Hello..So Far.. First tree.. Pointers?

[Victorim]

Hi, first just let me say thanks to all on the forum for the information, opinion and comedy I have red. From Wales in the UK by the way. Early january whilst on a 5 hour journey as a passenger to a funeral, something clicked while googling, and the bonsai bug hit... and hit hard..

So first after a fair bit of pocket web reading, I ordered some grown on seedlings, a few quid each and about 3-4 years old. A Black Pine, Crab Apple, Lime (Tilia, not the fruit), Maple and an Oak. So all babies and need bigger pots and growing. (all untouched )

Then the inevitable S shaped Elm arrived in the post, in its solid soil root mass. Repoted and dry rooted, planted into kittydama, and was heavily pruned. It was just messy (Lots of new growth now , looks happy). In conversation with a family member, the next day I was given a smelly fig. Was in a pot with no drainage, normal dirt. Repotted, good soil.. happy now.

Next, yep, nursery hunting begins. First was a Prunus (Fuji Cherry). 13 quid, looked good, hacked to death and put in a 5cm deap pot. Fingers crossed it lives (Buds swelling now, late frosts hitting). Playing about.

Between the saplings and nursery hunting, a couple of books have now been red, much to the misses amusement as I "dont do books". And last week I picked up two Junipers. One, again I seam to have hacked and put in a shallow pot. The other was about a meter tall so I`ve teathered it down and just left it for now.

And today I`m classing as my first tree, a White Pine. Only some light root work, and took off the bottom 25%, potted in kittydama and the original soil for the myoyumyums. Looking forward on this, in may ish I`ll fully cut candles to hopefully get a bud and back bud explosion, cut back and select July ish. Next year then 1/2 to 2/3 candle cut to get smaller needles.

Anyways any hello`s, feedback`s, criticisms, pointers, and insults welcome

 

[ConorDash]

Hello

Second time in a week that someone is from the UK! It's predominantly US and other countries on the forum so it's good we are getting a more even spread.
Your image didn't quite upload properly, just says for me. Happened to me too when trying to upload from iPhone. So maybe a few pics of them, will help greatly.

You sound like you have somewhat of a handle on things, certainly more than most beginners would have posted saying (like me when I started last March).
I got the infamous mallsai S shaped Chinese elm too. I air layered it, turned in to 2. There's a great few blogs online that show the process and how it can result. I only recently learnt the person who put together a few of the guides I followed, is here on the forum. Here's his thread with further links:

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/tw...from-mallsai-7-years-later.26139/#post-420966

What he achieved from the infamous mallsai is amazing, in my opinion. I can only hope my own efforts produce half such a pair of trees.

Aside from that, and with no pics to comment on, I suggest the bonsai4me website. Done by Harry Harrington, also in the U.K.

www.bonsai4me.com.

Great break down of multiple topics and plenty of info to read.
There's also Walter Pall's blog, which is more a blog and less a categorised guide but he gives great advice, he is well known and experienced.

http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

There's another one but I can't remember it's name or link.. something like greenwood works or green works.. something like that. Someone else will post and tell me I'm sure.

Post up some pics . And perhaps some info on the conditions they are in, shed, garage, outside, inside etc.
Also, quid means pounds, for any Americans who didn't get that lol. And is kittydama the cat litter substrate? I've never heard it called that but it totally makes sense lol. The Tesco cat litter low dust one?

Oh and welcome to the forum.

 

[leatherback]

Hey welcome to the forum.

Great that you are enthousiastic. A little warning though.. Trees have their own pace in life, and all action have specific reason & timing behind them. Sounds like you went 'full steam ahead'. In bonsai often, a somewhat slower pace is appreciated by the trees. As you have not posted any images, it is hard to tell which way you will be going. Your successrate with repotting and styling juniper in mid-winter e.g. may vary.

Have fun. And keep m alive.

There's another one but I can't remember it's name or link

Just one? You probably do not mean my summaries of bonsai techniques website, but the evergreen gardenworks website https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/?

 

[Potawatomi13]

What kind black pine?

 

[Victorim]

Here we go:
The Elm, indoors but will go out.
The Ficus, indoors.
Juniper cuttings, messing about..
Lime, Indoors and has awoken so will go out when the weather gets better. Everything from here on is outside.
Seedlings (Just Japanese Black Pine it was sold as, Potawatomi13)
Juniper. (Yes, work done was too early)
Big Juniper. Not sure what to do with him.
Prunus.

