a little conifer

Started Anew bonsai. This one is going to be a very small one. Probably less than 20 cm.
I dont know what the name of this little conifer is, but I grew it from a cutting. It should be two years old.
I really enjoyed my self styling it. It took me a very long time.
So far what I did is to clean the roots, opened the branches, and wired two branches...he he he!
I have not decided on the shape yet. That is why I did not remove any of the large branches. Just shortened the side branches for ramification and to reduce the foliage since I reduced the roots..
Does anyone know what is the name of this plant and if it is suitable for bonsai.
Is it suitable for bonsai?

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This is how it looked

And this is how I vandalised it. Will work on it later again when I have decided on the style.


Any advise will be appreciated.

Hi Neli,

I think it is Cryptomeria Japonica, and ideal for having fun

Check this:
https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t12006-impulse-buying?highlight=cryptomeria


Taner

Sakaki wrote:Hi Neli,

I think it is Cryptomeria Japonica, and ideal for having fun

Check this:
https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t12006-impulse-buying?highlight=cryptomeria


Taner

Looks similar, but mine has much finer needles.I want to make it very small. Maybe 15cm or around there. I have one similar to that Cryptomeria...I grew it from a 5cm cutting. I grow all my plants and always have spare.
Is it going to make a good bonsai or it is for amateurs? I decided to dig out the pomegranate also today. I am itching to cut or twist something He he he!
Just roughly chopped it, but will work on it tomorrow. I am trying to find time to send You the baobab seeds. My mom was sick so could not move.

Darling, I just saw yours. It is the same as mine. Mine grows like a weed. So I suspect I will manage or at list will try.
Have few ideas for styling it...though not sure yet.
Which one is the best. Any better ideas?




This one is two years old from a 5cm cutting, in rubbish soil. So is that not proof it will do OK here? BTW It was under shade cloth all this time...Maybe not to keep it in full sun?

Nice - I have one of those, also about 2 years old, not sure what to do with it yet.. just growing on for a year or two more, not developed nearly as well as yours. I like the look of your pic no3 best.

Dave

See my reply: https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t12006-impulse-buying

ironhorse wrote:Nice - I have one of those, also about 2 years old, not sure what to do with it yet.. just growing on for a year or two more, not developed nearly as well as yours. I like the look of your pic no3 best.

Dave

Can You imagine that mine was 5cm two yeats ago. I dont think this is suitable for a very big bonsai, so I opted to do ,mine small.Our summer is just starting here, so it is a good time to work on them.
Thanks. I like 3 also, but the other are possible options. I want to let it grow now, and thicken the branches. That is why I did not shorten them too much.
I think it has somewhat natural tapper to the branches.
Can someone tell me if what I did is OK or not?

JimLewis wrote:See my reply: https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t12006-impulse-buying

Thanks! What I like about this one is that the branches dont break as easily as my bougainvillea. At list I did not break any branches and practiced on it.

I have just realized I have grown the lowest right branch at the wrong place.That branch actually comes from the branch above, but You never know. I might get a shoot there later or graft one.

If I tell You that I had to fly a bag of acid compost (pine bark) From SA I am sure You will think I am mad. But now I am at list equipped for some time ( not very long at this rate)
I saw something called akadama clay granules. I dont have it here. I was wondering if I can crush hand made clay bricks and use it.
I also added crushed charcoal in the soil. I have been adding it in my pots for many years. Some like orchids I plant in pure charcoal and they do very well.
the main reason I was adding it to the pots is:
Loosens the soil, and makes the water pass through .

sweetens the soil
soaks in water and slowly releases it.
I also used clinker, but in small amounts for the same reason since it has PH of 12. (Charcoal also has high PH if U dont wash it.)

I sat today on the veranda, and looked at my little conifer. CONTEMPLATED IT???? HE HE HE! It was so much fun. Then I took out the scissors again and chopped it some more. I will need to get some more bonsai material again so I have what to chop or I might chop my bonsai to death.
So there I went...to two nurseries next to my house.
Bought Two imported acacias that cost USD100 each, and 3 smaller potentials for dollar each.
But will post them later as I start working on them.
This is how it looked before I chopped the little conifer and after. There is still more to cut but left a bit for the next time.
Now it is time to pray that it will survive.
This is how it looked before I started on it.

This is how it looked after cutting it some more.

And this is the back

And this is how tall it is. I guess this can be a shohin????

This is one of the imported trees I bought: They dont know the name of it.

Close up of it.

And my driver and his wife collecting stones which I want to turn into bonsai pots...(dont laugh!)

Its heading in the right direction , well done . You probably won't need that bottom branch in the end , but you can make that decision later . Just put it to one side now and let it recover and move on to the next one

Smithy wrote:Its heading in the right direction , well done . You probably won't need that bottom branch in the end , but you can make that decision later . Just put it to one side now and let it recover and move on to the next one

Smithy, this is the first one I did by my self more or less. It is safe for now...I have plenty other things to chop....he he he! and the fact that i keep digging/buying trees will save it. It is so much fun!
I am eyeing now a huge fuschia bush and a tortured hibiscus in my garden....plenty to dig and chop in my garden.

