$10 Dwarf Alberta Spruce

[PowerTap]

I bought this tree for $10 two days after Christmas two years ago. I chopped it way to hard and have been on the fence about it as a twin trunk / formal upright. It has a decent bace and some taper, but has some big gaps that I don't think will ever will in.

Last night while looking at the tree I came up with this rough plan for the tree to give up some of its height and try to make a shorter more interesting tree.


I'm not sure if I should just abandon the second trunk

I think this is a good time to do the chop so the tree can recover for the rest of the summer?

 

[Motus]

I kind of like it the way it is with the two trunks. But the main trunk is a bit tall, I would Jin the big leader near the end of the smaller trunk in the right.

 

[PowerTap]

I'm considering buying this pot to go with this tree, I think the size is about right for where I want to chop the tree this spring at 8-9 inches. I feel a little uncertain buying a pot that costs 8 times what the tree cost. But this seems fairly close to the going rate for pots this size?

Arakawa Brown Ash-Splashed Cut-Cornered Rectangle

Made of a dark clay body, splashed with a bit of wood ash and sand to give a rough texture on the upper wall and rim; then reduction fired. Interior Dimensions ~6.5" diameter, 2" deep.

www.bonsaify.com

 

[PowerTap]

I'm considering buying this pot to go with this tree, I think the size is about right for where I want to chop the tree this spring at 8-9 inches. I feel a little uncertain buying a pot that costs 8 times what the tree cost. But this seems fairly close to the going rate for pots this size

Arakawa Brown Ash-Splashed Cut-Cornered Rectangle

Made of a dark clay body, splashed with a bit of wood ash and sand to give a rough texture on the upper wall and rim; then reduction fired. Interior Dimensions ~6.5" diameter, 2" deep.

www.bonsaify.com

Recent photo of the tree:

 

[Jester217300]

I would not recommend buying a finish pot for this tree at this stage. Here are a few thoughts:

- Spruce like a lot of water so soil water retention and pot size are very important.
- You would minimally need the large size of this pot, maybe something even deeper than the one you've linked.
- I would start with something "oversized" compared to the conventional ratio and see how the tree responds. You can reduce pot size from there.
- I would start by putting this into a plastic trainer bonsai pot. You can get one in the right size for $10 or less.
- You are still in development with this tree, so plunking it into a bonsai pot right now it not recommended. It still needs growth and refinement.
- You could still kill the tree during repotting and refinement, all the more reason to repot into a cheap plastic pot first.