2020 New Year’s Bonsai Resolutions

[Brian Van Fleet]

Merry Christmas Eve, and Happy New Year. Been thinking a little about bonsai goals for 2020. A few I have include:

1. Show again in the USNBE...hopefully get there in person as well.
2. Update the bonsai display area with a few long benches to replace some of the monkey poles.
3. Build a sort of tokonoma in my studio for better photography and storage underneath.
4. Figure out a way to improve the overall health of the trees in this garden.

What are your bonsai goals for 2020?

 

[mach6]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Brian!

1. Build a proper coldframe/greenhouse for spring/fall to elongate the seasons somewhat but especially so i can stop worrying about late and early frosts

2. ground grow *many* prunus mume (protected by a heated hoop house in winter)

3. Create the Nova Scotia Bonsai Society

 

[Cadillactaste]

1. Re-evaluate what I'm doing in the cold greenhouse. I took on to many companion plantings that take up winter space. Plant some in the landscape.

2. Update benches. Increasing size to one... adding another. Try to evaluate a focal spot to show a special tree.

3. Attempting a trial run at an air layer on the mother tree an American wisteria tree. So I feel confident when I air layer off the sucker I trained at the base of the tree. It's been in training since 2014. I don't want to mess it up.

4. Adding a backdrop for better photo shoots.

Focus on being content...and just enjoy this hobby.

 

[Hartinez]

Hey everyone. Happy holidays!

1) execute my vision for the Yamadori I collected several years ago In styling them this spring.

2) collect more englemann spruce from northern NM.

3) upgrade my pot collection and get my favorite trees in suitable containers.

4). Design and build my own style of show worthy bonsai stands.

 

[Johnnyd]

Merry Christmas Eve Brian !

1) Reduce my number of pre bonsai.
2) Dig a number trees that are in the ground. ⛏
3) Find a new home with garden area. We are relocating to the Raleigh Durham triangle area.
4) Find a new Bonsai club.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

1) Get brave and take some risks with pruning/styling my trees. Try to shorten internodes across the garden.

2) Finish at the top of our clubs Bonsai 101 class.

3) Give a presentation at my local library to try to build up some local interest in the hobby.

4) Build up and expand my ground growing area.

5) Take cuttings and air layers from my favorite species to populate said ground growing area.

 

[Dav4]

New Years resolutions-
1) Get a real bonsai pro (Tyler Sherrod) into my backyard for the first time ever
2) Attend study groups regularly with Tyler through the coming year
3) Use the knowledge gained from my time with Tyler to improve the quality of my collection, both through improved health, technique, and styling

 

[Wilson]

Merry Christmas gang! I look to:
- build my skills in refining developed material.
- prepare a bunch of material for ground growing.
- repot a fair number of trees into their first ceramic pots
- work on friendly relationships with various government offices, to gain collecting rights.

 

[MrWunderful]

-study with more Bonsai Professionals (have an intensive scheduled with Jonas Dupuich- after That is Boon hopefully, and Eric Schrader
- Make it to Bonsai Mirai
-focus on Nebari Development for a lot of my ground growing deciduous (and document here)

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Merry Christmas, you Nuts!

Do a better job at keeping my website updated and add a commenting to it.

Meet more nuts in person.

Give Walter's hedge pruning method a shot.

Continue to cull, I have too many trees.

John

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

1) Sell/donate at least half of my seedling stock.
2) Sow more seeds.
3) Grafting, grafting and grafting.
4) Obtain a jack pine.
5) Take some of the alnus my grandfather has sown from the woods and pot them up.
6) Get at least one other person to try bonsai.
7) Get rid of the indoor woolly aphids for once and for all. They've even infested my aquarium plants.
8) Get my chestnuts into the pot my mom and I made together, before she dies.

Happy holidays everyone! I wish you all the very best.

 

[mattspinniken]

Merry Bonsai Christmas!
a few of mine:
1. Air layer 20 pieces of different variety's (landscape customer homes trees and some of my bonsai)
2. only buy 1 or 2 trees and only if they are potentially better than my top 15 trees
3. Collect the trees I have tagged and got permission for (multiple Potentilla, Larch, and White Cedar).
4. Build a more substantial entrance to my garden, finish expansion.
5. Start 3 year class with Mauro in the fall
6. Travel to and show the E.W.C. I collected and styled at the National show. Bill V. has accepted the tree but requested I change the pot...haha.

 

[coachspinks]

Merry Christmas!
1) Finish reading "Principles of Bonsai Design" by David De Groot. Great book! I'll look for a thread on it and post at some point.
2) Improve the quality of my collection
a) Buy higher quality stock
b) Refine what is already close to being decent
c) Sell/gift/trade some of my projects and smaller pre-bonsai
3) Fertilize a lot more
4) Improve my garden

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Let’s get a visit from The Ghost of Christmas Past...

I successfully collected a tree, but it wasn’t the Forsythia, it was a pitch pine that was hit by a work truck! I wasn’t digging the forsythia when I revisited them in the early spring.


Thankfully I learned a lot about junipers and made improvements in my design and horticulture of the species. I rebounded some Kishu cuttings, and my nice Kishu after a season of poor health (my fault ). Looking back at the “pads” and “apex” I made in the spring vs now, I am very proud of my growth! This parsons still has a ways to go, but I love the new direction!!!

 

[Lars Grimm]

1) Focus on horticulture and keeping the fungus off my trees.
2) All else is secondary.

 

[Silentrunning]

Buy at least 2 really nice trees.

Not add to my collection of prebonsai.

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

My goals for this year is to:

1. Push myself farther and get even more education than 2019!!!! Just for starters, I will be working with @MACH5 at his around March and Suthin at MABS in April, pictures to come!

2.Successfully collect this Jersey Girl!!!


3. Slim down my collection and focus my attention on a smaller amount of nicer trees that I care about!

 

[Harry Bushwhacker]

1. Further my understanding of the art of Bonsai
2. Expand my knowledge on general tree care
3. Build a bench of stand for my current trees
Merry Christmas all

 

[Woocash]

Maintain initial enthusiasm.
Keep trees alive.
Improve basic knowledge of bonsai and horticulture.

Season greetings folks!

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Wow great thread!
1. Build something to set my trees on in the yard.
2. Get them outside as soon as possible.
3. Try a new hardy species that will thrive outside in my zone.
4. Plant a crabapple tree in my yard that I can forever take cuttings from.
I may think of more later but that is a good start.