First Post with First tree to practice bonsai on.

[Cramz]

Hello everyone,

I got into bonsai in early spring and finally got something to mess around with. Let me know your thoughts about the tree. The spruce is right outside my window by my desk so i spend some time daydreaming staring at the tree pre-planning in my head what i want to do with the branches and what will wind up being cut off. Sometimes i see two different trees inside this one because of how big the two primary branches and how they don't have much height difference without bending them. Anyways here it is and let me know!

 

[october]

Can you post a virt or describe what you want to do? Just a couple tips. Work on Spruce should be done later in the season, like the very end of Summer or Fall. Also, always leave foliage on a branch. If you cut back to where there are no needles or cut back and not leave enough needles, the branch will die.

Rob

 

[berobinson82]

Can you post a virt or describe what you want to do? Just a couple tips. Work on Spruce should be done later in the season, like the very end of Summer or Fall. Also, always leave foliage on a branch. If you cut back to where there are no needles or cut back and not leave enough needles, the branch will die.

Rob

Repotting also? Or are you talking about styling? I've been researching these guys and they DO seem to play by their own set of rules.

 

[Cramz]

Well what i keep coming back to is where the two large branches split off there is a definite line with one of them to make it the trunk. So to make the trunk line continue instead of splitting i want to take that branch and pull it up as close to vertical as possible. The top picture it is the right branch. As for the left branch i want to pull it to curve 90 degrees from where it is facing now to the opposite way of the right. From there i can use the branches off the two main ones to create the negative space. I did a little doodle in paint to hopefully help explain. The orange are the two main branches and then the brown is the sub-branches.

 

[Cramz]

i am thinking about re-potting down the line, this tree has been in this 5 gallon pot for quite some time so i think it would take a few years to really get it trimmed down. I am more interested in how much foliage i am going to lose with the new style before going crazy on the roots. Is this backwards? Also there is a re-potting lesson at a local bonsai shop next march so i figure if anything attend that. I've heard spruces are difficult to style because they don't want to hold even after years of wiring but if that's what happens then i guess that's how it will be

 

[Bonsaiboy]

Question that isn't worth a new thread, and I'm not trying to ruin yours, but I had one like this, but it was a big bushy one. I butchered it. A lot. Added some Jin to the main leader. Is it going to live? I don't want to do all kind of stuff to keep it alive if it's just going to die. I thought foot as a practice bush. Thanks.

 

[october]

Repotting also? Or are you talking about styling? I've been researching these guys and they DO seem to play by their own set of rules.

Repotting is done in Spring. Major pruning and wiring is done around Fall.

Rob

 

[october]

Well what i keep coming back to is where the two large branches split off there is a definite line with one of them to make it the trunk. So to make the trunk line continue instead of splitting i want to take that branch and pull it up as close to vertical as possible. The top picture it is the right branch. As for the left branch i want to pull it to curve 90 degrees from where it is facing now to the opposite way of the right. From there i can use the branches off the two main ones to create the negative space. I did a little doodle in paint to hopefully help explain. The orange are the two main branches and then the brown is the sub-branches.

View attachment 38937

One of those upper trunks should go. Then create an image from what is left. You can jin one of those trunks so you will have some deadwood.

Rob

 

[october]

i am thinking about re-potting down the line, this tree has been in this 5 gallon pot for quite some time so i think it would take a few years to really get it trimmed down. I am more interested in how much foliage i am going to lose with the new style before going crazy on the roots. Is this backwards? Also there is a re-potting lesson at a local bonsai shop next march so i figure if anything attend that. I've heard spruces are difficult to style because they don't want to hold even after years of wiring but if that's what happens then i guess that's how it will be

If the soil is bad and not draining. Then a repot would be first priority come spring. Providing the the soil is ok, you can style this tree this upcoming Fall. When you repot, it may take a couple of repots to get it into an appropriate size bonsai pot. For the first repot you could remove maybe 20-30 percent of the roots. Then, In a few years, maybe another 20-30%. At which point it could go into an appropriate size pot. Of course, these are just guidelines.

Rob

 

[october]

Question that isn't worth a new thread, and I'm not trying to ruin yours, but I had one like this, but it was a big bushy one. I butchered it. A lot. Added some Jin to the main leader. Is it going to live? I don't want to do all kind of stuff to keep it alive if it's just going to die. I thought foot as a practice bush. Thanks.

There is no way to say for sure if it will live. However, if you post a before pic of the tree, then some pics of it after you did the work. If they are good clear pics, maybe an assessment can be made on the tree's chnaces off survival.

Rob

 

[Cramz]

That's kind of what i keep seeing too is that one or the other is going to have to go.....Would this be worth trying an air layer? I know with these spruces they can take a long time but the more i could learn through this tree the better. The soil seems to be good, it is bonsai soil, and drains good, so i will probably do a styling this fall and see what I'm left with.

 

[october]

That's kind of what i keep seeing too is that one or the other is going to have to go.....Would this be worth trying an air layer? I know with these spruces they can take a long time but the more i could learn through this tree the better. The soil seems to be good, it is bonsai soil, and drains good, so i will probably do a styling this fall and see what I'm left with.

If you are interested in trying to make 2 trees out of this, you could do an air layer. However, in my opinion, I do not think it's worth it. As far as the trunks. I would keep the one on the right. It is thinner and creates better taper from top to bottom. The other trunk is kind of thick and would leave a trunk with little taper. However, both do seem workable.

All in all, this tree does have some good features. It is better than much of the spruce material available.

Rob

 

[Cramz]

Well thanks for the help, I'll put some updates as i do more work on it later on! Appreciate it!