by Zach Smith | Feb 11, 2017 | Care, Crape myrtle, Potting, Pruning, Styling, Wiring, ZPC
I mentioned recently that it was time to repot this nice old Crape myrtle bonsai, Lagerstoemia indica, that was gifted to me by my late friend Allen Gautreau. In addition to the needed repotting, this tree is also seriously overgrown and needs to be brought back in. Though it does look nice, and you can see the many years of care that have gone into creating and maintaining this bonsai, it’s just gotten out of proportion.
Another thing you many have noticed about this tree is that it’s in a container much too large for it. The trunk base of the tree is 1.75″ above the root crown, while the container is a substantial 4″ from foot to rim. Those are not good proportions.
In this photo you can see I’ve already brought in the silhouette of this tree. It’s a good start, but there’s more to be done. Of particular concern to me is that really large right-hand branch up in the crown of the tree. It’s every bit as thick as the trunk at that point, so in order to correct that proportion the best thing I can do is remove the branch entirely and start over with it.
You can also see in this photo that the tree has been turned a bit, in order to make for a better potting angle. That large root coming straight toward you in the first photo is now not so glaring. Allen had identified the new potting angle, by the way, a few years ago. So I’m going to make this happen.
A quick whack later, and the offending branch is gone. Most deciduous species will produce buds at the point where a branch has been removed, so I’m counting on this characteristic to give me a new shoot to rework into the branch that’s now missing.
Notice that I’ve also drastically reduced the silhouette of the tree, especially in the crown. The illusion of height for this specimen is back.
Crape myrtles can make some roots! I don’t know when the last repotting was, but I can guarantee you that before this season’s over, everything I cut off today will have regrown.
Now the roots are combed out. For old, established bonsai such as this one, you usually only need to worry about creating some peripheral room for new, young roots to grow. The main surface roots are usually fine, so you can limit the cutting to around the edges and off the bottom.
Here’s the tree’s new home, a nice Byron Myrick oval. You can see how much root I took off to make the tree fit right. Now I just need to tie it down and fill in with fresh bonsai soil.
The final result after the repotting is done. Now tree and pot are in much better proportion. The root base of this crape is really nice, measuring 3.5″ across at the soil. This produces the impression of the tree gripping the soil, plus there’s real age (35+ years) along with training age (25+ years) that gives this bonsai super character. You can see how much loving care has gone into it over the decades.
Always remember to seal those big cuts!
This is one of those trees that also looks good from the back. Though I think the other viewing angle is best, there’s a lot going for this one as well.
Before we leave today’s study of this Crape myrtle bonsai, there’s one more reminder about working on your trees. If at all possible, take photos and study your work. The camera will show you things you may have missed in person. Case in point, notice that sub-branch pointing straight up on the lowest left branch? Ugly!
So a little wire and a little bending makes this problem go away. Today’s work is done …
… or is it? Now I can see that sub-branch on the lowest right-hand branch that’s running way too far across the tree. So once I post this blog, I’m off to grab the concave cutters and fix that problem.
What do you think of this Crape myrtle bonsai? I’m really pleased with it personally, and I think Allen would be as well.
by Zach Smith | Dec 26, 2016 | Care, Collecting, Elms, Styling, Water Elm, Wiring
Earlier in the season I began a fun raft-style Water-elm project that will take a few years to become a great bonsai. But I have no doubt how it’s going to turn out. Here’s the first photo I took of this very rough specimen:
There’s gobs of growth on this three-trunk potential future raft. There’s a bonsai in there somewhere, but there needs to be more than three trunks. This is never a problem with a water-elm that has a recumbent trunk or connecting root.
In order to style any piece of material sitting in front of you, you have to develop at least a rudimentary plan. Here it’s simple: make the three trunks look like something, to get an idea of the possibilities down the road. So I’ve cut away everything that didn’t look like a triple-trunk raft in the making. The smallest trunk has the lowest branches and a complete though juvenile structure; the middle trunk has a nice upper-level branch structure with the branches in the right positions; the leftward, largest trunk has suffered dieback but has a couple of upright shoots that I can wire upward in order to rebuild the trunk. It’s not much yet, but I can absolutely make something nice out of this piece of material.
The first two photos were taken in July (2016), by the way. Now it’s almost the end of the year, and here’s what I’ve got.
What I started with in July has grown out profusely. The branch structures on the two smaller trunks have developed quickly and need trimming back. The new upright shoot on the largest trunk has grown out over a foot in length and should produce a rebuilt trunk in another season or two. But what’s best of all is I have gotten new shoots to pop on the connected root. That means I’m not limited to three trunks anymore. Now there’s a real raft in the making.
I keep an old pair of concave cutters handy for work in the root zone (rusty from the wet work, but sharp). I recommend this practice, as you want to keep your best tools out of the soil where they can be quickly dulled by the inorganic soil component(s).
The ugly root is gone now, revealing a more pleasing surface root beneath.
