Another Project...

[KellyFrancis]

So a yearish ago, I got a bonsai tree, a chinese privet, from a local garden store. I've since managed to keep it alive so decided to expand my little collection.

Here's the privet a year ago after I repotted it:



The privet a couple days ago: (sorry for the sideways pic) (beer for scale)



Here are the new saplings I plan to bonsai. I got them from one of families I PCA for. They were just growing wild on the playground so I took matters into my own hands. They were collected on Tuesday (7/3):

Maple and what my dad says is popple. I thought it was either birch or cottonwood...


I'm not sure what the one on the left is, I thought some species of oak, but my dad says its not. Anyone know? The one on the right is a white oak.


And here's all of my plants lined up, the bonsai with aloe and agave: (mom's tiny herb garden in the back, lol)


And yesterday I repotted the saplings into their new home for (I hope) the next 4 years:


Anyone else have bonsai trees? Any tips on their care, personal experiences, etc?

 

[KellyFrancis]

Today I plan to hunt down some moss for the trees. My privet had a gorgeous moss that unfortunately didn't make it through the winter... I'll post pics of what I come up with later.

 

[Gill Blue]

My privet had a gorgeous moss that unfortunately didn't make it through the winter...

I hate it when that happens. looking forward to the pics.

 

[SumoNinja]

Ew miller!

Nice plants, love the frog

 

[KellyFrancis]

Lol, Dad's beer. I don't drink. Thanks Sumo, Gill Blue!! I found a moss that might work but not the one I wanted. I'm gonna hafta google it cuz I don't know where to find it azacly, I just needed an excuse to get off the couch...lol

 

[KellyFrancis]

BUMP for an update later! lol

 

[aquaculture]

Nice. the one seedling looks like a birch to me and ya got two oak tree seedlings.


My live oak in training, roots are done, just need to get the top pruned down some. Then it might resemble a bonsai one day.

 

[KellyFrancis]

The one does look like a birch, but it was taken from a yard with a huge cottonwood tree in the front and, to my knowledge, no local birch trees. And I thought the other one was an oak tree but my dad said it was a dogwood. I guess we'll see what both are as they grow, lol.

Question, why does your oak have such smooth leaves? Shouldn't they be more lobed? Is that a result of trying to bonsai it or is it just a different species? It looks good!

And the photo orientation drove me nuts too on my one pic. lol.

 

[aquaculture]

Thanks, ya with your seedlings id'n gets easier with age. The oak leaves pretty much stay smooth like that, they eventually get more teeth along there edge as the branch gets older, apparently it is supposed to be a California interior live oak.

 

[MaddMaxx]

it was a dogwood.

That was my guess, looks similar to one in my mums backyard, but I don't have a leaf to compare...

Great projects Kels, can't wait to see how they turn out.