Here’s my Chinese elm, Ulmus parvifolia, that you can learn more about on its Progression page. Last fall, I decided that this view of the tree didn’t really show it off to best advantage. I liked the one below better.
Better trunk movement, better tapering transition, all in all just better. Today it was time to turn it in the pot.
I took off only enough root to fit the tree in the pot, including a small amount at the bottom of the root mass to allow for a little drainage layer (till the roots grow down into that area, of course). The tree won’t mind this at all.
Tied down and filled in with fresh soil. As you may be able to see, the tree is leafing out. I prefer to do my work on Chinese elms when the buds are swelling, not in the dead of winter. I also lift them from the growing beds at this time.
Here’s a two-tree Bald cypress planting I got from a fellow grower last fall. I figured it would make a nice composition more or less as-is. Today it was time to make this happen.
A good bit of root had to go, in order to fit these two trees into the tray properly. I also took off a lot of the upper parts of the trees. That should help balance things.
Here they are, placed in the tray.
And the tray filled in with soil. These trees are already budding, and I don’t anticipate potting them will delay their growth too much. In a couple of weeks, they should be filled out pretty well.
Note:
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I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite bonsai styles is the simple upright tree. That’s how most trees grow, after all. This one is going to do well.
I think this is my favorite from the trip. Isn’t that shari near the base terrific? Plus the movement, plus the taper, plus the bark. And what’s more, this tree is smaller that the ones above. The trunk base is only 1″ at the soil. But great things often come in small packages.
I really like group plantings, so we harvested several smaller specimens in order to make a couple this year. These three trees looking like they belong together, so I went ahead and potted them up with that idea in mind. Assuming they all make it, I should be able to slip-pot them into a bonsai container this summer.
I’d love to hear what you think of these Cedar elms.
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Note:
Comments are closed. Remember to use the new Insider’s Club Form to post your questions and comments. This helps everybody learn and help and this is where I am now posting responses to your inquires and comments. (You’ll find the forum by scrolling up; it’s on your right.)
Now that winter has set in, it’s time to begin working on the 2018 growing season. The “official” collecting season begins on January 1 and goes through about March. Sometimes the weather throws this schedule off, but most of the time it’s a reliable 12 weeks during which most species I offer can be lifted with good success.
It’s always nice to get a head start on the season, which as of now means two weeks during which I can identify and lift specimens that can be offered next year. Here are a couple that seemed ready to begin their lives in pots.
Here’s a Water oak, Quercus nigra, that has been growing on my property for several years now. I’ve chopped it back in order to build taper, in preparation for its ultimate styling as a bonsai. Since the trunk is now thick enough to work with, today seemed like a good time to go ahead and harvest it.
What a mess! When you look at a specimen like this, it’s not all that easy to see what you ought to do with it. But trust me, in here is a bonsai. You just have to be prepared to identify and create a trunk line.
If you can compare this photo to the one above, I think you can get an idea of how to go about finding your trunk line. The basic process involves identifying progressively smaller upright branches that when chopped to produce a smooth tapering from base to tip. In this case, there’s the trunk base which rises about 5″, then a slimmer leader emerging from this point on the trunk that rises another 3″, then a final smaller leader that completes the trunk line that’s 9.5″ from base to apex.
As you grow trees to size, this is the process you’ll follow most of the time. You allow the tree to grow, then you chop back, then new shoots take over (apically dominant, so they want to run), you chop them back when their thickness is sufficient, and the process is repeated.
This specimen is now potted and the chops sealed. Isn’t the taper terrific, not to mention the trunk movement? Come spring, it will throw buds in suitable places along the trunk which I can wire into place.
I expect this specimen to be a nice shohin Water oak bonsai in just a few years.
Now onto this American elm, Ulmus americana. I’ve been field-growing this tree for about five years now, and it’s gained a lot of trunk thickness quickly (trunk base 2.75″).
There are two problems with this specimen: one, that thick high root on the right-hand side of the tree; and two, the swelling that has occurred at the original trunk chop point (where multiple leaders emerged and grew unchecked for too long).
Since I have a nice set of radial roots, I’m attempting to make the offending root look right by splitting it. Where it’s chopped it should heal over, and the spot on the lower trunk that’s bare should also roll over fine. Now, what about the thickness of the root? In a year or two, this root can be split longitudinally and the center area carved out. Once this heals over, the appearance should be natural.
Failing this, it should be possible to layer roots in the trunk area above this big root, and eliminate it entirely. But one thing at a time.
As for the swelling area, I simply chopped that off. I’ll come back and carve it this next growing season to make the appearance look smooth. It’ll heal over in a year or two.
I did a final chop of the two leaders I’m keeping.
American elm grows with such vigor that I should have a smooth transition into the upper part of this tree by the end of the 2018 growing season.
If you’re looking for Water oak or American elm, stay tuned for new material this coming spring. If you’d like to be on our wish list for these species, sign up for the Bonsai South email list.
We tend to hunker down in winter, since our bonsai aren’t growing and the weather is often miserable. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make progress with our bonsai. In fact, once the leaves on our deciduous trees have fallen, we have an ideal opportunity to see the “bones” of the tree and evaluate/re-evaluate the design.
Image 1
I’ve been working on this Chinese elm, Ulmus parvifolia, for a few years now. It has reached a pleasing point in the design process. The lower part of the tree, all the way to the crown area, is essentially done. The ramification has really advanced over the past year, and I’m actually going to need to thin the tree somewhat in late winter. I’m not complaining about that, mind you. As for the crown, the “bones” of it are taking shape and I expect it to fill out completely within the next two growing seasons. All in all, this tree is coming along beautifully.
Note: Look at the tree BELOW here and read that text. Then, scroll back up to the top of the screen as you will be asked to compare the images as shown (Image 1 & Image 3).
Image 3
Next we turn the tree another 90°, to view the left side. This presents us with an obvious, though minor and easily fixed, problem. Notice that the back of the tree (to your left in this photo) does not extend as far out as the front does. As a rule, your bonsai should have greater extension in the back than in the front. Granted it’s not too pronounced here, but I definitely need to trim back the branches extending toward the viewer.
Now for the really important question. Do you notice anything unusual about the tree when viewing it from this angle? Take a few seconds and compare this photo with the one to your left. As I studied them, one very significant thing just leapt out at me, namely, the trunk line has much more character and interest when viewed from this angle. Notice the subtle curve that progresses from soil to apex. Notice how the curve becomes more dramatic once you get into the crown area. And notice that the tapering transition appears much smoother.
The obvious problem with viewing the tree from this angle is one, the placement of the branches, and two, the fact that the crown moves away from the viewer. For this particular tree, that problem would be very hard to overcome if I planned to make this the new front. But … maybe there’s no need to. Why not just turn the tree 180°?
Image 2
When you study your trees, you have to take the time to consider them from all angles. Now, most trees are not “360°” bonsai, meaning they don’t look equally good from all angles. This is not a problem. Pretty much all bonsai have a definitive front, and with good reason. So you build the tree with this in mind, in accordance with the various rules.
Here’s the back of this Chinese elm. Nothing wrong with the tree from this angle, that some judicious pruning won’t fix in a couple of months.
Image 4
Voila! From this angle, not only does the crown move toward the viewer, I have a workable set of branches in the lower part of the tree. I still have the subtle curve of the trunk, and the curves I’ve built in the crown look very nice. I even have a better-looking set of branches in the crown to work from, when viewed from this angle.
It won’t be too much trouble to re-position this tree in its pot come spring. And that will make my design a whole lot better.
Do you agree with this change? Let me know what you think.