Q for Padi56 re Bonsai tree trims.

[JoeJoeBobo]

It’s like how I judge art. “Do you like looking at it” then it is. That is the point in this case…beautiful trees.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by TRS1

Wow, those are incredible and fascinating trees. I didn’t realize they lived so long.

A few Bonsai White Pines in the Japanese Imperial palace are over 500 years old,trees are the oldest living things on this planet a few over 4000 years old.

[MrGoat]

Originally Posted by JoeJoeBobo

It’s like how I judge art. “Do you like looking at it” then it is. That is the point in this case…beautiful trees.

Same, I can’t get behind something as art if I can’t at least see some sort of appreciation for it.


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[MrGoat]

Originally Posted by padi56

A few Bonsai White Pines in the Japanese Imperial palace are over 500 years old,trees are the oldest living things on this planet a few over 4000 years old.

Those trees are legacies. Imagine how important it was to the first few generations and then subsequently to the generations of caretakers that followed. Just impressive on an entirely different scale.


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[padi56]

Originally Posted by MrGoat

Those trees are legacies. Imagine how important it was to the first few generations and then subsequently to the generations of caretakers that followed. Just impressive on an entirely different scale.


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Agree a few more for you now the highest price paid for a White Pine was by a Japanese corporation was around $11 million yes $11000000 for a 500 year old specimen.

Pyracantha Bonsai in flower tree will have red berries in winter, plus White Pine both trees approx 50 years old



Exposed roots Pyracantha took several years to train tree to be like this.



Japanese mountain Maple a very old tree, picture taken late Spring 2022 leaves not fully open, Autumn colour the leaves go brite red before loosing over Winter.

[/QUOTE]

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Knappo 1307

You may have to start a thread about Bonsai tree nicknames to get Peter to respond..

Thank God no silly nicknames in the Bonsai hobby.

[MrGoat]

Originally Posted by padi56

Agree a few more for you now the highest price paid for a White Pine was by a Japanese corporation was around $11 million yes $11000000 for a 500 year old specimen.

Pyracantha Bonsai in flower tree will have red berries in winter, plus White Pine both trees approx 50 years old



Exposed roots Pyracantha took several years to train tree to be like this.



Japanese mountain Maple a very old tree, picture taken late Spring 2022 leaves not fully open, Autumn colour the leaves go brite red before loosing over Winter.

[/QUOTE]


Wow, they are truly mesmerizing. Thank you so much for sharing.


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[carwash66]

Peter, Your trees are truly amazing! Thank you for posting them.

[Boothroyd]

This is something I really wish I would have gotten into during my early years. Fascinating and has to be gratifying.

[Moondoggy]

Originally Posted by padi56

Agree a few more for you now the highest price paid for a White Pine was by a Japanese corporation was around $11 million yes $11000000 for a 500 year old specimen.

Pyracantha Bonsai in flower tree will have red berries in winter, plus White Pine both trees approx 50 years old



Exposed roots Pyracantha took several years to train tree to be like this.



Japanese mountain Maple a very old tree, picture taken late Spring 2022 leaves not fully open, Autumn colour the leaves go brite red before loosing over Winter.

[/QUOTE]

Wow, wow, wow. They are like having a pet. Incredible.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Boothroyd

This is something I really wish I would have gotten into during my early years. Fascinating and has to be gratifying.

Well myself now 79 and in quite poor health Bonsai like watches have been my passion for well over 50 years a few more of my trees below.


Chinese Cork bark Elm what they call broom style now 40 years old.



Black Pine around 45 years old now.



Bougainvillea in full flower around 40 years old but not frost hardy



Eastern Hemlock around 60 years old now.



Korean Hornbeam about 20 years old now.



Larch mame size one of the smallest sizes in the Bonsai world now 20 plus years old,cloths peg give a scale of tree size.

[Moondoggy]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well myself now 79 and in quite poor health Bonsai like watches have been my passion for well over 50 years a few more of my trees below.