And here is the White Pine:

 

[petegreg]

Careful, your ficus is a Fukien Tea.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[ConorDash]

Hey welcome to the forum.

Great that you are enthousiastic. A little warning though.. Trees have their own pace in life, and all action have specific reason & timing behind them. Sounds like you went 'full steam ahead'. In bonsai often, a somewhat slower pace is appreciated by the trees. As you have not posted any images, it is hard to tell which way you will be going. Your successrate with repotting and styling juniper in mid-winter e.g. may vary.

Have fun. And keep m alive.


Just one? You probably do not mean my summaries of bonsai techniques website, but the evergreen gardenworks website https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/?

Lol yes that one! You could see I was sort of around about right but I couldn't get it.
When I said another one, I meant another one I could think of that I used.
Theres plenty of others of course.

That site you linked, is actually useful for me right now cos it lists a guide on making a grow box which Im going to do very shortly.
Thanks

 

[Victorim]

Careful, your ficus is a Fukien Tea.

Ah, thanks for that. As I say was handed to me so just assumed, but wasn't sure. Will keep him a bit wetter and not be too concerned with minor tantrums.

 

[Victorim]

Hello

Second time in a week that someone is from the UK! It's predominantly US and other countries on the forum so it's good we are getting a more even spread.
Your image didn't quite upload properly, just says for me. Happened to me too when trying to upload from iPhone. So maybe a few pics of them, will help greatly.

You sound like you have somewhat of a handle on things, certainly more than most beginners would have posted saying (like me when I started last March).
I got the infamous mallsai S shaped Chinese elm too. I air layered it, turned in to 2. There's a great few blogs online that show the process and how it can result. I only recently learnt the person who put together a few of the guides I followed, is here on the forum. Here's his thread with further links:

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/tw...from-mallsai-7-years-later.26139/#post-420966

What he achieved from the infamous mallsai is amazing, in my opinion. I can only hope my own efforts produce half such a pair of trees.

Aside from that, and with no pics to comment on, I suggest the bonsai4me website. Done by Harry Harrington, also in the U.K.

www.bonsai4me.com.

Great break down of multiple topics and plenty of info to read.
There's also Walter Pall's blog, which is more a blog and less a categorised guide but he gives great advice, he is well known and experienced.

http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

There's another one but I can't remember it's name or link.. something like greenwood works or green works.. something like that. Someone else will post and tell me I'm sure.

Post up some pics . And perhaps some info on the conditions they are in, shed, garage, outside, inside etc.
Also, quid means pounds, for any Americans who didn't get that lol. And is kittydama the cat litter substrate? I've never heard it called that but it totally makes sense lol. The Tesco cat litter low dust one?

Oh and welcome to the forum.

Thanks Conor. Yes the low dust tesco brand. In fact it was the detailed info about it from bonsai4me.com that got me to try it. Today I picked up a large bag of sanicat pink from petsathome. Larger particles than the tesco branded, apparently from the same source.

 

[ConorDash]

Thanks Conor. Yes the low dust tesco brand. In fact it was the detailed info about it from bonsai4me.com that got me to try it. Today I picked up a large bag of sanicat pink from petsathome. Larger particles than the tesco branded, apparently from the same source.

Oh that's very interesting.. I have read so much about substrates, not to say it's all remembered and sunk in, but I don't
Know whether the larger particles are better or not.. or perhaps better for different trees or reasons.
How do you know they are from same source and have you had anyone else recommend them or say they are a good source?

 

[Victorim]

Oh that's very interesting.. I have read so much about substrates, not to say it's all remembered and sunk in, but I don't
Know whether the larger particles are better or not.. or perhaps better for different trees or reasons.
How do you know they are from same source and have you had anyone else recommend them or say they are a good source?

All on http://bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basicscatlitter page2.html
On one of the pages mention the tesco brand getting finer over the last few years.

Have read good things about both else where.

Here is tesco on the left and sanicat pink on the right (penny in the middle ).

 

[ConorDash]

All on http://bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basicscatlitter page2.html
On one of the pages mention the tesco brand getting finer over the last few years.

Have read good things about both else where.

Here is tesco on the left and sanicat pink on the right (penny in the middle ).
View attachment 131686

They are much bigger!
Thanks that's good info, I don't remember seeing that's page last time I read it, it might be new info he has received.
I just repotted a new ficus in to the substrate too. That page gives me more confidence in it now.