Latest tree

[Steve]

Figured I'd share a few pics of my most recent bonsai work from last week. This Fukien tea was being grown as an informal upright but to my eye it was just begging to be replanted as a slant planting. Since it was bigger than my others (about 20" tall) it required a larger pot so I also picked up some ground cover/accent plants to put with it. After a repotting, pruning, and wiring a few branches I am pretty happy with the direction this one is going.

[breaktime]

Nice ! I have always wanted to try that but not sure where to start. How did you get started?

[Steve]

I got started by doing a LOT of reading & research on bonsai for a few months first before even buying one. There's a lot of different species of trees out there and some are easier than others but they all require a great deal of attention. Mainly because they are in shallow pots so you need to tend to their watering needs as well as light requirements and temperature needs pretty closely. You can literally have a tree go from good health to dead in less than a week if not tended too right. So read up on them them first before buying one. When mine are inside (September-May) they stay under 4ft twin tube lights 16hrs per day with humidity trays under them and they get misted with water about 6 times per day.

Then I bought just one single low cost tree and made sure I could keep it alive for at least a year. After keeping it healthy for a year then I started getting into other species of trees. Right now I have around 7 or 8 tress of various species and will probably work on another one this summer.

If you decide you want to get into them let me know and I'll help you get started.

[lohachata]

i would love to do a couple of Bonsais , but by the time i get them started my time on earth would be up...
they are amazing though...i have seen oak and maple plantings that were awesome..

[olliesshop]

That really looks nice!  I didn't realize they were that much work.

[Steve]

Started working on turning one side of the backyard into a bonsai garden. Along the fence was totally overgrown with weeds so spent the day yesterday removing all the brush/weeds. Now today I've been installing some Monkey poles, laying down weed barrier, and pea gravel. Still have to get some more gravel, build some platforms on top of the monkey poles for the bonsai to sit upon, and going to cover the metal fence behind them with a long natural reed fence. I'll post up some pics when it is totally done soon.

Here is where it is at right now. There were some stumps along the fence that took quite a bit of work swinging an axe to remove today. Should have called Blair and had him bring the backhoe over and make quick work of it for me

[Steve]

Latest tree (a boxwood) that I took from nursery stock to first shaping to train as a bonsai. About 7 straight hours of work on it tonight.
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Before....


After....

[four_by_ken]

Each time I see these posts by you, I want to try it.

Some day I will give it a shot.

[Steve]

Crepe Myrtle came today. A very good customer bought me a gift certificate to a bonsai shop online as a tip so this is what I bought with it. Great looking little tree and fits right into the collection very nicely.

Also got some more work done on the Monkey poles today.

[Steve]

Spent another 10 hours or so on the bonsai garden/outdoor area today. Still have some more to do such as laying some more paver stones, adding some more gravel and red mulch, more weeding to do around the flowers which are just starting to come up around the canopy area now. And a few other things but it's starting to take shape now pretty well. It will look really good once the grass seeding I did starts filling in and the lilies and hosta around the canopy base are fully up. Hard to believe it was pretty much all 1-3ft weeds and a cyclone fence just a few weeks ago.

[Steve]

Busy day today, got a lot more done. Built a lattice style fence that comes out 16' into the yard to separate the sitting area from the grass area. Built a double hanging basket arm/pole, put in another 50 brick pavers, more mulch chips, more flowers, added some strawberry pots. The open area between the red mulch chips is the area where I will be putting a small water feature pond and building a small waterfall into it soon as the pump and liner get here this weekend.

Still more to do but it's getting there slow but sure.

[Steve]

Worked up a sweat in the 82f heat today but just about done now. All that is left is the pond and some smaller plantings and I'll be done then.
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[Steve]

Still have to pick up a few more flat slate pieces to finish covering the edge of the pond with but got it all dug and running today.

[Steve]

Azalea bonsai is really starting to look very pretty now that the warmer weather is here and the blooms are starting. Should be in full bloom sometime this week I bet.

[lohachata]

absolutely beautiful Steve...awesome job..