Are you experienced?

[Don Blackmond]

All: OK,..I'm not fussin'. Smoke seems to be the kind of guy who would fart in an elevator and run. I am the kind of guy who chases after people like that and butter cups them.

OK,..so,..I took Nut and Ed's advice and made some quick changes noting that I had to be very careful not to rub off any of the new buds. I cleaned the chop and resealed it (would like to go more perpendicular but I did not want to destroy that little branch.) Finally, rewired the few branches to add some character as best I could with out disturbing new growth.

Do you have a photo of this tree from before you put wire on it? I'd like to see it. What are you trying to achieve with the wire you put on it?
I would consider bring the branches down, instead of up (other than your new apex lead). You need new branches, not these existing branches, to fill in the negative space.
Take a look at the link posted to BVF's blog showing wiring basics. Try doing some of what he shows you. Do it on this tree. Don't worry about rubbing off buds. It will put out new buds.

 

[Smoke]

Deal. Henceforth when I ask for advice I will do so with the caveat "Smoke: Do not reply"

Thus endeth the lesson.

Thats a deal and when I do reply it will be with the caveat, " for the rest of the forum except the guy that does not need the help".

 

[Bunjeh]

Thats a deal and when I do reply it will be with the caveat, " for the rest of the forum except the guy that does not need the help".

Who said I did not need the help? The very reason people post in this forum is to garner advice. Why you keep replying to a cretin like myself who is obviously beneath you is ironic. Must be hard to type with your nose in the air, which would explain all the typos.

Done. You win.

 

[Smoke]

Who said I did not need the help? The very reason people post in this forum is to garner advice. Why you keep replying to a cretin like myself who is obviously beneath you is ironic. Must be hard to type with your nose in the air, which would explain all the typos.

Done. You win.

I was up at six and got all my bonsai crap done for the day, now I have nothing to do but beat this dead horse

 

[Bunjeh]

I was up at six and got all my bonsai crap done for the day, now I have nothing to do but beat this dead horse

I doubt that it is a horse that you are beating right now.

 

[Smoke]

ah.. youth. The future of our country. Heaven help us.

 

[Anthony]

I stand corrected Al, apologies.
So when do you post in the answer ?
Good Day
Anthony

 

[0soyoung]

Do you have a photo of this tree from before you put wire on it? I'd like to see it. What are you trying to achieve with the wire you put on it?
I would consider bring the branches down, instead of up (other than your new apex lead). You need new branches, not these existing branches, to fill in the negative space.
Take a look at the link posted to BVF's blog showing wiring basics. Try doing some of what he shows you. Do it on this tree. Don't worry about rubbing off buds. It will put out new buds.

Hooray! Thank you Don.

 

[Smoke]

I stand corrected Al, apologies.
So when do you post in the answer ?
Good Day
Anthony

soon....Don't call me...I'll call you.

I'll get there..but the good news is when I do get there and hit "New Posts" it will still be on top right where I left it.....

 

[Smoke]

H

P.S. the time line...and my mom's line of work(nurse)and location(Fresno area), says there's a 10% chance it could've been her putting things up smokes, I believe it was woo-hoo?, so I may be able to tell you, for sure, if his S stinks or not!

Hoo Hoo man its a hoo hoo.

 

[Adair M]

Bunjeh,

I'm not going to say thay is the worst wiring job I've ever seen, but it merits an Honorable Mention.

I will be happy to share some documents with you that shows how to wire properly. Send me an PM with you email, and I'll forward them to you.

And for your "sealing"... The purpose of the cut paste is to prevent the live cambium layer from drying out. So that it will begin to callous over. Cut paste is supposed to cover the area from the bark, And over the cambium. Actually, the very center doesn't matter that much. You covered the center, but left many places where the cambium is exposed!

Bonsai is all about the nitty gritty details.

 

[ColinFraser]

now I have nothing to do but beat this dead horse
View attachment 67579

I almost had the cider I'm drinking come out my nose when I saw this. Thank you so much for the laugh!

 

[0soyoung]

The purpose of the cut paste is to prevent the live cambium layer from drying out. So that it will begin to callous over. Cut paste is supposed to cover ... over the cambium.

