From christmas tree to bonsai

[defra]

Hi everyone !
a christmas tree used for bonsai? yes ofcourse why not!
this is really a cheap way to practice your skills like branch sellection, wireing, styling, repotting and ofcourse lots of fun.
i recently bought another one for practice purposes and if it works out i end up with a prety tree that was low cost !

after searching some info on the horticulture side of picea(spruce) i stumbled uppon the videos from Jelle aka @leatherback on his channel about this awesome cheap material to practice on and transform a regular christmas tree into something much nicer.... a bonsai!
for the ones unaware of jelle's video:

in the end of the video jelle challenges people to do the same and show results, i know this is over a year ago but not everyone wants to take the time to make a video so i start this thread for anyone to share or ask questions about this subject.
its not a contest just a thread to show off everyones creations with this sort of material show off your work and get inspired by watching others do the same!

 

[defra]

Ill kick off with this picea omorika.
Bought this as a christmas tree in 2021/2022(not entirely sure) and pruned it a couple times over the years and last week i have took the time to wire and style this one its healthy so i hope it will survive!
I went for a sort of bunjin style with only some foliage high up.
I will put it in a training pot in spring.
Before

After

 

[defra]

As seccond tree i recently bought this picea abies (dwarf variety) in a holliday red pot.
Last night i started to clean it out to get sight of the branches and trunkline.
I will reduce it some more pick my branches and then wire and style it at some point in winter.
I was quite pleased with the subtile movement in the trunkline


Guess about 50% of the foliage came off in round one.

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

Nice one

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

First Christmas tree

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

And the other one

 

[defra]

Nice work, when did you do this?

 

[PaulH]

My Deodar Cedar began as our Christmas tree about 20 years ago...

First chop and wire:

 

[defra]

My Deodar Cedar began as our Christmas tree about 20 years ago...

First chop and wire:

View attachment 571289

View attachment 571290

View attachment 571291

Realy nice Paul!
Good to see one that progressed so far guess if you show this tree to someone they cant possibly tell it once was a christmas decoration.
Thnx for sharing!

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

Nice work, when did you do this?

Over a time of about 2,5 years. I bought them early 2022. Did things in stages.
Repot in this container was last spring en the last wiring this late summer. But stil a lot of improvement to be done!

I wired already a couple of times . That is the disadvantage to me. The branches just want to keep pointing upwards.

Does anyone know if the branches wild hold position in time?

 

[defra]

Over a time of about 2,5 years. I bought them early 2022. Did things in stages.
Repot in this container was last spring en the last wiring this late summer. But stil a lot of improvement to be done!

I wired already a couple of times . That is the disadvantage to me. The branches just want to keep pointing upwards.

Does anyone know if the branches wild hold position in time?

Thankyou, the one i posted first got about the same treatment in stages the other one i am going go push allitle harder but i will only slip pot it into a pond basket or i was looking at a tie pot since i plan using allot of guy wires and id like to that pot out!

I read everywere the same it needs to be wired repeatedly maybe couple years depending on the growth you get also.
I did some test bending on branches wich i didnt want to use in the design and i found i probably better pull them downward in stages because i snapped a test branch of the trunk wile trying to get the angle downward in one go ...

 

[Wulfskaar]

I have a very small DAS, but it's not suitable for a formal upright design. I hope to find one this holiday season. Around here, they sell Italian Stone Pines as small, potted Christmas trees.

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

Thankyou, the one i posted first got about the same treatment in stages the other one i am going go push allitle harder but i will only slip pot it into a pond basket or i was looking at a tie pot since i plan using allot of guy wires and id like to that pot out!

I read everywere the same it needs to be wired repeatedly maybe couple years depending on the growth you get also.
I did some test bending on branches wich i didnt want to use in the design and i found i probably better pull them downward in stages because i snapped a test branch of the trunk wile trying to get the angle downward in one go ...

I have also used guy wires to hold the branches down. This way I could hold the branches down for a longer period without the risk of coiled wires biting in.
It works but the trees looked like a 16th century sailing vessel, just the pirate flag was missing

 

[defra]

so as i suspected, this picea abies was probably field grown pruned in shape and put in a nursery container....
i pruned all the unwanted stuff but decided to at least pull it from the pot and see how the roots look like no intention to repot it but to be honest the roots look poor....
if it was pot grown at least there would be way more roots the soil is compacted but seems like thats because its pushed into the container the botom and top 4cm of soil just fell off without doing anything, i am afraid if i wire and shape this tree i might kill it so i will be patient it got buds on every branch that is left on the tree and the interior will recieve light now plus the roots dont have to support all the foliage that was on the tree i will just leave it in the pot or transplant it in a pond basket without disturbing the roots and let it do its thing

As you can see in the pictures only few feeder roots on the bottom and al around the side it is basicly just a ball of soil because its squeezed in the pot for holidays retail hopefully i can invest one year in recovery care for it and next year have a healthy tree to work on i am really eager to wire and give it some shape but whats the point if it might die

 

[Eckhoffw]

Can you put it in the ground?

 

[Eckhoffw]

Have you checked out this thread/competition? https://www.bonsainut.com/forums/the-2023-three-year-little-christmas-tree-contest.89/

 

[defra]

Can you put it in the ground?

Yes would be possible but i already planted it in a pond basket and filled the botom and around the sides with substrate and let it be for now.

Have you checked out this thread/competition? https://www.bonsainut.com/forums/the-2023-three-year-little-christmas-tree-contest.89/

Yes i have seen it but didnt enter my trees because one was bought 2021/2022 and this one 2024 since it says 2023 contest

 

[Dabbler]

I did this too - I think most of us have, and I think I might do another one this year for fun

 

[Wulfskaar]

Around here, they sell Italian Stone Pines as small, potted Christmas trees.

There must have been a good crop this year, because I just saw a lot of DAS at Lowes, even more than Italian Stone Pines. And they even had some rosemary Christmas trees.

 

[defra]

There must have been a good crop this year, because I just saw a lot of DAS at Lowes, even more than Italian Stone Pines. And they even had some rosemary Christmas trees.

Nice so you Will get one or a few then after all i guess !