Big Water-Elm Progression

by | Mar 16, 2021 | Care, Elms, Most Recent, Potting, Water Elm

big water-elm progression

the bonsai files

Sneak Peek

We collected this big Water-elm in late-summer 2018. It’s three years later, and time for the tree to go into its custom bonsai pot.

Big Water-elm Progression

This very nice and very large Water-elm – trunk base 4″ above the root crown, height destined to be 36″ – had eked out some growth in the fall of 2018 after we collected it in late summer. Those are fall leaves you see on the tree, in this photo taken in February of 2019.

A couple of months later I was able to do an initial styling on those very few branches the tree made available. Hey, you gotta start somewhere. The tree doesn’t look like much yet, but this is where you’ll start with just about every deciduous tree you collect. I always recommend wiring branches just as soon as possible, because that’s when they’re easiest to bend into the position you want. The longer you wait, the harder it gets and at some point it becomes impossible.

 

It’s fun to be able to fast-forward a year (don’t we all love progression series?). Those branches I wired have certainly grown out. I’ve even been able to prune them back some and regrow them.

You’ll notice that the leader I wired up in the photo above is a lot thicker now. It’s been through at least a couple of rounds of grow and chop. That’s how it’s done.

This is September of last year, and the tree has just put on a huge amount of growth.
Water-elms develop very quickly once you have them in a container – even a bonsai container, and even if you jump the gun on thickening your leader. They’re not really weeds, but are actually considered as such (meaning noxious weeds) in areas where they’re plentiful. They grow accordingly.

 

Here’s the first shot from yesterday, the fateful day. With the warm weather that has set in lately, this tree (along with most of my other Water-elms) was swelling buds. I don’t mind potting or repotting when a tree’s buds are swelling, but I almost always avoid it once the tree is leafed out.

And this wraps up the magic for Monday March 15th, 2021. I had commissioned this outstanding Lary Howard custom pot last year, and it’s been waiting patiently for this tree. I can’t imagine a better match.

As is common when you root-prune a tree that’s swelling buds, this one is leafing out in just 24 hours! The root-pruning triggers the explosion of foliar growth. A week from now, this tree will be fully in leaf.

Let me know what you think of this one. I’m very pleased with how quickly it’s become a showable bonsai.

Big Bald Cypress Gets A Home

by | Feb 27, 2021 | Bald Cypress, Care, Most Recent, Potting, Styling, Wiring

big bald cypress gets a home

the bonsai files

Sneak Peek

I’ve been working on this big Bald cypress since 2015. I’ve been anxiously waiting for the day when it got a home suited to it. Today it happened.

Big Bald Cypress Gets a Home

You’ve seen this big Bald cypress on a number of occasions. I’ve been working on it since it came home in 2015. I could say it’s an awesome specimen, but the tree speaks for itself. A couple of years after I started working on it, I potted it into this training pot (a Byron Myrick piece that cracked during firing – he gave it to me and I put it to good use).

The tree was last repotted in 2019. It doesn’t necessarily need repotting this year, but since I finally have THE pot there’s certainly no harm in doing so.

First, of course, the tree needs a thorough wiring and some minor trimming.

I forgot to mention that this tree was the first one to start pushing buds this year. The hard freezes we got recently did nip the new growth some, but the warm-up that’s happened in the past few days has resulted in lots more buds. The tree is certainly eager for 2021.

Here I’ve started on the right-hand side of the tree. By the way, when you find yourself wiring a tree that’s coming into bud, you obviously need to be careful not to damage the new buds … to the greatest extent you can. You will damage some buds. With BC in particular, they bud so prolifically that you’re going to knock off quite a few buds as you wire. Do your best, but don’t get too worried if you lose some buds. This is the time of year when these trees are super strong and determined to come out.

 

Here I’ve switched over to the left side of the tree. Ordinarily I wire from bottom to top, first branch second branch third branch and so on, but you can do it this way if you want. This is especially true when wiring a dormant tree or one that’s just coming into bud.

I’m almost done. There are some smaller shoots in the apex that I’m leaving to help continue the thickening of the tapering transition. No need to wire them. Then there’s that lowest left branch that has plodded along all these years. I’ll wire it today, but I also have a couple of small new shoots that could end up taking its place, if either one decides to get really vigorous. Time will tell.

And finally, this big BC is in its custom-made home. Lary Howard did a spectacular job on this pot – the color couldn’t be better suited to Bald cypress. Plus I think the rectangular shape with rounded corners is just right for this tree.

I’ll post additional updates on this tree as it finishes its transformation into a fine specimen bonsai. In about two years, I expect to have it done.

Let me know what you think of today’s work.

Bald Cypress Collecting Trip #5 For 2021

by | Jan 30, 2021 | Bald Cypress, Care, Collecting, Most Recent, Potting

bald cypress collecting trip #5 for 2021

the bonsai files

Sneak Peek

Trees are starting to bud already south of us, so this is probably our last BC collecting trip for 2021.

Bald Cypress Collecting Trip #5 for 2021

The willows are coming out now, down south of us, and the swamp maples are blooming. When you add to that the fact that I have some BC’s on my benches that are showing green buds, I think it’s time to call the collecting season done for 2021.

