My Lowe’s clearance dwarf Alberta spruce

[Bonsai_hope]

I bought this dwarf Alberta spruce at lowes in Jan 2023 for $14. When I brought it home I discovered this beautiful nibari buried in the planting medium. I wish I took a “before” picture but I didn’t. It had two trunks, one of which I unceremoniously lopped off. It has calloused beautifully. This year I will do the same at a point above.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I bought this dwarf Alberta spruce at lowes in Jan 2023 for $14. When I brought it home I discovered this beautiful nibari buried in the planting medium. I wish I took a “before” picture but I didn’t. It had two trunks, one of which I unceremoniously lopped off. It has calloused beautifully. This year I will do the same at a point above. View attachment 525582

Very nice find for the price. I love it when that happens especially when you look for what a similar tree would cost elsewhere.

 

[bonsaichile]

You are going to have to address those crossing roots. Also, Alberta spruces can be very frustrating, as the wired branches refuse to set in. I would recomend guy wires to bring them down, as you can keep them on for longer periods of time

 

[James W.]

I bought this dwarf Alberta spruce at lowes in Jan 2023 for $14. When I brought it home I discovered this beautiful nibari buried in the planting medium. I wish I took a “before” picture but I didn’t. It had two trunks, one of which I unceremoniously lopped off. It has calloused beautifully. This year I will do the same at a point above. View attachment 525582

Is this a picture of how it looks now? If so, it has not yet recovered enough for more work. Wait at least another year.

 

[Bonsai_hope]

Is this a picture of how it looks now? If so, it has not yet recovered enough for more work. Wait at least another year.

Thank you for the advice. Yes this is how it looks right now. When I removed it from its pot I was shocked to see such a nice nibari. I am told that they will not survive the summers in Savannah but it seemed to do well last year after I installed my drip watering system and watered it daily. A number of years ago by the head arborist at the Barnes Foundation Arboretum in Philadelphia that most trees will acclimate to most climates if given time and care. So we will see.

 

[Dabbler]

Good luck - I just posted my Alberta spruce - There pretty cool tree's

 

[rockm]

FWIW, for $14 it's a pretty good tree, but the nebari needs a substantial amount of work. It's got significant crossing roots from being in a that need to be addressed.

Also FWIW, Alberta spruce are not easy subjects for bonsai. They are extremely tough and can take quite a lot of punishment, but they have stiff branching that will refuse to thicken and insists on growing UP not laterally. Backbudding isn't a priority for them either.

 

[Bonsai_hope]

Well the Alberta spruce succumbed to the Savannah GA summer this year. Ce la vie.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Well the Alberta spruce succumbed to the Savannah GA summer this year. Ce la vie.

R.I.P.

I lost a Cryptomeria last Winter. Hacked it to pieces in early Spring, tore it out of the Anderson Flat, hosed the container down, and will pot something into it in the Spring.

 

[Bonsai_hope]

Sorry for your loss. Everyone said that spruce wouldn’t survive. But it did survive one summer so I thought I could prove them wrong. Hahahahaha

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Sorry for your loss. Everyone said that spruce wouldn’t survive. But it did survive one summer so I thought I could prove them wrong. Hahahahaha

On a serious note, there is a lot of value in trial-and-error because you learn the hard way, which can be useful if you’re growing and improving from that experience.