Picea Abies (Norway Spruce) #1

[Orion_metalhead]

End of year on this tree. Only 1yr old.

Age: 1yr
Training: 1yr
Width: .17"
Height: 6"

Front:


From left:


Back:


From right:

 

[Bavarian Raven]

Nice little spruce.
If i may ask, is there a reason its not in the ground at this point and already in a bonsai pot?
Cheers.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

1. Im extremely patient
2. I had a pot.
3. I dont believe that ground growing necessarily creates a better tree in the long run. Im 32. If it takes 20yrs to have a maybe nice tree, so be it. It may be contrary to everything everyone says, but Im not into a fast world unless its 240bpm brutal death metal.

 

[Bavarian Raven]

1. Im extremely patient
2. I had a pot.
3. I dont believe that ground growing necessarily creates a better tree in the long run. Im 32. If it takes 20yrs to have a maybe nice tree, so be it. It may be contrary to everything everyone says, but Im not into a fast world unless its 240bpm brutal death metal.

Fair enough. I was just curious to your logic behind it. thabks for the reply.

 

[coltranem]

I can understand you wanting to keep this in a pot its whole life but I assume with time you will be moving it to something bigger. Otherwise 20 years might not be enough.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Yeah, may move to a bigger pot, but probably not ground grow.

 

[Atom#28]

240bpm brutal death metal.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Did a little root work on this today to sort out nebari.

Before a little trim. I removed a few longer roots and left others. Probably about 40% reduction.


Repotted into mixture of 50% old 8822 soil and 50% new 8822.


Healthy looking buds.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Starting to bud out... right on schedule... same time as last year. I spread some fertilizer on the tree as well.

 

[bonsaichile]

Nice little tree. Be careful with that rock. It will impede an even watering.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Nice little tree. Be careful with that rock. It will impede an even watering.

It will come off after this flush of growth. Just on there to hold the pot down since we've had some breezy days. Hasnt been an issue. I sometimes lift it up to water on weekends when I dont have to rush around in morning before work.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

End of the year for this tree:

Age: 2yrs
Training: 2yrs
Width: 0.27"
Height: 9"



Not next year, but year after, so 2022 I want to repot on a further angle, and more to the left. Should be a good year for growth next year.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Buds looks healthy for next year, plenty of them too. Hopefully I'll be able to do some nice shoot selection this year. Going to fertilize heavily as well in preparation for 2022 repot.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Pruned a little a wired a new leader up.

Before showing all the new growth:


Wired and pruned:


Close up of new leader and apex area:

 

[Vance Wood]

1. Im extremely patient
2. I had a pot.
3. I dont believe that ground growing necessarily creates a better tree in the long run. Im 32. If it takes 20yrs to have a maybe nice tree, so be it. It may be contrary to everything everyone says, but Im not into a fast world unless its 240bpm brutal death metal.

Just think about this one: You cannot get back years that you let slip by, so don't you think it would be better to optimize your decissions at this age than to sit back when you are in your fifties wishing you had taken advantage of a better method that would have given you a better tree today rather than a mediocre one? I don't care if you think you're not in a hurry and can afford to waste the time, believe me you cannot. Believe me I am 75 I am a Viet Nam Vet and have diabetes, COPD,and myosemia gravits. All thanks to the war I am told. You will find as you get older the only list that grows longer/larger is the list of things wrong with you, the things that want to take away your freedom or your life and your joy.

 

[Atom#28]

Just think about this one: You cannot get back years that you let slip by, so don't you think it would be better to optimize your decissions at this age than to sit back when you are in your fifties wishing you had taken advantage of a better method that would have given you a better tree today rather than a mediocre one? I don't care if you think you're not in a hurry and can afford to waste the time, believe me you cannot. Believe me I am 75 I am a Viet Nam Vet and have diabetes, COPD,and myosemia gravits. All thanks to the war I am told. You will find as you get older the only list that grows longer/larger is the list of things wrong with you, the things that want to take away your freedom or your life and your joy.

Thank you very much for your service, sir

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Just think about this one: You cannot get back years that you let slip by, so don't you think it would be better to optimize your decissions at this age than to sit back when you are in your fifties wishing you had taken advantage of a better method that would have given you a better tree today rather than a mediocre one? I don't care if you think you're not in a hurry and can afford to waste the time, believe me you cannot. Believe me I am 75 I am a Viet Nam Vet and have diabetes, COPD,and myosemia gravits. All thanks to the war I am told. You will find as you get older the only list that grows longer/larger is the list of things wrong with you, the things that want to take away your freedom or your life and your joy.

Thank you for service. Vance, I always appreciate your perspectives.

I totally understand the sentiment you take. Its a totally sensible position and one which anyone whose aim is to develop world class bonsai would take. I may yet take that route.

But is that necessarily my goal at the moment? Not really. I enjoy the slow growth, the controlled expectations, the obligatation of learning patience.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Added another 1/8th inch to the trunk this year. The wiring took really well and the angle was maintained. Plenty of good buds, tree looks very healthy. I'm going to repot again next year, since it was left this year and see how the roots look and where I can improve them.

I think I will let the right hand sacrificial branch grow out and focus styling on the right side branches.





Buds on the left future apex.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Repotted this today. Root tips looked very healthy and had started to show activity. Was able to cut some larger roots back.

Looking forward to seeing the tree do well this year!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Didnt get much growth this year. Repot probably set it back. Next year should be good for the tree. Plan on fertilizing and letting it gain strength.