Thank you Sorce! Thank you Jim Beck! Check out my new Bonsai!

[iOne]

First and foremost thank you Sorce for the Bonsai you gave me and all the help and knowledge I appreciate the time. You should have ignored me bro because now that I know we live so close I'm probably going to be that annoying neighbor everyone dreads lol. Thanks again lol. I was going to go to Hidden Gardens, but when I called they ended up being closed so I researched and found BC Bonsai. A guy named Jim Beck runs it and he was super helpful and showed me around, I looked at champion Bonsai and a whole lot of amazing trees I could not appreciate due to not knowing what I am looking at, but they did look really cool and Jim was super passionate. So shout out to Jim, I am sure Sorce and I will be there soon.

Ok here are my new Bonasi, I am going to show you the one Sorce gave me and also my barbados cherry I bought from Jim. Also the one Sorce gave me I just took it inside for a split second to take a picture that one I am not keeping inside lol.

 

[just.wing.it]

Make sure you keep that Sorce OG container....might be worth something someday.

 

[milehigh_7]

And so it begins...

 

[iOne]

Make sure you keep that Sorce OG container....might be worth something someday.

Jim actually commented on the container and was intrigued. He took an extra couple looks at it and was raving about how healthy the bonsai looked. I was trying to convince Jim to get on the forums lol, now that he is retired and has a little extra time he said he was going too. I told Jim how I just met Sorce and how everyone was nice on here, he liked the story about me and Sorce.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I would know that container technique...Sorce! That's a cool story. I hope your friend decides to jump on.

 

[quietobserver]

Make sure you keep that Sorce OG container....might be worth something someday.

Only if he hand scratched it with the sorcerer chop.....

 

[sorce]

Nice iOne!

I don't know anything about Barbados cherry, except for Barbados sound like a place to vacation, where you probly won't have much luck finding any cherries!
Cept for the one in her drink!

Note...I don't know many things!

I'll give you the "Hot sauce" elm back story.

A cutting grown from this tree...
https://bonsainut.com/threads/ulmus-pole-to-dos.19032/
There are pics in that thread with it on the tree.

It is an American Elm. Ulmus Americana.
From 7/2/13.

I believe it was rooted in 2012.

It was merely an experiment, but when I first repotted it, it had an interesting enough root spread, so I kept messing with it.

Roots 2015...I think I may have removed that one that crosses over to the left, if not, look to remove it when you repot.(not for a couple weeks it seems, bring it by!)
If I did remove it....look for the wound, you may have to clean it up a bit.

There are a lot of wounds around the base that need attention.

Halloween 2015.

By Nov. 2015.
That's where it wintered '12-'15
Don't baby it!

New winter storage just ended.
Gangway, west side wind block....
That's it!

One more post with the "Madden" on my own ex-tree!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

This is still going on one of three directions.

1. Utilize the long straight branch to fatten the base for just one well tapered tree. The wound would have to be kept up out the dirt. But Thats years out.

2. Utilize the "river bank hanger" semi-cascade, but that long straight section would have to be dealt with....maybe hollowed gently in a few years?

3. Bury the long straight a make a full raft, or a quasi raftscade.
I had it exposed like it is, about a 1/4 inch above the soil, and in humid weeks, it would try to root, so rooting it for a raft is possible.....but you want the roots to go outward, the ones I was getting were going straight down, but it IS ready to root there, and throw branches!

I did prune it in fall 2016.
The yellow arrow, was a previous cut, (see November 2015.) that was just cleaned up and covered.

The rest of the sealed areas were fall cuts.
Some smaller ones with no seal.
And anything slated for sure removal later is not sealed.

I tried to leave it healthy enough to go any way, and was testing branch structure to the left.
By continuing to prune the left, you may get buds to form the raft.
I believe it showed some already.

Any direction Will need years. I was going to let some roots escape into the ground this year, and beef it. But you can enjoy it in that pot, or maybe I'll trade you for a new wider one!

M. Frary said A. Elm leaves will get down to half inch....this will still require 3" trunk and a 12-24+inch tree to make proportionate. IMO.

.......

Thanks Jim Beck!

So Hot sauce caused a bit earlier dormancy ish... Otherwise good to go!

Makes me proud to hear a grower digs my growing!

Proud to have your energy now going into that tree iOne!

Sorce

 

[iOne]

This is epic. Thanks Sorce for all the support I will follow that diagram and make you proud! Let me know when you are coming by to check out these junipers bruh, lets do something cool with them. Even if we can't do nothing I still want to show you around because I have a little land we can start a couple projects on. Hit me up.

P.S. - I named the American Elm, " Frank ".