Chinese Cork bark Elm what they call broom style now 40 years old.



Black Pine around 45 years old now.



Bougainvillea in full flower around 40 years old but not frost hardy



Eastern Hemlock around 60 years old now.



Korean Hornbeam about 20 years old now.

Silly question, how do they grow as they do with such a small root base, their above ground presence to the below ground presence, the proportions seem totally in adequate compared to tress in the wild.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Moondoggy

Silly question, how do they grow as they do with such a small root base, their above ground presence to the below ground presence, the proportions seem totally in adequate compared to tress in the wild.

Well in the UK we keep them in the same pot once they are styled to what we want them.Then with Pines Junipers most of the evergreens we repot around every 5 years and trim the roots.With the deciduous trees we repot every 2-3 years and trim the roots.Now if you took most any Bonsai out of its pot a planted in the ground over the many decades in the ground could revert back to normal tree size in the wild.The soil we use in the Bonsai pot is a molar type fired clay mixed with bark pumice and very free draining and plenty of air around the roots.

[padi56]

A few more trees some Bonsai now becoming almost Rolex money as many quite difficult to get, as they have stopped many imports of trees to the UK.

Old Juniper the same species as in Karate kid film now 55 years old.



English Hornbeam now over 50 years old.



Buxus Hylandii a Japanese tree now around 45 years old.



Firethorn Bonsai Pyracantha with its red berries after flowering.

[INC]

Originally Posted by padi56

Old Juniper the same species as in Karate kid film now 55 years old.

I'm speachless. With all my respect, without reading the text, my impression was that we would call you "Mr. Miyagi" as the grandmaster of bonsais'.

These are such miracles, that in my opinion none of any wristwatch can even get close to these. I wish to thank you for sharing these pictures from this beautiful creatures!

Get well soon and prosper long!

[joeychitwood]

Peter, your trees are magnificent. Truly an art form. Question: do you get anxious when you trim the roots and re-pot the trees? I think I would spend the next weeks worrying that they weren’t going to tolerate the operation.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by joeychitwood

Peter, your trees are magnificent. Truly an art form. Question: do you get anxious when you trim the roots and re-pot the trees? I think I would spend the next weeks worrying that they weren’t going to tolerate the operation.

When first done it over 50 years ago,now it's just part of my normal Bonsai routine.Wireing branches styling and pruneing foliage re-potting root pruneing you just learn over the years ,and yes even now make mistakes but trees will normally show when they are not happy .Not many hobbies today when you can admire what you have created and kept alive for decades.I am lucky my grandsons will look after my trees when I pass,and perhaps hand them down to their children.

[BigBlue1]

Those trees are bad ass. I love the Japanese Maple. Very very beautiful.
The Chinese Cork looks bad ass too

[padi56]

Originally Posted by BigBlue1

Those trees are bad ass. I love the Japanese Maple. Very very beautiful.
The Chinese Cork looks bad ass too

Thank you what does the term bad ass mean is it a American term?

[BigBlue1]

Hi Peter!! Bad Ass means tough. It’s a compliment. The way I was using it was as the trees are Bad Ass and not to mess with them.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by BigBlue1

Hi Peter!! Bad Ass means tough. It’s a compliment. The way I was using it was as the trees are Bad Ass and not to mess with them.

Thanks for explaining but still a strange terminology perhaps it's my age group now 79 years young.

[HHIslander]

Padi, I’m really impressed with your pics. Thanks for sharing. If someone who knows nothing about Bonsai wanted to learn more, any books you’d recommend?

[padi56]

Originally Posted by shaunylw

I’ve always wanted one but thought they might be too much work.


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Not a lot of work really just mainly common sense it could take many years to develop a good Bonsai tree.

[hdrazor251]

Those are amazing Peter. Approximately how many times a year do you trim/work on a single tree? In other words do you give it a month or two to grow out before shaping?

