can easily be rooted from the size of you7r forearm in water!!

These are Ficus, An indoor sprcies, When I restyled a shop bought tree, I put three bits in to water in the kitchen window, After about a month I could see the new white roots forming, Gave them another month then put them in to compost!
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As they were when I potted them up..
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I decided to add some solid feed to them a month ago, The centre one in the first pic didn't take to it kindly and dropped all of it's leaves!, It's now in the bin as it threw the towel in!!

Chinese Elms are great for propagaiting from cuttings though, When yours starts to grow out, Cut it back and stuck the cuttings in to potting compost, They can be put in the window too and then just look for new growth as a sign that they have roots, Chinese Elms will live indoors and outdoors but when they go out after being indoors for any length of time, They have to go out in warm-ish weather, If they're put out in winter it may kill them!


John :)
 
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