 

[M. Frary]

M. Frary said A. Elm leaves will get down to half inch....

Maybe a little smaller even.

 

[sorce]

This is epic.
P.S. - I named the American Elm, " Frank ".

You even got the connection in the story about Frankie and the Hot Sauce!

That's Karma ....that is Soul Power!

I hope it is outside!

Sorce

 

[iOne]

You even got the connection in the story about Frankie and the Hot Sauce!

That's Karma ....that is Soul Power!

I hope it is outside!

Sorce

Yes sir! Now if I can only figure out how to tell when Frank ( the American Elm ) needs water. My cherry tree is simple to tell, Jim told me stick my finger in the soil a little bit and once it is damp/dry to go ahead and add water with the cherry tree. I am not allowed to over water the cherry tree as I learned I have to wait until the soil airs out a bit so the roots can breathe and even if it looks dry on top to make sure it is dry-ish when I poke my finger about half inch-ish deep so the roots do not mold. This American Elm is by far my favorite bonsai I ever seen and I will also keep this one forever so there is no trading back, sorry bro lol. I still want to go check out Hidden Gardens and I definitely want to visit Jim again soon, the more I am reading the more impressed I get by what I seen at BC Bonsai. He had 5 national champions lol and now that I am reading on what it takes to have a national champion, that is really impressive especially being next door to him. I am probably going to take a few of his workshops this summer, the prices are extremely affordable, he will even schedule anyone in for a $10 lesson on how to pot your bonsai, hands on. I am only shedding light on Jim because of how nice he was and the fact that I spent over 2 hours at his place all of which consisted of him educating me and making sure I was happy with my purchase. In which I am really thankful of because I just butchered the shit out of my Cherry tree so badly I am embarrassed of even showing you guys / girls.. Still looking forward to checking out Hidden Gardens and all other bonsai collections. I just happen to stop by BC Bonsai first and was extremely happy, I know if someone was being a loud newb in my profession asking me simplistic easy to find answers to basic questions I might get a little annoyed, but Jim was eager and happy to explain all he could.

Alright now check out my sweet American Elm ( It was Sorce's yesterday, but he gave it to me )

 

[iOne]

I promise I will not go wild like this on the American Elm, but I was so convinced that I watched enough videos, research etc. Anyway it did not turn out as I planned. Every time I trimmed and pruned my barbados cherry kept looking more awkward until there was barely anything left. The funny thing is, the process actually taught me a little about life, I learned a life lesson messing up on bonsai. Sometimes you have to just relax, stop yourself when you see the inevitable and do not try to convince yourself your something your not thinking you can mimic artistry from a youtube video. Basically, I should of just stopped when I seen it was looking awkward, instead I do what I always do, try and bulldoze my way out of things.

Shake my head

 

[sorce]

When you can still see the 8822 Napa Oil dry dark on top like that is good.

When I come home from work, and it's white on top, I just fun a finger across the top, and usually see it's wet sometimes directly under, 1/8in.

If I have something else to do, I'll leave it...
But if any one of my plants is even a little drier, I'll water everything again...
Just for the hell of it....

And cause @Eric Group says so...
I'm with it!

At windy and over 90F, I get worried around noon....

But usually get home and only the thirstiest tree has ever been barely wilting. And I have never lost a tree due to Summer! Ever!

Those pots with straight sifted 8822 only!
Other things need other attention.

But my method is built for mindless once a morning watering.

Sometimes I get "downpour days off".
Overnight rain.
Which, if the day is to be clear, I will use the saved time to fertilize.

If the day is to be rainy, mental note to fert when I get home.

I ALWAYS use Fertilzer heavy after it rains, doesn't matter if it is everyday, and I fert twice a week...no matter what.

This is a good sign....


And usually appear around the waning moon.
Hence my repot timing.

This year I am going to wait til we are reggie above 38F, thanks @parhamr !

Sorce

 

[sorce]

go wild

Go wild in fall!

Sorce

 

[ConorDash]

Someone already beat me to the "Sorce original pot/container joke". Dang it.

 

[A. Gorilla]

I promise I will not go wild like this on the American Elm, but I was so convinced that I watched enough videos, research etc. Anyway it did not turn out as I planned. Every time I trimmed and pruned my barbados cherry kept looking more awkward until there was barely anything left. The funny thing is, the process actually taught me a little about life, I learned a life lesson messing up on bonsai. Sometimes you have to just relax, stop yourself when you see the inevitable and do not try to convince yourself your something your not thinking you can mimic artistry from a youtube video. Basically, I should of just stopped when I seen it was looking awkward, instead I do what I always do, try and bulldoze my way out of things.

Shake my head

View attachment 136726

Lol noob