woensdag 15 maart 2017
Common Alder - branch bending
The recentely repotted Common Alder (alnus glutinosa) had two branches corrected today. Two bigger branches that could not really be bend with wire any more. I cut them to about half the branch width and then bent them. One I bent by forcing a wooden pen (recuperated branch from pruned plum) between two branches up to the point it closed the cut as good as possible. The other with thick wire on top secured with flexible tree binding rope and a guy wire.
zondag 12 maart 2017
Silver Birch ready for spring
No repotting, just a quick cleanup in these last weeks of winter. Mainly removing algi and moss from trunk and branches and remove about 1/2 cm of the substrate to tidy up the main roots, it looks better.
When the top has matured a bit more, it will get a 'nice' handmade pot.
When the top has matured a bit more, it will get a 'nice' handmade pot.
Hawthorn, airlayered today. Roots were really going nowhere...
Perhaps now this one can get a nice glazed handmade pot in the future.
Started in 2007/2008 from not much more than the trunkline and a few branch stumps.
It was collected before by someone else, but this was just plain hedge quality material.
substrate used for airlayering: vermiculite + about 20% lava sand
Perhaps now this one can get a nice glazed handmade pot in the future.
Started in 2007/2008 from not much more than the trunkline and a few branch stumps.
It was collected before by someone else, but this was just plain hedge quality material.
substrate used for airlayering: vermiculite + about 20% lava sand
common European Ash
About 25cm in height; The European Ash tree reaches heights of up to 40m in its natural environment.
Except ramification, I also need to thicken the top, I'll just prune very late in the top for that purpose. Besides that the rootbase is a big problem, there are practically no usefull roots on one side. So today I decided to airlayer it. Fingers crossed.
Except ramification, I also need to thicken the top, I'll just prune very late in the top for that purpose. Besides that the rootbase is a big problem, there are practically no usefull roots on one side. So today I decided to airlayer it. Fingers crossed.
Larix decidua, repotted
Larix decidua, the european larix.
Repotted in a...plastic training pot.
Could be a cascade in the future, or could stay a semi-cascade.
This one has always been a challenge, styled, restyled, styled, restyled, never to full satisfaction. The quite awkward 'straight' main trunk is the culprit, I guess. I will not try to bend it, because I would loose the old bark.
Repotted in a...plastic training pot.
Could be a cascade in the future, or could stay a semi-cascade.
This one has always been a challenge, styled, restyled, styled, restyled, never to full satisfaction. The quite awkward 'straight' main trunk is the culprit, I guess. I will not try to bend it, because I would loose the old bark.
zondag 5 maart 2017
How do I start many of my trees?
Well, like this. From seedling or seed.
This is a wild domesticated apple (malus domesticus), most likely an ancient variety. I first thought it was genuine wild apple (malus sylvestris), because the parent tree from which I harvested, had very small apples (about max 4 cm), even colour without stripes. But, they tasted quite sweet, which is not typical for Malus Sylvestris.
Anyway, I harvested some apples in late december 2015, left the seed in a pot outside during winter, and sowed in spring 2016. This is one of the seedlings of 2016. I Planted it out on a rock and put it in a pond basket. I hope it will be strong enough by next spring, to plant it out in the ground for further development. If all goes well, this will be an interesting and fun project for decades to come.
Well, like this. From seedling or seed.
This is a wild domesticated apple (malus domesticus), most likely an ancient variety. I first thought it was genuine wild apple (malus sylvestris), because the parent tree from which I harvested, had very small apples (about max 4 cm), even colour without stripes. But, they tasted quite sweet, which is not typical for Malus Sylvestris.
Anyway, I harvested some apples in late december 2015, left the seed in a pot outside during winter, and sowed in spring 2016. This is one of the seedlings of 2016. I Planted it out on a rock and put it in a pond basket. I hope it will be strong enough by next spring, to plant it out in the ground for further development. If all goes well, this will be an interesting and fun project for decades to come.
Privet small group planting
Had to halt repotting work untill wind and rain passed away, I let it soak a couple of hours in its 'metal' pot before repotting it in a mica training pot. One or two years from now I'll put it in a rough slab.
Started in february 2016 with a handfull of privet plants I recycled for a hedge corner I needed to dig out for other garden plans.
Started in february 2016 with a handfull of privet plants I recycled for a hedge corner I needed to dig out for other garden plans.
