First bonsai help needed

We posted at the same time Andrew.
Quote:
Additionally, as Bonsai goes, if you grow one, you have something to show and it makes you someone.
It's a prestige thingee.
It takes lots of effort and time and knowledge to create a good bosai...If You do that it is an achievement, but the only thing that it will make me is happy person. Now to share that joy and happiness, receive some encouragement will make me more happy, but it can not make me more than I am already....in status or prestige therms. Thrust me on this one.

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Just reporting what I have seen over the years.
I prefer Chinese [ what the cook would prefer to eat not the customer stuff ] or Italian, also partial to Steak and Kidney pie from madcow free animals.
Stay Well
Khaimraj

Darling,
everyone is entitled to his opinion...and we need to learn to respect other people's opinions. I hope You did not take any of this personal...it is not meant to be. I respect your opinion though mine is little bit different.
Lets agree to disagree and We shall be happy bunnies! He he he!

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Just reporting what I have seen over the years.
I prefer Chinese [ what the cook would prefer to eat not the customer stuff ] or Italian, also partial to Steak and Kidney pie from madcow free animals.
Stay Well
Khaimraj

Khaimraj,

There's a little restaurant just outside Cape Town in a small seaside resort. It is a seafood restaurant. You get there, bring your own drinks (as if memory serves me, they don't have a license to sell booze), and then the owner/chef comes and has a chat to the people at the table. He talks with you for about ten minutes and then goes off and cooks you your meal. There is no menu. He cooks what he thinks you'd like to eat. It's great! I think you'd like it.

Cheers,

Andrew

Neli,

it is unwise for an oil painter to adopt that old ------ I am okay, your okay ---- philosophy, as a painting is an Opinion.

That MOR [ middle of the road attitude ] is best suited for folk who have weak spines, and would crumble when made to confront their demons.

Every time someone speaks, it's their opinion, and you work with it. Some folk you ignore, some you listen to.

I am not offended, just tired of the near useless Kum Bye Yah attitude being projected by those who pretend to be open minded.
The very nature of Imaginative Realistic work requires a great deal of research and obviously an open mind, it goes without having to be stated.
Note how many of my posts are experimental in nature, remember -------- to see the world in a grain of sand.
Later.
Khaimraj

Andrew,

I like it, I like it. Wish we could get someone like that and get past our very colonial attitude to cooking.

My sister bakes, and is a Fashion Designer, wonder what the food looks like - ha ha - it always tastes good, but the way it is presented - ummmm ahhhh !!!

She always comes in from London for my birthday in February and makes me a blackforest cake from scratch.
You can only have very thin slices, it is that rich.
It is an amazing bake fest.
Later.
Khaimraj

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Neli,

it is unwise for an oil painter to adopt that old ------ I am okay, your okay ---- philosophy, as a painting is an Opinion.
I am not asking you to be OK with other people's opinion, I am asking you to be tolerant and realize that not everyone can think the same way as You. People have different believes, culture understanding,likings...So We dont need to be like Hitler and kill them just because they are not like Us. I mean You can not force people to think like you, for they are entitled to their opinion.. And the polite tolerant way to deal with it is to express your opinion but not force people to think like you. It is not a case here where You have to agree with the ways of a paedophile, it is a simple bonsai styling...or art attitude, and understanding.

That MOR [ middle of the road attitude ] is best suited for folk who have weak spines, and would crumble when made to confront their demons.
I dont like the middle of the road attitude (and that is why I stick to what I believe and understand)...but I dont like to force people to agree with me by any means, specially in this situation, where art is a very subjective and personal matter..
I am an artist also...I am a singer here...but I can not force people to like my songs.

Every time someone speaks, it's their opinion, and you work with it. Some folk you ignore, some you listen to. I agree with you!Specially on the net.

I am not offended, just tired of the near useless Kum Bye Yah attitude being projected by those who pretend to be open minded.
The very nature of Imaginative Realistic work requires a great deal of research and obviously an open mind, it goes without having to be stated.
Note how many of my posts are experimental in nature, remember -------- to see the world in a grain of sand. I agree with you here 100%
Later.
Khaimraj

I think we agree on many things...the differences are minor and personal.

