First Bonsai Work Shop

[MSU JBoots]

Super excited as I just signed up for my first workshop at the Michigan All State show in mid May! I’ll update this thread after the workshop and use it to show progress of the tree.

 

[BrierPatch]

That's awesome, have a great time! Look forward to your update.

 

[MSU JBoots]

Stoked that the workshop is finally this Saturday! Curious if any other nutters will be attending or showing trees at the Michigan all state show this weekend in GR? Updates to this thread to follow this weekend. I hope to fill my benches with some new trees from the vendors and maybe a new pot or two!

 

[MSU JBoots]

I had a great time at my first workshop! It was fun hanging out with people who share my interest in the hobby for the first time. Mark Fields did arguably most the work. Special thanks to my fellow Bonsai Nut who will remain anonymous. He was particularly friendly and extremely helpful with his assistance in the course. I assure you the ficus will not be fed to my wife’s cats .

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

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I had a great time at my first workshop! It was fun hanging out with people who share my interest in the hobby for the first time. Mark Fields did arguably most the work. Special thanks to my fellow Bonsai Nut who will remain anonymous. He was particularly friendly and extremely helpful with his assistance in the course. I assure you the ficus will not be fed to my wife’s cats .

Mark Fields is an awesome guy. I feel fortunate to call him friend, and colleague. I got to see him last week while in his area and have seen his garden and fantastic collection. Cheers to the ABS President!

 

[MSU JBoots]

As I reading my newly acquired bonsai heresy book I was thinking back to the workshop. I wish I could do it all over again. I was used to watching and learning from bonsai Mirai where Ryan narrates what he’s thinking and doing. The workshop had a more Japanese apprentice style where Mark did the final styling as you watched. He did answer any questions I had. However, in retrospect I would have followed him to everyone’s trees and watched him work. I did this a little but would do it more if I did it all over again.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Tree looks great. Mark is so quick with his work! You can always take another class as well!

 

[MSU JBoots]

Tree looks great. Mark is so quick with his work! You can always take another class as well!

I plan to next year! I think you did a workshop too. How did it go?

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

I plan to next year! I think you did a workshop too. How did it go?

Went well, Mauro is hilarious and appreciated his expertise. Bent a branch on my thuja that I thought no way would move that much. Fun experience.

 

[MSU JBoots]

I finally took the time to unwire the jins and paint them with lime sulfur. Outside of that all I’ve done is water and fertizle this tree. I didn’t realize how much it had grown until I looked at the old picture in this thread. Next spring I plan to repot it in bonsai soil but in a larger to pot to continue to let it grow out.
Over the next year I plan to look a little more closer at the future of this tree as I see likely two of the larger branches becoming jins as well.

 

[MSU JBoots]

Repotted this juniper last night. It needed more root work than anticipated and the nebari needs a lot of work. I likely will just let it grow this season unless it is so vigorous that it needs some attention later this growing season. Here’s the after picture.