Guest Farnsbarns Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Why, that's a good idea! A tenner being £10 ($13.30), I take it? Google images for "cotoneaste bonsai" show quite a range of variations. Yes. £10. Probably similar in dollars over there. Seems normal. I know that in general the "good" bonsai trees in the US are nowhere near as good as those coming to Europe. Shame. Still. Get down to what ever you guys call garden centres and find one which doesn't have a dead strait trunk or long nodes (gaps between leaves/junctions on branches) and bring it home. Don't take the crazy risk I have and repot in summer. Should be done in spring really, I just know this one will be OK but that's a judgement call I wouldn't put on anyone else. You can prune it down though. Things to remember... Taper. You don't want reverse taper, every thing should get thinner ideally so the lowest branch should be the thickest with each one up the trunk getting thinner. Each secondary branch should be thinner than the one it comes from. Not too thin mind, leave them to grow long if they need to thicken and catch up (nearly) with what they're growing from. An easy tree to learn from and if you kill it or just make a poor bonsaI it's a very cheap lesson. Repotting really means root pruning. Just changing pots without touching the roots is generally fine any time but I hacked 80% of the roots off that tree. Lots of bonsai nursery businesses do workshops, they can be great if the teacher is good but there's a lot of old fashioned, out of date nonsense said so choose wisely. Cut paste is important to seal where you cut branches off (except very thin ones). If you're cutting back to a leaf to create a fork, leave a bit of material to die back. If you're cutting back to a branch cut as flush as you can. I'd be very happy to help as much as I can but it's obviously a very hands on tactile thing so teaching from afar might not work, then again, we go back to the very low cost and what's the risk, really. Let me know if you do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 It's good to get something you want on your birthday and that looks like a wonderful present. Happy birthday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 The first signs of autumnal colour in this tree... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Bence took the words out if my mouth, I was gonna ask you how long before you can make a guitar out of it....Grin~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 Bence took the words out if my mouth, I was gonna ask you how long before you can make a guitar out of it....Grin~ Well looking at that autumn colour it will self-burst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 All the leaves starting to turn purple now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Looks good! This self-burst probably will be a transition period only. Curious about more pics to follow in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Looks good! This self-burst probably will be a transition period only. Curious about more pics to follow in the future! It is. They turn purple at the edges first and then as the purple fills each leaf the edges turn red while the centre turn yellow. The red the fills each leaf before the turn brown ad fall off. Known for a bit of a show. Spring is almost the reverse, starting with red foliage going green via yellow greens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 It is. They turn purple at the edges first and then as the purple fills each leaf the edges turn red while the centre turn yellow. The red the fills each leaf before the turn brown ad fall off. Known for a bit of a show. Spring is almost the reverse, starting with red foliage going green via yellow greens. This must be a fascinating play of colours, in autumn as well as in spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 wut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted October 23, 2016 Share Posted October 23, 2016 I would say wrong thread but I think you might have the wrong forum. ACK Dont mention Israel. I was just there....and I am definitely a supporter. Thats another reason people dont like Kerry....b/c he is not as pro-Israel as Bush seemed to be....or, rather, it was believed he would pressure Israel more than Bushie. Israel isnt 100 in the clear on policies, IMO....but I am a supporter of the country, to be sure. Where is the guy from Tel Aviv??? We need input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 And now we have the full autumnal glory... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 ^^ What an awesome sight, what a beautiful colour! ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 I forgot I was updating this seasonally. Here's its winter image... Soon it will come back to leaf in another burst of red before turning green again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 I missed the Autumn shots; WOW! Pretty Bloody Spectacular!!! ...Spring is almost the reverse, starting with red foliage going green via yellow greens... Obviuosly it's just Nature copying the UK traffic-light convention; from 'Go' in the Spring to 'Halt' in the Autumn. Why will it be red before it goes green, Farns? Do regular full-size acers do that as well?........................... We have a yellow acer and a red acer in the garden but they stay yellow and red when in leaf. ...and where IS the guy from Tel Aviv????? We need Input!!! Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Thank you for keeping us posted, Farns! I'm curious about the spring leaf colours to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 The why is due to chlorophyl which is the green pigment used in photosynthesis. A lot of deciduous trees have redness in the leaves in spring (or new leaf growth any time in summer) as the leaf's growth hormones dissipate and the tree starts producing chlorophyl. With some species the redness is more pronounced especially Acers. Your yellow and red acers just don't have as much green pigment as others so the leaves stay their vibrant colours all year. You should read up on air-layering. We/you could create lots of red and/or yellow acers. I learned over the weekend it is now ilegal to import/export shishigashira unless they have grafted root stock so they're only going to become rarer. I let the seeds go last year but I shall be planting some this year so if you'd like one in your garden let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Just done the spring prune. Buds cracked and about to open. Perfect timing. Also lopped off a major branch which just somehow ruined the lines. It'll be producing leaves very soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 I just had to go through this and put the pics back. Dropbox changed the way shared files work. Some pics will have changed, i cant remember what was where. Some I've left out, no idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 I like how you've done the 'in the round' set....... Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 And now I get the appeal...so pretty!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 And now I get the appeal...so pretty!! Thanks. I know what you mean. Many people see these cheap twiggs sold as bonsai by garden centres and supermarkets and don't see the appeal. That really isn't bonsai at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokeyGhost Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 That is absolutely delightful. The CITES regulations paperwork must have been a pain though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 How in the world does one import something like that without damaging it? Very tricky, I'm sure. It's gorgeous, by the way - looks like someone took an old-growth tree from the forest and zapped it with a miniaturizing ray gun! Honey I shrunk the .......? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 That is absolutely delightful. The CITES regulations paperwork must have been a pain though :) What does this CITES regulations paperwork mean? Is this an endangered bonsai!? :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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