I also keep an old pair of knob cutters handy for working in the root zone. Here I’m rounding off the cut I made with the concave cutters.
Now it looks better.
You may have noticed a few photos ago that I have also removed some shoots that grew near the base of the main trunk, plus a couple of roots that likewise grew from up on the base of the trunk. These were not aesthetically pleasing and had to go.
Did you notice the ugly abrupt cut on the newly revealed surface root? That too has to be corrected. Here I’m using my concave cutters to make an angled cut.
Now the follow-up with the knob cutters, to make the cut smooth and round.
Now it’s time to step back and take stock of the raft once again. I’ve turned the pot, to make the small new trunk next to the main trunk easier to see (not hidden behind the main trunk). Does this perspective work? Absolutely. Now I can count five trunks for this specimen, three well-established plus too smaller ones to provide depth in the composition of the multiple trunks.
On to the next chore. As I mentioned, the main trunk suffered dieback but did produce a couple of shoots for potential trunk rebuilding. Here I’m cutting away the dead wood near where the new shoot/trunk will be continuing on.
I’ve cut down to “fresh” wood. The new shoot will be allowed to grow untrimmed for a good part of next year if not the whole year. This should induce some healing in the area where I’ve made the angle cut. I’m also hopeful of getting a bud somewhere on the bottom side of the cut area, to enhance healing. We’ll see what happens.
Seal those cuts!
And finally, the leader is wired up and given a little movement. I see a nice five-trunk raft-style bonsai in this rudimentary composition. If you compare this photo to those above, you can see how all of today’s work has really started to bring out the artistry in the future composition. I think I’ll need to change pots with this specimen, but for the time being it can continue developing in this nice old tray.
I’d love to hear what you think of this raft-style bonsai in the making. Did today’s work make a difference? Leave us a comment below.
by Zach Smith | Dec 18, 2016 | Care, Collecting, Hornbeam, Potting, Styling, Wiring
American hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana, is hands-down one of the best bonsai species for beginners. I’ll be out looking for new material next month, but in the meantime I had this lone specimen left on the bench. I collected it last year. What I liked about it, aside from the size and obvious potential, was that it featured rough bark. This happens sometimes with hornbeam, but frankly it’s unusual.
This tree took its time coming out in Spring 2016, so I fed, watered and otherwise ignored it. Only recently did I take note of how well the leader thickened up as the growing season drew near its close. That told me one thing, that the tree had produced a great root system. This is typical for American hornbeam.
Given the fact that next month it’ll be time to go collect new hornbeams, I thought it might be a good time to play around with this one (it’s hard not to make bonsai, regardless of the time of year).
The first order of business was to address the chop. The tree had produced a nice bud right at the chop, and that bud had grown into a very strong leader. No time like the present to make the angled cut that will produce the tapering transition needed in the apex.
Here’s the tool of choice for this operation – a trunk splitter. It takes a bit of practice, but you eventually become adept at figuring out just the right spot to begin the angled cut.
This is as far as I can go with the trunk splitter. Now it’s time for the knob cutters.
And this is the final result. Now I have a good angled cut that takes the original trunk right into the new leader. As the leader grows and fills out, it’ll continue to thicken which will make the tapering transition look smooth and natural.
Given how strong the tree’s root system is, I felt it was perfectly all right to go ahead and put it into this nice unglazed Chuck Iker round. I’ve wired the branches in the apex and wired up a new leader. Once the 2017 growing season is over, I think this will be a stunning tree. And isn’t the fall color nice, too?
This tree does have one significant flaw I need to address next year. It lacks a nice surface root in the front of the tree. I plan to layer it this coming spring. Given how vigorously hornbeams root, I’m confident I’ll be successful.
Do you grow American hornbeam? Have you had good luck with the species? Leave us a comment below.
by Zach Smith | Dec 3, 2016 | Boxwood, Care, Potting, Styling, Wiring
The winter rains are terrible and wonderful. We have to have them. But they seem to follow right on the heels of the nice fall colors – which we don’t get much of here but we do cherish what we get – putting a big damper on the landscape. Still, we always look for something to brighten the mood.
I made this Japanese boxwood, Buxus Japonica, from a slew of cuttings I rooted a couple of years ago. It’s nothing significant, just a starter bonsai, but they all have to start somewhere. Boxwood species have a lot going for them. They’re evergreen, which means you’ll have something green through the winter besides your junipers and pines. Sometimes they get a bronzy color when it gets really cold. This particular species of boxwood is hardy to Zone 6, which means unless you’re in the northern plains states they do just fine outdoors all winter long.
Boxwoods have other great qualities. They always seem to produce great nebari, plus they’ll bloom in a bonsai pot, though the flowers are pretty inconspicuous. Wiring is easy, and they take shaping well – though once the wood gets really stiff you won’t be bending it ever again!