Malus repotted
Malus, repotted in a much-too-wide glazed oval pot, but it will do the job for 1 or 2 years. Good for root growth. Inclination is not yet perfect, but this does not matter for now.
Strong growth needed for branch thickening, and more ramification in the top.
I bought this one as a neglected off-priced prebonsai in july 2012. It has had an big transformation since then.
Strong growth needed for branch thickening, and more ramification in the top.
I bought this one as a neglected off-priced prebonsai in july 2012. It has had an big transformation since then.
Winterflowering Japanese Cherry - repotted
Small winterflowering Japanese Cherry (Prunus Subhirtella Autumnalis 'rosea').
About 20 years old, but never spent time in the ground. Bought in a garden centre about 15 years ago, when it was nothing more than a felt pen-thick plant.
Needs a glazed or handmate pot later, when it has a bit more ramification.
I need to finish off the repotting with some topsoil. I used a mix of vermiculite-zeolite-cocopeat-lavasand.
About 20 years old, but never spent time in the ground. Bought in a garden centre about 15 years ago, when it was nothing more than a felt pen-thick plant.
Needs a glazed or handmate pot later, when it has a bit more ramification.
I need to finish off the repotting with some topsoil. I used a mix of vermiculite-zeolite-cocopeat-lavasand.
Field maple repotted
Field Maple, between 20 to 25 years.
Repotted a few days ago, and pruned back heavily in upper 3rd. It had too many long stiff branches with awkward angles, elas quite typical for field maple. I need new ramification on younger branches too. Now I can start over. It has many buds on trunk as well so there will be enough choice.
Thin akadama toplayer, underneath a mix of zeolite-vermiculite-lavasand-cocopeat.
Repotted a few days ago, and pruned back heavily in upper 3rd. It had too many long stiff branches with awkward angles, elas quite typical for field maple. I need new ramification on younger branches too. Now I can start over. It has many buds on trunk as well so there will be enough choice.
Thin akadama toplayer, underneath a mix of zeolite-vermiculite-lavasand-cocopeat.
Common Hazel - repotted
This one I repotted a couple of days ago.
Harvested in april 2014 from a wild border alongside a private driving lane, where all shrubs are cut back drastically every few years.
Harvested in april 2014 from a wild border alongside a private driving lane, where all shrubs are cut back drastically every few years.
Still in a mica training pot, because this was the first very drastic rootpruning since harvesting. Next year or in 2 years, it could use a nice roughly shaped slab with diversity in height or with a bit of a crescent in it. I'll uplift it some more then and roots should be more visible too.
Rowan #1 repotted
From a seedling in 1997. In all these years it has only spent 2 seasons in the ground.
Repotted a few days ago. From a blueglazed round pot to a wider blueglazed and a bit more shallow pot. Still nothing special and it really could use a handmade pot, maybe next year.
Repotted a few days ago. From a blueglazed round pot to a wider blueglazed and a bit more shallow pot. Still nothing special and it really could use a handmade pot, maybe next year.
Rowan #2 repotted
Repotted a few days ago.
Common (European) Rowan or Sorbus Aucuparia.
Harvested in april 2014 from a wild border alongside a private driving lane, where all shrubs are cut back drastically every few years.
After only 2 years in trainingpot, with 1 pruning each year, it is ready for its first pot.
Will be a nice little bonsai in a few years, and rather unique because the species is not common in bonsai.
Common (European) Rowan or Sorbus Aucuparia.
Harvested in april 2014 from a wild border alongside a private driving lane, where all shrubs are cut back drastically every few years.
After only 2 years in trainingpot, with 1 pruning each year, it is ready for its first pot.
Will be a nice little bonsai in a few years, and rather unique because the species is not common in bonsai.
Red Current repotted
Tiny Red Current (variety) from a cutting back in 2016 (one of my first steps into 'bonsai'). It has never been planted out in the garden, I've always kept it in pot. Thin 'trunk', but red currents do not produce big trunks as garden plants anyway.
Yesterday I repotted it in a wide shallow oval pot that had was on the shelve for years. I didn't even know I had it. It's a plain pot, nothing fancy, but it will do the job for 1 or 2 years.
A bit of wiring to do (mainly 1mm wire), and some extra growth needed in the top.
Yesterday I repotted it in a wide shallow oval pot that had was on the shelve for years. I didn't even know I had it. It's a plain pot, nothing fancy, but it will do the job for 1 or 2 years.
A bit of wiring to do (mainly 1mm wire), and some extra growth needed in the top.
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