Here’s the star of the show for today. Check out the knee behind the tree. It’s definitely connected to the trunk, so if it roots then I’ve got a special tree on the bench. I think this is the best front for the tree.

Another view. Easier to see the knee, but the trunk is not as impressive from this angle.

This one measures 3.5″ at a height of 3.5″ from the soil surface, and it’s chopped at 26″. It’s going to make a fine informal upright (very nice taper and movement, love the basal flare).

This one has a 3″ trunk, with nice radial roots and outstanding character. And you have to love the change of direction in the trunk. I see a flat-top here.

This one also has a 3″ trunk, but it’s made really special by the fluting near the base – somewhat hard to make out in this photo, but it’s quite prominent for a tree this size. I’m always looking for this quality of material.

Finally for today, this is an even smaller specimen sporting a 2″ base (chopped at 20″). While it’s also hard to make out in the photo, this one has subtle fluting in the trunk and that’s really unusual for a specimen this small. Nice flare and roots at the base as well.

I’d love to hear what you think of today’s catch.

Huckleberry Flowers – A January Tradition

by | Jan 24, 2021 | Blueberry, Care, Flowering, Most Recent, Potting, Pruning

huckleberry flowers – a january tradition

the bonsai files

Sneak Peek

Huckleberries flower and fruit reliably in a bonsai pot. Because they flower so early, they help brighten up an otherwise drab time of year.

Huckleberry Flowers – a January Tradition

We’re getting closer to the official start of the 2021 growing season. While there’s not much cheer in the bonsai garden right now, one thing you can rely on in January is Huckleberry flowers. I collected this specimen in 2019, and the design is coming along nicely. Better yet, it’s loaded with flower buds.

They’re swelling now, and will start opening in the next one to three days.

Since it’s year three for this specimen, I know I can go ahead and pot it up for spring. First, though, a light pruning to remove some of the more rank growth.

If you decide to collect your own blueberries, you’ll find that it takes a few years to get a decent root system going. Like this. Huckleberries produce a dense mat of fine roots, much like azaleas do. (They are also acid-loving like azaleas, which is important to keep in mind when the inevitable droughts come.)

I did prune away some roots, as I had more than would fit in this bonsai pot. The tree won’t mind, since it also got some above ground pruning to balance things out.

You can see I’ve left the leader long, in order to thicken it and make the tapering transition look right. I may be able to shorten it next year; time will tell.

Another good thing about Huckleberries is that they produce nice ramification without much more than pruning. So once you wire the primaries into place, you can rely on grow and clip to complete your design.

Let me know what you think.

Bald Cypress Collecting Trip #4 For 2021

by | Jan 23, 2021 | Bald Cypress, Care, Collecting, Most Recent, Potting

bald cypress collecting trip #4 for 2021

the bonsai files

Sneak Peek

Our goal this week was to collect some additional smaller cypresses. We had some good luck.

Bald Cypress Collecting Trip #4 for 2021

We went after some additional smaller specimens today, and we had great success. This one has a 3.5″ trunk and is chopped at 25″. Very nice start on an informal upright BC bonsai.

This one has a 2.5″ trunk and is chopped at 21.5″. We came home with three this exact same size.

Although this tree doesn’t fit the “smaller material” category – the base is 4.5″ – I couldn’t leave it behind. I chopped it at 22″, so it’s a chunkier speciment than most this size. Nice fluting.

Finally for today, this was my favorite. I sometimes find two trees growing together and they look like they want to be a bonsai together. I love the ratio of trunk sizes here. The larger one has a 3″ base and is chopped at 26″.

My plan, at least for now, is to hang onto this one to train. I think it’s going to make an outstanding bonsai in just a few years.

Let me know what you think. The BC we’ve collected this year could very well start budding in February, if we get a warm snap. Personally, I can’t wait for some warmer weather.

Bald Cypress Collecting Trip #3 For 2021

by | Jan 16, 2021 | Bald Cypress, Care, Collecting, Most Recent, Potting

bald cypress collecting trip #3 for 2021

the bonsai files

Sneak Peek

This week’s catch featured a couple of big ones, though they weren’t quite as large as last week’s big ones; plus we got some smaller material as well.

Bald Cypress Collecting Trip #3 for 2021

Here’s another one of those big guys, though fortunately not quite as large as last week’s big ones. Check out the flutes and the basal flare. Really outstanding material.

One possible front.

I like this front a lot better. The trunk has some movement and the flutes are still nicely highlighted.

A third possibility. Also good, but I still like number 2 best.

Getting the tree in the tub called for adjusting the planting angle to accommodate the flaring roots. But hey, I think this potential front may just have as much going for it as the one above.

The base of the tree is 6.5″ across, and it’s chopped at 31″. You can’t ask for better large BC raw material than this.

We were lucky enough to find some smaller trees this time as well. This one, which has flat-top written all over it, is 3.5″ across just above the soil and stands 29″ at the chop.

Here’s another one with a 3.5″ trunk. Love the flutes and basal flare. I’m thinking of hanging onto this one for training. It stands 26″ to the chop, and will make a fine formal upright specimen.

Let me know what you think.