This photo is from mid-October. While this isn’t the time you normally think of potting up anything, boxwoods don’t mind. And they’ll even put on some new growth at this time of year.
Here’s proof. As you can see, every branch I wired, plus the apex, has new buds opening. Not only does this mean the bonsai has come through its potting experience, next year I’ll get tremendous growth and the development will be rapid.
If you’re looking for a nice starter bonsai for Christmas, you can’t go wrong with a boxwood. This one is available at our Miscellaneous Bonsai page, with more to come next year. The pot is a great piece by Chuck Iker.
by Zach Smith | Nov 19, 2016 | Bald Cypress, Care, Pruning, Styling, Wiring, ZPC
It’s been a while since I updated the development of my big Bald cypress, Taxodium distichum. This is year two following collection in Winter 2015.
Here’s a photo of the tree in February of last year, just when it was pushing its first buds.
Here’s the tree after its first round of wiring and shaping for 2016, then defoliation and trimming this past July. I was thinking at the time that it might be best to turn the tree slightly.
Here’s the tree as of today, after growing out since the July defoliation. I haven’t done any pinching or pruning, rather I’ve just left the tree alone.
For all of you BC lovers out there who have requested my development guide, I’ve included this photo to show you how the callus is rolling over. Take special note of the “shelf” of wood I left at the top of the chop, where the angled cut was made early this year. The callus has to “climb” over this shelf, which slows its progress and prevents a nasty reverse taper at the point where the new leader emerges from the chop area. As early as next year I’ll carve down the shelf, and that will allow the callus to close over the chopped and carved area and eventually the wound will be completely healed.
Another thing worth noting for today is this vegetative shoot emerging from the new leader. I let it grow wild in order to thicken the base of the leader, which will ensure a smooth tapering transition.
Following removal. I’ll allow the wired leader to grow out in 2017, which will continue the process of thickening the base of the leader.
And finally, after a hard pruning. I really like the design that’s taking shape on this bald cypress. By the end of the 2017 growing season, it should be well on its way to becoming an outstanding specimen bonsai.
The trunk on this tree is 7″ across about 7″ above the soil surface. The root spread is about 16″, and it will finish at about 36″ tall.
Don’t you just love the deep fluting on this tree’s buttressing roots? When you think of the classic bald cypress form, this is what comes to mind.
I’d love to hear any comments you may have on this tree.
by Zach Smith | Oct 30, 2016 | Bald Cypress, Care, Styling, Wiring
In keeping with my fun series on making great bonsai out of less-than-great starting material, I wanted to show you what you too can do with a little time and a good plan of action. Because I tend to send my initial efforts at making bonsai lemonade to other artists across the country, I don’t always find out what happens on the back end. I had that opportunity recently when a good client/bonsai friend contacted me following my post on cutting trees back hard when they need it. You see, he had gotten one of my earlier efforts at making bonsai lemonade out of material that otherwise may have ended up on a compost heap. It was a Bald cypress I had collected in 2010 and then rushed the angle cut in the apex. This jarred the tree excessively, resulting in die back far down the trunk. But the tree was alive all the way around at the base, and so I stuck it in a tub and just let it grow wild figuring one day I’d make something of it.
Here’s the earliest photo of the subject tree I have, taken in January 2013. As you can see, most of the trunk is dead … but, there’s a ring of living tissue going all the way around and a nice long shoot I’ve allowed to run in order to thicken it. You see, I had a plan.
Here’s the first iteration of the plan, from August of 2014. I saw a dead snag and a new trunk. Though I think this could have worked, the problem with it was that the dead wood had begun to rot fairly extensively in the four years following collection. So it would have taken heroic measures to preserve the snag as originally envisioned.
This photo is from October 2014, and from a different angle.
And a couple of months later, after bowing to the inevitable with regard to the snag. It was at this point that I first saw the bonsai in this piece of otherwise lousy material. Which brings up a good point. Sometimes you don’t know for sure what the best design is for a tree, when first starting out. And that’s okay. Time and patience will usually pay off. So I wasn’t too concerned about this tree; I knew a good design would eventually present itself.
So the tree went on to its new home in 2015, and the training plan was continued. In this photo the branches have been wired out and positioned. You can see there’s a new leader, which had been grown out following a round of grow and chop. This leader would be allowed to run, to continue development of the new Bald cypress bonsai.
Fast-forward to the present, and you can see what has been achieved in a relatively short time. This is a truly great job of creating the rest of the crown of this bonsai. I’ve recommended a semi-hard pruning next year, to bring the silhouette inward a bit, but it’s hard to argue that this once-poor piece of material is well on its way to being a stunning bonsai.
Here’s a view of the tree from the opposite side. Which is better? I personally like them both, so I suggested that it be repotted into a round container in order to allow the tree to be viewed from either direction.
I think this is an absolutely terrific job in making this bonsai. Wouldn’t you agree? Doesn’t it make you want to find a lemon to work on?
Comments are welcome, as always.