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:
I am not offended, just tired of the near useless Kum Bye Yah attitude being projected by those who pretend to be open minded.
The very nature of Imaginative Realistic work requires a great deal of research and obviously an open mind, it goes without having to be stated.
Note how many of my posts are experimental in nature, remember -------- to see the world in a grain of sand.
Later.
Khaimraj

Ah, but there's a difference between useless "Kum Bye Yah" attitude, and being open minded. I consider both highly prized when it comes to bonsai harticulturalists Particularly the latter, as how far can one go in an imaginative realistic process with a closed mind! We must open our minds , and there's no point in being all huffy and puffy with each other as we walk this path.

I like you Khaimjaj! Bonsai would be a richer place if there were more like you!

Andrew Legg wrote: Khaimraj,
There's a little restaurant just outside Cape Town ... ... and then the owner/chef comes and has a chat to the people at the table. ... ...There is no menu. He cooks what he thinks you'd like to eat. It's great! I think you'd like it... ...

Hello, Andrew and Khaimraj!
This description seems simplified, in my opinion. I believe this owner/chef is a wise man with lots of experience and knowledge of human psychology and individual characters. I believe that after this short chat he is in a position to evaluate the customer and his preferences with great proximity, so then he knows what will this specific individual enjoy for lunch/dinner. This is a very intimate approach of the "client" by which there is not a "client" any more....
I can see why Khaimraj likes this.

Leatherback you gave me an idea.
A local weed - sida acuta and I fused the flowers onto your example.
Worth going after.
Thanks Khaimraj

Replaced berries with flowers-

Alexandra,

ha ha, Khaimraj enjoys eating and conversation, but does not drink Alcohol, and tries hard not to be a glutton from Sutton as my sis puts it.
Ha ha ha
Later.
Khaimraj,and thanks for being Alexandra

After going around the bonsai for one week, I finally decided on a front though I am not 100% sure. Left the side Taner chose intact so I can change my mind later.
Pruned some of the branches that were too long, and tied some branches to the pot to bend them a bit. Later I will bend them more. Bougie is real hard to bend if the branches are hard. I managed to break two branches, luckily not too vital, and not hard to replace.
The reason why I settled on this side is because the leader branch (trunk) of the apex is pointing forward (hugging?)
Now the question I have is:
1 is the leader for the apex.
2 and 3 are pointing forward and up a bit. Is that poking in the face or is OK as a part of the apex.... the branches are near by but one looks like it is dead.
Branch 4 had one big branch, unbendable and thick, I chopped it off, also had one small branch pointing forward. I chopped it but left few shoots at its base, which I can redirect when they grow.
The branch at the bottom to the left of 4, is already shooting....so I will just remove the shoots when they come up.
So what do You think?
Any advise?
What mistakes did I make?

Neli wrote:
Now the question I have is:
1 is the leader for the apex.
2 and 3 are pointing forward and up a bit. Is that poking in the face or is OK as a part of the apex.... the branches are near by but one looks like it is dead.
Branch 4 had one big branch, unbendable and thick, I chopped it off, also had one small branch pointing forward. I chopped it but left few shoots at its base, which I can redirect when they grow.
The branch at the bottom to the left of 4, is already shooting....so I will just remove the shoots when they come up.
So what do You think?
Any advise?
What mistakes did I make?

Hi Neli,

Where is the picture/photo you're referring to?
Or are you talking about a picture posted formerly?
Do you have an opportunity to post a recent shot of it taken after these works (prunning, etc.) that you've made?

Taner

Taner Darling, dont tell me I forgot to put the pictures...He he he!

Taner I tied them the way You told me to...to the pot. One I tied to a stone because it needed to be tied in vertical direction...but it will not break the branch if windy. The string is wrapped around it and it is round so it can roll.

I need one branch where the red line is. I will curve it later at the base but have not removed the bottom branch fully, in case I need to graft a root there.
I curved some dead wood from the trunk at the top..it was just a rotten part of the trunk sticking out, that I cut off with the scissors.. It looks more tapered like this.
Ones I clear the soil on top and look at the nebari I till decide finally which will be the front. For now they are two fronts. But I will work on the roots next year, when repotting it.
Again I want to ask. If I let some growth come out of the bottom most branch will it thicken the trunk at the base around it. I would not mind the trunk a bit thicker there for more movement.
Now I have a year to find a pot for it. Hope I will not find one before that, since with my impatience I might repot it at the wrong time of the year.