However, with many species (acer palmatum most notably), the cambium will inevitably die back from these trunk chops anyway. The situation at a pruned branch cut is different because there is a polar auxin flow from meristems and foliage above (more distal location).

 

[Bunjeh]

Bunjeh,

I'm not going to say thay is the worst wiring job I've ever seen, but it merits an Honorable Mention.

I will be happy to share some documents with you that shows how to wire properly. Send me an PM with you email, and I'll forward them to you.

And for your "sealing"... The purpose of the cut paste is to prevent the live cambium layer from drying out. So that it will begin to callous over. Cut paste is supposed to cover the area from the bark, And over the cambium. Actually, the very center doesn't matter that much. You covered the center, but left many places where the cambium is exposed!

Bonsai is all about the nitty gritty details.

Thanks for your kid-gloved hand, but I have numerous worse examples on my bench that make this one look like a master's work. Thanks for the tip on the paste. Now, would you suggest keeping these branches or removing all of them?

 

[Bunjeh]

ah.. youth. The future of our country. Heaven help us.

Youth? I am 50. I have three degrees. I have fought in three wars. If I am the future you should indeed be afraid.

Very afraid.

 

[edprocoat]

I was up at six and got all my bonsai crap done for the day, now I have nothing to do but beat this dead horse
View attachment 67579

Smoke, tsk-tsk a horse is meant for galloping not walloping. What a difference a single letter can make ....

ed

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Thanks for your kid-gloved hand, but I have numerous worse examples on my bench that make this one look like a master's work. Thanks for the tip on the paste. Now, would you suggest keeping these branches or removing all of them?

Well here's the issue. That trunk is never going to make you happy long term. Al was correct to point out that it looks like two awkward stove-pipes linked together. What you want in a trunk is movement that doesn't appear contrived or artificial, and in most designs, a nice taper from soil up to apex. Now you can say - screw it I just want to mess around with a tree - at which point I would say grow it out and see what it looks like. But 10 years down the road you'll look at this tree and see that trunk and think... maybe I should have fixed it 10 years ago

What you should consider doing is chopping it - REALLY chopping it - down to about 3"-5" from the ground. Then you'll have a fat little stump and anything you grow off of it will have a good fresh start and will not have the bad "stove pipes" to deal with. Always remember the base of the bonsai is the hardest thing to develop and the hardest thing to change / fix. As you move up the tree the problems are easier to fix and branches are easier to fix than trunks. Start with a good base first, and all your other work will have potential. Start with a bad base and all your other work will never amount to much. (Not counting personal satisfaction).

As far as branches go, young branches point up, old branches point down. You want your bonsai to look like an adult tree in miniature, so the primary branches always hang down as if weighted by age, environment and size. Young branches up at the top of the tree can sometimes point up, depending on type of tree.



This is my Fibonacci sequence tree. I am posting it to show branches hanging down, and because it will drive Al nuts

 

[Adair M]

Osoyoung,

You are right. When I prune a branch I leave a bit of stub, knowing it will die back to the next live bud. I still seal the cut stub.

 

[Adair M]

Bunker,

The hardest lesson for beginners to learn is how to pick out material. While some will say that "any tree" can be turned into s beautiful bonsai with enough skill and time...

We don't have unlimited time. With bonsai, there's two kinds of time. The time you can spend actually working on your trees, the "active" time, and there's the time it takes (measured in years) for a tree to mature, "passive time". Our active time us even more limited than passive time. Is this tree really worth the time (active) and years (passive) you plan to I best in this tree? Only you can decide that for yourself.

Next question is do you have the skills? Let's make the assumption that it would take a Certified Master a decade to do it. He would make no styling errors, always keep fertilized, always watered, kept in appropriate sunlight, etc. Will you be able to provide perfect care? Not too hot in summer, not too cold in winter. So, if it takes aMaster a decade of doing everything perfect, how many years would it take you? twice as long? triple? That's 30 years!

Personally, I don't have 30 years. I'm being perfectly honest here, I would spend my time working on better material.

 

[Anthony]

Bnut,

just 51 am I, and I will try for the 30 or 40 years ha ha ha.
We have to make up the rules, as new material is found every year, discovery / adaptability, age cannot be a concern.
Boy am I glad I live in the Tropics as wounds go.
Good Day
Anthony