BondaiNate
Sapling
Hello there fellow Bonsai enthusiasts!
My name is Nathan and I'm new to the community. I've posted once already but figured I would give my background on bonsai and ask for some oponions/advice.
I've been interested and studying Bonsai off and on now for about 15 years so I already understand and know that some of my approaches are incorrect such as time of wiring, pruning and repotting. Keep in mind this is mostly for practice.
My first bonsai was when I was about 14, it was a 20 y/o juniper that I neglected after 3 years. My next bonsai was another younger juniper that was given to me as a gift about 2 years ago but has since been lost.
Just the past few months I've taken bonsai more seriously and I have been experimenting on my first few nursery stock trees that I've come across and wanted some opinions on them.
The first with the pink flowers is a Rhododendron hybrid. Styling it was very difficult because all the branches including the small ones were very stiff. I accidentally broke a prominent branch and a few smaller ones with flower buds on it. Its branches were originally all pointing straight up. It was also in a 5g pot that I significantly reduced down and put into a shallow pot (draining plate) lol. I used bonsai soil mixed with a promix draining soil. After completion is seems to be doing fine.
The second one is Dwarf Alberta Spruce. It originally looked like all DAS's look like, a mini Christmas tree. I took quite a bit of branches away, maybe too much. I had changed the branches from a straight position to a downward position due to other criticisms. It was in a 8g pot and reduced a lot and cut away large roots that did not have much nutritional roots on them. I was able to bring the soil level down about an inch and a half from it's original. I'm using a bonsai mix soil. I am currently not sure what to do with the top. Whether to cut it off and make a new apex or let it grow to do something else.
Also if it helps, I'm located in Central Ohio, the weather currently is 50s-70s. Anyways sorry for the lengthy post but any feedback would be very helpful even criticism.
Thanks!
My name is Nathan and I'm new to the community. I've posted once already but figured I would give my background on bonsai and ask for some oponions/advice.
I've been interested and studying Bonsai off and on now for about 15 years so I already understand and know that some of my approaches are incorrect such as time of wiring, pruning and repotting. Keep in mind this is mostly for practice.
My first bonsai was when I was about 14, it was a 20 y/o juniper that I neglected after 3 years. My next bonsai was another younger juniper that was given to me as a gift about 2 years ago but has since been lost.
Just the past few months I've taken bonsai more seriously and I have been experimenting on my first few nursery stock trees that I've come across and wanted some opinions on them.
The first with the pink flowers is a Rhododendron hybrid. Styling it was very difficult because all the branches including the small ones were very stiff. I accidentally broke a prominent branch and a few smaller ones with flower buds on it. Its branches were originally all pointing straight up. It was also in a 5g pot that I significantly reduced down and put into a shallow pot (draining plate) lol. I used bonsai soil mixed with a promix draining soil. After completion is seems to be doing fine.
The second one is Dwarf Alberta Spruce. It originally looked like all DAS's look like, a mini Christmas tree. I took quite a bit of branches away, maybe too much. I had changed the branches from a straight position to a downward position due to other criticisms. It was in a 8g pot and reduced a lot and cut away large roots that did not have much nutritional roots on them. I was able to bring the soil level down about an inch and a half from it's original. I'm using a bonsai mix soil. I am currently not sure what to do with the top. Whether to cut it off and make a new apex or let it grow to do something else.
Also if it helps, I'm located in Central Ohio, the weather currently is 50s-70s. Anyways sorry for the lengthy post but any feedback would be very helpful even criticism.
Thanks!
