SFDrake
Mame
Got this from a bonsai importer near me that I'm doing a roof job for. First elm so don't know if its in good shape or is good starting stock.....any comments? Is that a graft point in the second pic?
New Chinese Elm
- Thread starter SFDrake
- Start date
Got this from a bonsai importer near me that I'm doing a roof job for. First elm so don't know if its in good shape or is good starting stock.....any comments? Is that a graft point in the second pic?
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Probably not a graft. Typical mass imported stock. It has brewing soil issues - the slime mold is a telltale sign of old soil that doesn’t drain well. The pot is also too big for the tree and likely retains too much water.
Watch the watering and get the tree outside. It won’t survive inside
Next spring think about repotting it
Watch the watering and get the tree outside. It won’t survive inside
Next spring think about repotting it
SFDrake
Mame
Ok, but will it outgrow its "mass imported" downside into maybe something awesome one day if its well cared for? I definitely have it outside, I'm in a townhouse courtyard so there are walls on two sides of me and fence on the other two. I get strong morning sun, then filtered afternoon sun as I have a HUGE banyon tree that grows on the south side of me. Thanks for the tips! I might try to see if I can get it to drain a little better with a metal rod to the drain hole in the meantime, unless I might hurt it?
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
I love working with elm. A great species for bonsai.
SFDrake
Mame
I admire your trees and your style quit a bit, so I trust you on that. If you have any tips as I go along I would really appreciate it, as I've been known to kill a tree or three
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
As it’s now there’s not much “awesomeness” potential. The curves are pretty boring, there is no taper or branching or much character.
What it develops into is up to you. Awesome bonsai have mostly undergone intentional design by their owners. They’re just not allowed to grow into a spectacular tree. It takes planning and know how to get them there
Learning how to do that begins with first step. You ve taken That first step. Now continuing that learning is up to you
A word of advice — DONT rely on online sources videos and the like. There are a lot of bumbling untalented bonsaists online who don’t really know whar they’re doing. Those people are obvious to those of us who have been doing this for a while. You don’t have the luxury of that.
Best thing you can do is get out and see good bonsai. Go to public collections better yet join a local club and GO TO MEETINGS in person I guarantee you wil learn more in one meeting than 1000 hours of online e research
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Florida is a great place to do bonsai. There is a long history of it there and many Florida native tree species have been adapted to bonsai
Don’t know exactly where you are but this link has a list of clubs in Florida
bonsai-bsf.com
Don’t know exactly where you are but this link has a list of clubs in Florida
Local Clubs - BSF Bonsai
Bonsai Societies of Florida: Club/Society Information Bonsai Societies of Florida: Club/Society Information BSF is the parent volunteer organization (501c.3) for many bonsai clubs throughout Florida. Those interested in the bonsai...
bonsai-bsf.com
SFDrake
Mame
I really appreciate that! I've been into this a little over a year now, and I've used this site as one of my main resources. I'm an operations manager for a construction company, so I barely have time to water my plants, much less join a club and go to meetings. Hopefully sometime in the future I will get more free time, because i would love to join a club. There is one close, ive researched. I watch some of the online stuff, mostly out of fascination. I do watch most of leatherback (not sure if I spelled that right) videos, mostly because I see his interaction and helpfulness on this site...
I started out with an azalea gift, and my bench and garden has grown rapidly to over 100 trees, so I think i have gotten ahead of myself.....
I have bald cypress, brazilian rain tree, 6 different juniper, olive, bougainvillea, pomegranate, 8 crepe myrtles for a future forest, bahama strong bark, Japanese boxwood, live oak, ginger ficus, slash pine, and a hole bunch of other tropicals, ferns and too much more to list. Now I'm going crazy with the cutting as I've had multiple sets grow. I'm immersed in this new form of art that you guys are sharing with me and I love it! Thank you!
SFDrake
Mame
South Florida near Ft. Lauderdale, North of Miami. Zone 10bFlorida is a great place to do bonsai. There is a long history of it there and many Florida native tree species have been adapted to bonsai
Don’t know exactly where you are but this link has a list of clubs in Florida
Local Clubs - BSF Bonsai
Bonsai Societies of Florida: Club/Society Information Bonsai Societies of Florida: Club/Society Information BSF is the parent volunteer organization (501c.3) for many bonsai clubs throughout Florida. Those interested in the bonsai...
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Most everyone begins this way. You caught the bonsai bug and want one of everything. Been there
. After a few years I realized What I had was A crowd of trees and not enough time to work on all of them . Best thing I did was narrow thing down after a few years. I learned that I liked deciduous species and I was a killer of evergreens. After realizing that I concentrated on elms maples boxwood and oak. I also learned how to choose more mature starter stock to work on. I don’t have any of my orginal huge collection. I have about a dozen that I’ve worked on for twenty years now. It takes time and looking at really good bonsai that I don’t own.
I’m lucky to have a world class public collection of bonsai near me that I can go look at as well as local clubs with generous knowledgeable members.
Whatever club you have access to making the time to get to a meeting can lead to good things Even if you can’t go regularly. Simply getting info on what to use for soil and where to get it etc can be very helpful.
SFDrake
Mame
Most everyone begins this way. You caught the bonsai bug and want one of everything. Been there
Best thing I did was narrow thing down after a few years. I learned that I liked deciduous species and I was a killer of evergreens. After realizing that I concentrated on elms maples boxwood and oak. I also learned how to choose more mature starter stock to work on. I don’t have any of my orginal huge collection. I have about a dozen that I’ve worked on for twenty years now. It takes time and looking at really good bonsai that I don’t own.
I’m lucky to have a world class public collection of bonsai near me that I can go look at as well as local clubs with generous knowledgeable members.
Whatever club you have access to making the time to get to a meeting can lead to good things Even if you can’t go regularly. Simply getting info on what to use for soil and where to get it etc can be very helpful.
Thanks I'm gonna get myself into one soon here. I also have some bonsai nurseries near me that have been helpful (not on my wallet). I'm pretty sure I have a few trees i could bring in for advice
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Thank ya kindly... sure thing. If I see anything I can answer.
That said... I buy trees I like. If it has a flaw I can live with...because I like it. Then...I'll buy it. And embrace the flaw and make the tree more. To my eyes anyway.
Has minimal taper, I'm waiting to be told to chop my tallest tree. But I love the feminine feel of it. It's new to me... elm. Branches need to thicken. So that's my goal before taking it in hand to put minimal wire on it. I want a very naturalistic look and feel to it. But it needs a smidgen of wire to bring slight order. But thickening branches is my goal at hand currently.
Taper means nothing to me. Truly...dependant on the style/feel. There are trees in the woods that grow tall and thin. Lacking taper in the trunk. Sure...its a great aspect to bonsai. But to me...not a deal breaker. *If* the tree holds merit on other aspects.
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