Small Trident forest progression from year 1

[cheap_walmart_art]

So to date this is my first and only forest planting that I started back in my first few months in the hobby. It has a lot going wrong for it, and hopefully I can get my hands on some more saplings next year to try my hand at it again.

Here they are when I first planted them in a group. Just a few seedlings I got off of a club member.



They proceeded to grow out pretty well despite many mistakes.

These two pics are from 2018.




I decided to Repot them in 2019 into a shallow pot. I didn't tie them in very well, so the planting ended up very haphazard. Check out those stability stones!



So I've pretty much left them alone to grow. The entire composition is haphazard with trunks crossing line of sight and growing in different directions. I also left wire on the front trunk too long which resulted in scarring. I will likely Repot and do some root work next year. If I can, I will seperate them and try to replant in a more appealing manner. If seperation is a gone thing, I'll rotate the entire planting a bit to at least stop the crossing trunks.




This planting will never be in a show, but I have learned a lot from it - mainly what I won't be doing next time I attempt a forest.

In summary, things done right:
- Tree health - I'm a little surprised how quick these saplings thickened up, even in a pot.
- I like the color and shape of this pot for a forest planting

Things done wrong:
- half assed tie in technique
- crossing trunks
- conflicting flow - some trees go one way, the third another.
- left wiring on too long

Funnily enough though, it's my wife's favorite thing in my collection, so I may leave it be just for that reason.

 

[sorce]

This planting will never be in a show

Don't say that just to please morons who may think that!

With so much progress in one year....there is no end to where you can take this.

Sorce

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Don't say that just to please morons who may think that!

With so much progress in one year....there is no end to where you can take this.

Sorce

Thanks for the kind words! I don't say that to please anyone, but for my own standards I don't see myself showing this composition. However, I do think showing progressions on stuff like this is helpful to folks very early in the hobby. I always feel like I get more out of seeing the very next stage of development in something similar to what I have vs the very advanced material that looked nothing like anything in my own garden.

I also like to try to critique myself as realistically as I can in the hopes that someone who has more experience may chime in and say I'm either on the right track with my thinking, or suggest a different direction.

 

[sorce]

don't say that to please anyone,

Forgive my assumptions.

I HAVE been on a "project the positive you want" kick a lot lately. So I think it's better to say, in x years, this may be show worthy.

There is way more right than wrong going on.
At that point, anything is possible.

Sorce

 

[Kanorin]

I'm 1 year into the hobby and I'm growing up some seedlings to start my own first forest planting next spring.

So thanks for posting this! I've learned some things here - which I suspect was your goal.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Forgive my assumptions.

I HAVE been on a "project the positive you want" kick a lot lately. So I think it's better to say, in x years, this may be show worthy.

There is way more right than wrong going on.
At that point, anything is possible.

Sorce

Yeah, I have to remind myself sometimes that my "realistic" view can border on harsh. I think if I can separate the trunks next year, I will rotate the front one and move it back to the left a bit. I'll move the far right trunk in closer to it. Then the back trunk with the big curve will go right of it. Kinda give the feeling of a trunk growing out the side of a thicket in search of light.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Think I last posted on these a year ago. Just been letting them grow wild, defoliated in may and they're back to needing more pruning.

 

[Pitoon]

So to date this is my first and only forest planting that I started back in my first few months in the hobby. It has a lot going wrong for it, and hopefully I can get my hands on some more saplings next year to try my hand at it again.

Here they are when I first planted them in a group. Just a few seedlings I got off of a club member.

View attachment 312812

They proceeded to grow out pretty well despite many mistakes.

These two pics are from 2018.
View attachment 312810

View attachment 312811

I decided to Repot them in 2019 into a shallow pot. I didn't tie them in very well, so the planting ended up very haphazard. Check out those stability stones!

View attachment 312809

So I've pretty much left them alone to grow. The entire composition is haphazard with trunks crossing line of sight and growing in different directions. I also left wire on the front trunk too long which resulted in scarring. I will likely Repot and do some root work next year. If I can, I will seperate them and try to replant in a more appealing manner. If seperation is a gone thing, I'll rotate the entire planting a bit to at least stop the crossing trunks.

View attachment 312813


This planting will never be in a show, but I have learned a lot from it - mainly what I won't be doing next time I attempt a forest.

In summary, things done right:
- Tree health - I'm a little surprised how quick these saplings thickened up, even in a pot.
- I like the color and shape of this pot for a forest planting

Things done wrong:
- half assed tie in technique
- crossing trunks
- conflicting flow - some trees go one way, the third another.
- left wiring on too long

Funnily enough though, it's my wife's favorite thing in my collection, so I may leave it be just for that reason.

Add more trees to fill it in.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

July 2024. I’ve done absolutely nothing with these in the past year, but here they are! Maybe next spring I’ll bust it apart and make a new forest with some additional trees. Oh who am I kidding, I find bonsai forests to be a pain in the ass. Maybe I’ll change my mind later.

 

[19Mateo83]

July 2024. I’ve done absolutely nothing with these in the past year, but here they are! Maybe next spring I’ll bust it apart and make a new forest with some additional trees. Oh who am I kidding, I find bonsai forests to be a pain in the ass. Maybe I’ll change my mind later.

View attachment 558512

It’s looking great!