[padi56]

Talking about Bonsai a few years back now when I was just 74 years old wasting a bit of time I decided to try this Facebook stuff as interested in the art of Bonsai. I came across a post which I know will make any regular people with a brain, which is sadly lacking today, as many have lost the power of using it. Someone had bought a little bottle of Bonsai Focus fertiliser, they then took the trouble to add many photographs of it and post it on Facebook with a caption along the lines can anyone advise me what to do with this and how to use it?’ After I got past the obvious answer I had to go outside and take a breath say to myself god give me strength, I could not decide whether to sh#t or go blind, in the end I walked away from the likes of so called social media for good. I thought to myself the most polite answer I could give was read the f##k#n#g label. Did I miss something?

A group of Shohin size Bonsai Elm,Maple and Privet,to be called Shohin must be under 25cm tall.

[Moondoggy]

Originally Posted by padi56

Talking about Bonsai a few years back now when I was just 74 years old wasting a bit of time I decided to try this Facebook stuff as interested in the art of Bonsai. I came across a post which I know will make any regular people with a brain, which is sadly lacking today, as many have lost the power of using it. Someone had bought a little bottle of Bonsai Focus fertiliser, they then took the trouble to add many photographs of it and post it on Facebook with a caption along the lines can anyone advise me what to do with this and how to use it?’ After I got past the obvious answer I had to go outside and take a breath say to myself god give me strength, I could not decide whether to sh#t or go blind, in the end I walked away from the likes of so called social media for good. I thought to myself the most polite answer I could give was read the f##k#n#g label. Did I miss something?

A group of Shohin size Bonsai Elm,Maple and Privet,to be called Shohin must be under 25cm tall.

I still do not know how they stay vertical when the root system traditionally is stronger then what is above ground with wild trees however with these bonsais the proportions are the reverse in the wild.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Moondoggy

I still do not know how they stay vertical when the root system traditionally is stronger then what is above ground with wild trees however with these bonsais the proportions are the reverse in the wild.

Well when we repot the tree is wired securely in the pot the pots have large drainage holes and smaller ones for the special wire we use to secure tree in pot. Regarding the roots they are spread like a round fan like fashion as we add the new soil around the roots. With deciduous mature trees we re-pot every 2-3 years and trim around a third of the roots and over the 3 years the pot is full of roots if tree is healthy. With evergreens like Pines re-pot every 5-7 years again trim the roots wire into pot place new soil and water well. Most of the Pines like to be a little what we call pot bound, pot is full of roots. While the deciduous they are not so happy and could die if not looked after by re-potting.You could take a young tree from the wild with the land owners permission. Then plant in your own garden for a few years, but put say a slate in bottom of the plant hole to keep tree roots horizontal. Having a good root system is the most important thing in keeping Bonsai alive in there pots

[2bigalow]

I'm surprisingly intrigued by the process, care and dedication required to maintain such beautiful trees.
Padi thanks for sharing your hobby.

[brandrea]

Thank you for sharing these magnificent creations with us Peter.

It’s truly inspiring to see these living things that have been around for decades (centuries) in some cases.

I would imagine that passing these on to family (hopefully no time soon) is the ultimate way to express your love for them, and in turn a living tribute to your lasting memory for them.

This is just awesome, incredible stuff Peter

[padi56]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Thank you for sharing these magnificent creations with us Peter.

It’s truly inspiring to see these living things that have been around for decades (centuries) in some cases.

I would imagine that passing these on to family (hopefully no time soon) is the ultimate way to express your love for them, and in turn a living tribute to your lasting memory for them.

This is just awesome, incredible stuff Peter

Thanks Brian have two hobby passions one the history of Rolex and the RWC company the other is Bonsai. If I had to choose overall it would be Bonsai, when I look at my trees and think about the time to train and look after them for well over 50 years..And to think hopefully when I pass my grandsons will look after them, and possibly pass then on to there children. What other hobby could give anyone more pleasure than the art of keeping Bonsai, hopefully to pass on for many future generations to come.

Very tiny Bonsai.