Certainly give it a good bit of recovery time, but it has turned out well. You still will have some decisions to make for it in the future. I must admit that I didn't see the potential that I see in it now, even after your initial styling.

Good Job,
David

Neli wrote:

Smithy wrote:Its heading in the right direction , well done . You probably won't need that bottom branch in the end , but you can make that decision later . Just put it to one side now and let it recover and move on to the next one

Smithy, this is the first one I did by my self more or less. It is safe for now...I have plenty other things to chop....he he he! and the fact that i keep digging/buying trees will save it. It is so much fun!
I am eyeing now a huge fuschia bush and a tortured hibiscus in my garden....plenty to dig and chop in my garden.

The fuschia sounds good , i love fuschia and used to grow them before bonsai . Show us that when you can . I would love a nice big fuschia bonsai but i don't grow anything that needs protecting over the winter. It was -7 here last night and even the hardy fuschia end up shooting from the base. You sound like you have the perfect enviroment.
You've done a good job for your first go , much better than my first go at styling.

MrFancyPlants wrote:Certainly give it a good bit of recovery time, but it has turned out well. You still will have some decisions to make for it in the future. I must admit that I didn't see the potential that I see in it now, even after your initial styling.

Good Job,
David

Hi David,
Thanks for the warm words, and encouragement. It means a lots to a newbie.I am still learning, so even not good bonsai will teach me something. But I am glad you like it.
BTW, You have unleashed a monster...Every where I go I am looking for bonsai...He he he! My plants in the garden are not safe at all. It is so nice and exiting that I plan to do one every day, or at list every few days...I left few branches longer so it has some leaves to feed it. I believe conifer is not good to defoliate 100%. I am sure I will kill some so, better to make a few more.
I am already thinking of some colums and area where to display them. I have seen some pictures on the internet that show bonsai gardens....mmmm! so nice!

Smithy wrote:

Neli wrote:

Smithy wrote:Its heading in the right direction , well done . You probably won't need that bottom branch in the end , but you can make that decision later . Just put it to one side now and let it recover and move on to the next one

Smithy, this is the first one I did by my self more or less. It is safe for now...I have plenty other things to chop....he he he! and the fact that i keep digging/buying trees will save it. It is so much fun!
I am eyeing now a huge fuschia bush and a tortured hibiscus in my garden....plenty to dig and chop in my garden.

The fuschia sounds good , i love fuschia and used to grow them before bonsai . Show us that when you can . I would love a nice big fuschia bonsai but i don't grow anything that needs protecting over the winter. It was -7 here last night and even the hardy fuschia end up shooting from the base. You sound like you have the perfect enviroment.
You've done a good job for your first go , much better than my first go at styling.

H Smithy,
I am going to dig it out. At the moment is covered with flowers. But I have many in the garden. It is in a plastic packet and the roots have grown in the ground.So it will not hard to remove. I can also chop it first in the ground, and let it recover, and then dig it out. It is a strong shrub, more than a meter high.I have a small area where I grow all my cutting. I have practically all shrubs and plants you can think of. If I dont have something I buy it. If I have only one I multiply it. And I have so many and not enough place to plant them, so I bought the plot next door this year.The only plants I dont want to grow are the ones that need dormant cold season.Opposite of you.They grow but dont flower here. I have even airlayered things that are hard to propagate by cuttings. I am a good gardener but not a bonsai master yet.
I am going to photograph the fuschia for you today, and will trim it while in the ground. When it starts shooting I will dig it out. But you must promise to help me make something interesting.
I have a huge pomegranate I dug out from the garden to style at the moment, and I saw a competition for fusing cuttings into a trunk for bonsai on bonsaiempire I want to participate on. Still researching how it is supposed to be done. Any links? What is it called so I can google it properly?
It will be fun!
+

Smithy,
this is what I plan to vandalize soon.

Youve got a lot of stuff there to be working on . Its great you have gardening skills already as a lot of people come into bonsai and don't even know how to keep plants alive .

Smithy wrote:Youve got a lot of stuff there to be working on . Its great you have gardening skills already as a lot of people come into bonsai and don't even know how to keep plants alive .

I have a huge garden, and love gardening.but very soon the whole garden will be bonsinified! He he he!

I used to grow loads of flowers for the garden , i used to grow veg in my allotment and do loads of hanging baskets and grow loads of cuttings and seeds but now i only grow bonsai . Yes i'm sure it is going to happen to you. I guess being a gardener for my work i get to do all the normal gardening experience at work and enjoy having something different at home. Even saying that my bonsai knowledge and styling does show in my work gardens which i'm sure will happen to your garden .

Smithy,
is just another disease like Koi to enjoy! I am too late at it...wish I new before how nice it is. Missed a lot!