I don't think string will be strong enough to move branches and remember that plant, with a little fertilizer will grow like crazy in your climate.
Here in Florida, people retire and buy a house, many plant a bougie (Blooms, looks tropical) and then in a few years because it grows so fast and the thorns are so mean, pay someone to dig it out. That fellow then digs the big bougie trunks, puts it in a big plastic tub and sells it to a bonsai person for $400USD. (I don't make this stuff up.)

Fly in the ointment -

Bougainvilleas are Sub -Tropical , the same way coconuts are not native to the West Indies [ Carribbean ] -

Neli,

next time try ties, you know the plastic coated wire used to tie the tops of garbage bags. Over here you get them in small rolls for agricultural use.
Good luck with your Bougainvillea.
Until,
Khaimraj

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:I don't think string will be strong enough to move branches and remember that plant, with a little fertilizer will grow like crazy in your climate.
Here in Florida, people retire and buy a house, many plant a bougie (Blooms, looks tropical) and then in a few years because it grows so fast and the thorns are so mean, pay someone to dig it out. That fellow then digs the big bougie trunks, puts it in a big plastic tub and sells it to a bonsai person for $400USD. (I don't make this stuff up.)

I tried to pull on the cotton and a branch snapped. So they are strong and they are double. I plan to put a stick and tighten them a bit as time goes by. Dont want to bend them too much .They break very easily. When they start growing it will be easier to bend them and I can use that technique where U bend the branches by chopping them.
This bougie has no thorns at all. It is a different variety.
He he he! Mine was free...and I can dig out plenty here. Here they can stay for 8 month minus watering them...dry season here.

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Fly in the ointment -

Bougainvilleas are Sub -Tropical , the same way coconuts are not native to the West Indies [ Carribbean ] -

Neli,

next time try ties, you know the plastic coated wire used to tie the tops of garbage bags. Over here you get them in small rolls for agricultural use.
Good luck with your Bougainvillea.
Until,
Khaimraj

They brought me some wire this morning so if I find some time I will try to wire it. I am scared how fragile it is...but I will try.
What do You think? Is it OK my plan. I had to rush my mom to the hospital...She is visiting me from Europe...so dont have time for much.

This how you use the wire -

https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t12143-pine-effort-dorothy-this-is-embarrassing

Practice on twigs, branches of say normal trees, not your Bonsai effort.

Best to your mum, and hope all is okay.
Later.
Khaimraj

Sorry about your Mom. Those long plane trips can be tough, many hours locked in a tube breathing the used air of other people.
I also have a thornless bougie, we call pink pixie.
It is slower growing, only comes in red, and carries its so called blooms differently than our mean landscape varieties. On the more common landscape bougies the blooms will be further from the branch and closer to the ends, while on Pink Pixie they will be tighter to the branch and there will usually be about an inch of branch tip without blooms.

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:Sorry about your Mom. Those long plane trips can be tough, many hours locked in a tube breathing the used air of other people.
I also have a thornless bougie, we call pink pixie.
It is slower growing, only comes in red, and carries its so called blooms differently than our mean landscape varieties. On the more common landscape bougies the blooms will be further from the branch and closer to the ends, while on Pink Pixie they will be tighter to the branch and there will usually be about an inch of branch tip without blooms.

Billy,
She is sleeping now...so I can post a bit. Lets hope she will be OK!
I think My B. is pink pixie... It has flowers on the end of the branches and that is hard to make flower in bonsai...I will get another one with thorns to try also.
What do U think apart from the threads used is the rest OK for now. I am sure I will chop it some more later.

I would let it go, see where it wants to put branches and go from there.

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:I would let it go, see where it wants to put branches and go from there.

I hope it will back bud somewhat...I chopped the new shoots that had grown a lot. You are right better to wait for branches now.

I have been learning a lot! Trying to figure it all out...most days 14 hours a day...I hope I shall no longer ask stupid questions...
Time for an update...
I chopped it ones and it grew and flowered...but being a newbie I did not shorten the branches enough...so I wasted lots of time...
I new branches without tapper will irritate me...straight branches too...so I really chopped it...and plan to chop some more ones it back buds.
So here is the progress so far.
After the first chop:

it grew a lot:


and then I chopped it again:u

and this is how it looks now:
The branches with the flowers are there to heal the woond ones I curve it.