Potting | Bonsai South

What’s Wrong With This Huckleberry Picture?

by Zach Smith | Jan 1, 2019 | Blueberry, Care, Collecting, Potting

Today I lifted this Huckleberry, Vaccinium species. Check out that fantastic rootage and trunk base! There’s no doubt this specimen can be made into a fine bonsai over the next several years.

But there’s something wrong with this picture. Can you guess what it is? Or better still, can you see what it is?

The left-hand trunk here is obviously too long. One of the common mistakes just about every collector makes (I’ve been guilty, too!) is to leave their trunk too long. Sometimes it’s because you like the way the trunk moves higher up in the tree. Sometimes you misjudge the final height of your bonsai when you first lift a tree. It’s not always easy to gauge the trunk base to height ratio, or the plan way in advance for the finished height of the tree. All of these are possibilities.

In the case of this specimen, both trunks are too long. The left trunk is just way out there. But the right trunk has its own issue, namely that it stops tapering long before the chop point.

Here’s the solution. Now, you may have had a “Wow!” reaction, and that’s okay. The fact is, this tree stopped making sense as a potential bonsai long before either of those trunks reached the initial chop point. The extra length wasn’t going to make the radial rootage any less nice, but you can overcome good features in your trees by hanging onto bad features for the wrong reasons. It made no sense to keep those trunks excessively long.

I see a natural Huckleberry shape in this specimen. It’s going to bud along the length of each trunk in spring, and this includes near the chop point on each. I will use some of those buds to make a broom-form shape, which is the natural form for the species. I think it’ll be outstanding.

Finally, the tree is snugged into its nursery container, to ensure the roots are kept moist. It takes some foresight to see the potential bonsai here, but as the tree buds out and recovers followed by the initial styling it should become obvious how it’s going to turn out.

Let me know what you think of this specimen.

Making A Better Composition – Cedar Elm

by Zach Smith | Dec 2, 2018 | Care, Elms, Potting

I showed you this tree last week, specifically to demonstrate how far you can come in just a year’s time. The tree was also showing some fall color. Well, a week later and the color has continued to develop. The leaves will be off this tree before long, possibly as a result of a rain or winter storm, and that will be that till spring. But that’s not the point of this post.

In studying the tree recently I found what I think is a better front. From this view the tree seems more “open.” Still a fine branch set and good trunk movement and character, but this view just seems to have more going for it. So that’s a decision made.

The pot’s nice and all, but would the tree look better in this pot? I believe it would.

I’m a brave slip-potter. This one has all the roots it needs to maintain intracellular pressure through winter. So I’m not concerned about moving the tree from one home to another, even at this time of year.

Yes, this is a much better bonsai with the pot change.

The pot is a fine piece by Lary Howard. The rich dark color really complements the tree (nice contrast with the fall color, but it’ll also look great come spring with the fresh green foliage).

So how’d I do?

Water-Elm #35 Video #2

by Zach Smith | Oct 6, 2018 | Care, Elms, Potting, Styling, Watering

This is one of the Water-elms I collected on August 4th. I really liked the natural but artistic look of the clump (not all clumps are worth working on, trust me). I knew I could make something really special out of this one.

In two months’ time this tree has put on so much growth that I know the root system will allow me to slip-pot it without any concerns. And that gives me a head-start on its development as a bonsai.

Here’s how I did the slip-potting. One of the things to keep in mind when you’re collecting trees is the bonsai pot that lies in the future. The roots of the tree must fit that pot, and that means not only the radial roots but the tap root as well. Be sure to chop it short enough so that the tree fits “comfortably” in the pot. You don’t want to do that chop but once.

The pot I put this tree in is a beautiful handmade piece by Lary Howard.

I’d love to know what you think of this bonsai to be. Leave me a comment below.

Water-Elm #53 Video #2

by Zach Smith | Sep 29, 2018 | Care, Elms, Potting, Styling, Water Elm

I posted Water-Elm #53 Video #1 on September 9th. Since that time, the trees have grown out very well, so much so that today I decided I could risk slip-potting them. There’s always a risk in doing this, but I’ve found over the years that the risk is very low. So check out the video below.

I was convinced this composition would turn out well. What I didn’t expect was just how outstanding it was going to be. This is probably the best work I’ve done all year.

Let me know what you think. I’d love any comments you might wish to share.

Here’s the result. The interplay among the trunks is just amazing. I can’t wait to really get into the detail work this coming spring.

This pot, by the way, is an exquisite handmade piece by Lary Howard.

Let me know what you think. I’d love any comments you might wish to share.

Water Oak #8

by Zach Smith | Sep 16, 2018 | Care, Oaks, Potting, Pruning

Quercus nigra

Collect date: 2/24/18

Trunk base: 2.25″

Height to chop: 13″

Estimated age: 20 years

Years in training: 1

Estimated release date: 4/15/20

Video #1

Although this tree obviously grew with great strength this year, it did present me with one significant challenge: there were no trunk buds higher than that very vigorous shoot emerging from the side of the trunk half-way up. But … maybe that’s for the best.

This tree has come a long way in 2018. For those of you who know me, I do tend to push my trees. Today I saw no reason not to slip-pot this future oak bonsai. That should give me a head-start on it in 2019.

I’d love to know what you think of this very fine Water oak bonsai to be. Leave me a comment below.

Water-Elm Collecting Trip 5

by Zach Smith | Aug 19, 2018 | Care, Collecting, Elms, Potting, Water Elm

The Water-elm collecting season is winding down. Here are a few specimens from yesterday’s trip.

Here’s a nice single-trunk specimen with great movement, character and taper. There are two natural uros from this front view. I’m looking forward to styling this tree.

And another single-trunk specimen. This one is just a bit taller to the chop (14″ vs 13″ for the one above). Once again, very nice character, movement and taper.

There’s a lot to be said for this specimen. The trunk base is a lot broader than those above, and the twisting movement really makes a statement. Another one I can’t wait to work on.

This is the special tree we found yesterday. Why is it special? Well, it’s reminiscent to me of a tree I collected some years ago but unfortunately lost in the ice storm of 2014. The gallery photo is below. Definitely some similarities in structure.