Forsythia Project

Hi Folks,
During some recent changes to the yard I had to remove a Forsythia plant so I thought, why not try to pot it up. Since these photos were taken I’ve removed about 50% of the leaves (especially the large ones) and its sending out lots of new ones which will hopefully be a little smaller. I’ll remove the wires soon and carve out the area on the front which is outlined in black felt pen. Ideas? comments?
Cheers G

That looks like a real stunner in the making, gman.

I have nothing to contribute other than to say that any new deadwood you carve will probably be very soft--not at all like the older deadwood, which can feel almost petrified. I've been puzzling over how to try to match up the look of older and newer deadwood, and I won't claim to have a great answer yet, but I have figured out that I should leave some extra wood in place when I am carving. The outer layer tends to sort of rot, so then I scrape away the rotting layer later, which gives it a nice natural look, before applying wood hardener tinted to (try to) match the color of the older wood.

Anyway, just some advice from someone who has been learning from an old Forsythia...I hope there was something useful in there. Lovely tree - thanks for posting it, and please keep us updated on its progress.

Hi folks,
Winters on the west coast of Canada can be long, cool (sometimes cold =snow), wet and oh so grey…… and just when you think you can’t stand it anymore……. spring beckons.
My Amour maples are starting to move as are some of the larches but this forsythia brightens up those grey days and reminds me that spring is almost here (and so is repotting season).
Cheers

It has such a human look(or maybe just my imagination) and at the same time remembers me of Pokemon!
I'm such a child.

Hey Nemphis,
I also see a human form - perhaps not in the same area?.
I hope that in a few years it will be a mass of flowers...this will be its second full growig season in this pot.
Flowering is almost finished

Hi Folks,
Here is a spring update...almost a year to the day from the last post....a few more flowers than last year but still a few spots with only vegetative growth
Spring has finally arrived with warmer temperatures (for this part of the world) with some record highs recorded in a few areas on Easter Sunday.
Cheers Graham

Nice progress, Graham, and lovely flowers. Did you originally transplant this tree from your landscape? If you have seen this one already I apologize as it is in the Progression Forum....I enjoy the species as well, and have been working with this one for about eight years.

Please keep us updated.

Best regards,
Tom

Thanks Tom,
Yes it did come from the garden after some landscape modifications
G

very beautiful flower, but I will leave the front fuselage section, do the following to create a new style
[img][/img]

hello Graham,

nice work. but, be aware that, deadwood on forsythia never last... the wood is really soft and rot fast.
you could immagine a hollow tree instead of a deadwood for your project

Thanks tap pi lu, I hadn't thought of that.....I'll give it some thought.
Thanks to you also Maraga, I am aware of the rotting aspect of these shrubs and will see how it goes.
It will need repotting next spring so I'll see how the wood is holding up.
Cheers Graham

tap pi lu wrote:very beautiful flower, but I will leave the front fuselage section, do the following to create a new style
[img][/img]

I don't know if I'd go this drastic, but I will admit that I've always wondered if either "side" would be a better front. It's very hard to tell from these few pictures, but couldn't you have some sort of twin trunk thing going on here? From the bar branches to the in-your-face shari, something's just not working for me with this front. I want to see it from the sides!

Russell Coker wrote:

tap pi lu wrote:very beautiful flower, but I will leave the front fuselage section, do the following to create a new style
[img][/img]

I don't know if I'd go this drastic, but I will admit that I've always wondered if either "side" would be a better front. It's very hard to tell from these few pictures, but couldn't you have some sort of twin trunk thing going on here? From the bar branches to the in-your-face shari, something's just not working for me with this front. I want to see it from the sides!

From Tappilu: well, Hello Russel bonsai is that of Gman, he does not provide the image on the side.I only see the front and back of the treecheer

Hi Russel,
I don't have any side views but after the rain stops I'll get a couple and post them for any ideas.
Cheers
Graham

Hi Folks,
After being in this pot for 3 years (2011-13) I could see that it needed re-potting so I slip plotted it into a larger round pot (Roger Snipes pot)....will post with flowers which should be in a few weeks.

Looking forward to seeing the flowers. What substrate did you use for this tree?

Thanks Tom,
The lower stump/base/core of the tree still has the garden soil around it but the roots were in a soil mix of; granite (chicken grit), shifted bark, black and red lava. After this weekend, now it's in approx. 80% pumice 20% potting mix. The top is just a dressing layer which is 100% pumice.
Cheers
Graham

Hi Folks,
Here is an update - ...I still need to grow the crown out more to be in a better relationship with the trunk....but this is a welcome sight after the long winter.
Cheers Graham

Very nice progress!

gman wrote:Hi Folks,
Here is an update - ...I still need to grow the crown out more to be in a better relationship with the trunk....but this is a welcome sight after the long winter.
Cheers Graham

Love this tree, very nice.

Personally I think this side is your better front. The shari still doesn't quite look natural to me yet.

Perhaps use a router, and make the tree hollow. Now that it has healed some you might be able to remove the central wood.

Thanks Leo, that's a great idea.
G

Our mild winter has things 4 weeks early this year..... So here is an update- still haven't done any more work on the shari.

beautiful progression but i agree w/ leo... also due to the man-made appearance of the deadwood (try some fire to age it )

i have wanted to play with one of these, but i heard that the branches of these are sort of hollow inside...
is that correct ? (you seem to have taken good care in bending them)
if so, do you think that will affect the longevity of the dead wood ?

besides fire, i think a preservative other than lime sulpher would be beneficial to the appearance as any deadwood that might occur naturally might not last long enough to turn bone-white...

Thanks Kevin,
Yes, the deadwood does need some work so I might even join the upper portion with the lower? I may try burning the deadwood or even lime sulfur with some Indian ink? The branches/main truck does get hollow as they age...... and you can see the hollowed out grove in the main trunk that was really soft.
Most of my friends-relatives (i.e. non bonsai enthusiasts) don’t comment on the trunk but are Amor ’d by the mass of yellow flowers and to me that’s my objective.
Cheers G.

I like the progress.

{removed silly question after I saw the thread continued on page 2}