Michigan Cichlid Association

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Steve on April 15, 2015, 02:47:33 PM

Title: New Bonsai garden
Post by: Steve on April 15, 2015, 02:47:33 PM
This winter has been really good for my business, been building tons of rods and staying busy 10-12hrs per day 7 days a week. Problem with that is you get so busy with work stuff you just have to take a day and do nothing but something that relaxes you. So I finally had to take a day off yesterday and used some relaxing time making a new Bonsai forest. Took about 15 hrs of planting pruning and wiring but I'm happy with the result. Will make a nice addition to the backyard Bonsai garden.
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 (http://imageshack.com/a/img911/3105/sSEcYO.jpg)
 (http://imageshack.com/a/img540/4387/q4ACtP.jpg)
 (http://imageshack.com/a/img538/340/JYUhSg.jpg)
 (http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5301/g5d2ft.jpg)
 (http://imageshack.com/a/img661/4087/YYMasN.jpg)
 (http://imageshack.com/a/img905/7540/nhEFDI.jpg)
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: Regalblue on April 15, 2015, 04:36:39 PM
Looks nice. Good to have something like this to help you relax & de-stress.
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: sam-macmasteri on April 17, 2015, 08:44:36 AM
Lol I do bonsai and cichlids as well... wish I could combine the two effectively.
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: olliesshop on April 20, 2015, 04:05:33 AM
I never thought I would have a Bonsai tree, but my Daughter bought a kit for me to grow some.  I've been watering it with a mister for the last 3 weeks or so and hopefully the seeds will be sprouting soon.  I can't remember the name, but it supposed to be a flowering bush.  I was thinking of posting a picture, but it would be rather boring ...  :)
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: Steve on April 25, 2015, 08:51:10 PM
(http://imageshack.com/a/img537/2231/d3MFB2.jpg)
(http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9906/p1nfYF.jpg)

Worked on one of my favorite bonsai trees today. I started training this boxwood 2 years ago from a Sam's Club nursery stock bush. It was a plain old round green shrub when I bought it. Just finished giving it it's second pruning and wiring and moving it to it's smaller 2nd training pot. It's going in a very nice direction now. Few more years and it will really start to look good.
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: thebbqguy on April 25, 2015, 08:57:34 PM
You are a man of many talents.

I tried bonsai a few years ago, but couldn't get the hang of it. I am partial to bougainvillea bonsai specimens. Living in Florida, they were very popular for bonsai. Very fast growing. They wouldn't do well here unless you kept them indoors I guess.
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: GrizzlysDad on April 25, 2015, 09:40:58 PM
Once again, you create some awesome visual effects. That boxwood looks so cool Steve. I know squat about the hobby and I'm sure my take is incorrect but, the second picture reminds me of a miniature scene of a tree in a park with grass all around.

Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: Steve on April 25, 2015, 09:46:12 PM
Yep that's what I'm going for with this one Tony. There's a large number of styles when it comes to training bonsai from styles such as Cascade, semi-cascade, slant, root over rock informal upright and formal upright just to name a few. This one I'm training as a formal upright which is basically what the majority of common trees outside in parks, your yard etc etc are. So I'm growing this one to be just a smaller scaled down version of that.
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: GrizzlysDad on April 25, 2015, 09:52:14 PM
Wow!! Who'da thunk it? I actually visualized the right meaning of that one.  ;D
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: mibwb on April 26, 2015, 01:58:32 AM
Wow!! Who'da thunk it? I actually visualized the right meaning of that one.  ;D


Namaste,  Tony after much persistence you have reached the realm of conscious enlightenment,, enjoy!!
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: mibwb on April 26, 2015, 02:07:39 AM
Lol I do bonsai and cichlids as well... wish I could combine the two effectively.

Check here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JGnPv-QU6p8
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: Steve on April 26, 2015, 12:14:27 PM
 (http://imageshack.com/a/img901/3192/ViGD19.jpg)
 (http://imageshack.com/a/img673/7295/VuTkYm.jpg)

This is one of my Ficus bonsai that I was working on early this morning. Last year I started air layering it, which is basically removing bark in the middle of the tree trunk then applying rooting hormone and wrapping with clear plastic wrap. The purpose of that is so it will grow ne roots in the middle of the trunk so you can cut the tree in half. The reason for cutting it in half is because this one had the dreaded store bought bonsai "S-curve" which stores think make them a bonsai but most bonsai enthusiasts do not want an S-curve.

So after a year now it finally had enough new roots to sustain itself after being cut. Going to take a good 5 years to start looking good but it will get there.

 
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: dexternovice on April 26, 2015, 12:23:13 PM
Patience is a virtue and you sir are a virtuous man.
Title: Re: New Bonsai garden
Post by: GrizzlysDad on April 26, 2015, 02:14:02 PM
" the dreaded store bought bonsai "S-curve"
Sounds like the report the doctor gave me after the last MRI on my back  :o



Patience is a virtue and you sir are a virtuous man.

Man, you aren't kidding!!!