Great Lakes Bonsai - content thread

[GreatLakesBrad]

If there's any interest out there in watching a novice make some mistakes, starting a thread for my channel (Great Lakes Bonsai on youtube, @greatlakesbonsai on instagram), here's some shameless promotion for you to critique! Figured I'd start just one thread instead of clogging the General Discussion section with occasional videos.

Covid-19 lockdown meant re-potting nearly 3/4 of my collection or 40+ trees. I recorded some of it. Learn something new with every tree. As I've heard many say here - only way to truly learn is by making mistakes/going through the actual work, and time. Here's hoping I can look back at these in 20-30 years and say I've made progress.

Most recent linked here, some work on my big Dawn Redwood. Will have 4-5 more on repot work from this spring. Learning lots! Thanks as always for feedback.

 

[delblas4]

Hey awesome video! you have quite a cool collection.
Keep it up!

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Hey awesome video! you have quite a cool collection.
Keep it up!

Thanks much for watching!

 

[sorce]

I could watch these.

Professional.

Sorce

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

I could watch these.

Professional.

Sorce

Thanks for watching!

 

[Silentrunning]

Very good video Brad. Keep them coming.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Chopped up another bit of footage - Amur Maple and Northern Red Oak work.

I have since (this week) carved out the Northern Red Oak - the deadwood was deteriorating and I wanted to give it a clean start - all removed and the rot went relatively deep which was a bummer - but I'm still hopeful for how the shari could contribute to a cool tree long term. It's growing great.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Another vid up - this time work on my crabapple (malus) that was purchased on the cheap from the Michigan all-state show. Some ridiculous circling roots that had to be addressed. I like the trunk on this one. Vigorous root system as shown as well!

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Summer gets away from ya! Spent 8 hours in the garden today. Just lovely. But finally edited my last Spring Series '20 video - this one work on a trident maple. Cheers.

 

[Kadebe]

Summer gets away from ya! Spent 8 hours in the garden today. Just lovely. But finally edited my last Spring Series '20 video - this one work on a trident maple. Cheers.

Very nice, but I thought the Ebihara technique was not just about screwing a plate onto the root base, but also sorting the roots so that they form a radial layer?

 

[CWTurner]

Missed this back in June. Nicely done! Lots of content and to the point.
Who is "We"?
CW

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Very nice, but I thought the Ebihara technique was not just about screwing a plate onto the root base, but also sorting the roots so that they form a radial layer?

You are spot on. The nails to organize the roots are what I didn’t do (yet... didn’t have the supplies in the moment!

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Missed this back in June. Nicely done! Lots of content and to the point.
Who is "We"?
CW

Ha. “We” would just be my fiancée and I, I suppose its just me. Thanks for watching!!

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

New video from this spring - "Collecting 2020"- up north in the lower peninsula of Michigan. Larch + Thuja. Many learnings! Thanks for watching.

Part 2 coming soon from the fall collecting trip where I got three larch that I think are going to make it!

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Loving the dead and live veins...

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Sharing my fall collecting video, part 2 for 2020, same property, and still looking for larch. Was able to grab a few great ones and learned a lot from Nick Lenz "Bonsai from the Wild" after a few reads... including the justification for collecting in fall for bog larch per his guidance.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Last video of 2020, just snuck it in! Fall update on a couple pieces of future material, ANNNNND featuring a backing track from the one and only @sorce - thanks sir for the access (Check out his site if you haven't, especially those lovely pots)... saving up for a Sorce pot someday for sure. Thanks all for watching and cheers to a healthy 2021 for you and your trees.

 

[LanceMac10]

...some shots from https://bonsaiwest.com/ ....you can always squeeze in some "pin-ers" adjacent to a more substantial sized trunk later on to help with spacing.....

was expecting some b-boy flexxin' soundtrack...musta' been a "herbed up" @sorce studio session...

Good luck with winter @Brad in GR !!

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

That’s an incredible forest. There’s the dream lol. Love how the foliage is kept low. It’s how I see them in nature, at least the larger ones planted in landscapes near me. Thanks much for sharing Lance! Makes me want to shoot for 15-20 trees at least. Golly though, I need a good pot for that....

 

[LanceMac10]

they have a stout Coastal Redwood there too.....