Last year I posted about my first try at yamadori, and I am pleased to report that I have successfully over-wintered the tree! Thanks to all who helped me out--especially Bob, without whom the tree would probably be dead.

Now it's budding and I don't know what to do!

Here's a link to some nice hi-res images of the lil' guy...I think it's a Hemlock spruce, but I am not sure.

http://picasaweb.google.com/113976204648123069310/HemlockYamadoriColle cted2009#

What do you think?

(Sorry, I am trying to figure out how to insert pictures directly into my posts, haven't quite got it yet.)

Anyway, the pictures were taken today, and if you click on the magnifying glass in the upper left you'll get a nice close-up of the buds.

My questions involve training the tree--I have no idea what to do really, but I think the tree has a lot of potential.

To the gurus out there: thank you in advance! I appreciate your time and input.

Best,

3rdYr (Now 4th year actually :)

Keep it healthy & let it grow. Don't prune anything. It has a way to go before you can start working to make a believable bonsai. You might want to consider putting it in the ground for a few years .... or at least getting it into a good bonsai soil (if it's not already) and into a large pot so it can fatten up.

Al

Al, you may be right about the Tsuga, but it is definitely not a yew.

P.s., you are a legend! Thank you for reading my post! I really hope you'll weigh in on my others.

3rdYr

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Do not add the - dash next to the < or > its in the beginning and in the end. I added a great link to help with this. Just remember you have to have a picture on a website and then it will place it on to your message here.

Congratulations on the Hemlock!
Here are a few comparison images of a plant that was labeled Tsuga canadensis....
Coincidentally, it was purchased with a Taxus baccata 'David' - the pair for $10.

There isn't much for scale, but these needles are about a half-inch.

3rd year - I don't know about that legend thing Lol - prolly more than a little over the top, but thanks for the kind words anyway. I'll try to watch for your posts. ;o)

Al

Greenman- both for $10? What a steal.

Al- I wish I could put all my bonsai in the ground, but unfortunately my living situation doesn't permit for that at the moment...I am working on it though.

Do you think it would be better to leave it alone this year, or re-pot it into a slightly larger container (it's currently in a 10" pot, I could probably get a 12" or 14") with a better soil mix?

Right now it is in mostly potting soil with maybe 1/5 sand, and 1/5 field soil (from when I collected it last year).

Thanks a lot!!

3rdYr

Everyone has their own view about what makes a bonsai. Some are only happy if the proportions are approximate to established guidelines, and others are perfectly happy with a liner in a pot. Whatever you feel is a bonsai should be a bonsai to all of us, even if only for the sake of encouragement. It's always been my philosophy that the more experienced of us shouldn't steal your budding joy by criticizing you for not conforming to our own arbitrary set of standards, that we should see your trees through YOUR eyes instead of our own.

It's ok for me to tell you what I would do, but at the same time I think I should encourage you to do what YOU want to do, and that's what I'm doing. If it pleases you to trim it up and make it more compact, then go ahead. It will slow the growth, but if you get more enjoyment out of looking at it, then do it. Have fun and don't worry about what everyone thinks. If you stay with bonsai, there will come a time when you'll want to reach a little further and strive to improve the visual impact of your trees. You'll know when that is, so don't let anyone push you toward it prematurely.

Al

That is great advice, and I appreciate your thoughtful point of view.

At this point, I guess what I am really asking for is tips on how to keep my trees alive and healthy. I haven't had them for enough seasons to really understand the growing cycles, etc...

So if you think it would benefit from a re-potting into better soil and a bigger container, then I am going to give it a shot. I can see that it would, too. Can you recommend a mix?

Also, I am beginning to question whether or not this could be a yew...It really looks like one, and the needles are noticeably longer than greenman's hemlocks.

The reason I said it was "definitely not a yew" is because the area I collected it from doesn't really have any yew in it...But here in Vermont hemlock are everywhere.

This weekend I think I'll repot it. I know that spring is an important time of the year for working with trees, so I understand that time is a factor. How much time do you think we have left for this sort of thing before it's too late this year?

Thx.

3rdYr

If we could select properties for our soil the way we select groceries from a grocery store, our soils would be something like this:
* Easy to make from a few ingredients
* Not phytotoxic (poison to plants)
* Favorable pH range
* They would hold enough water so intervals between required waterings are convenient
* They would drain perfectly (hold no perched water)
* They would have some adjustability for water retention by simply varying the %s of ingredients
* They would not break down under use - or would break down very slowly
* They would hold nutrients well
* they would be easy to remove from roots at repot time

Can anyone think of anything I missed?

This soil does all those things very well

It's equal parts by volume of

1/8-1/4" pine or fir bark
Screened Turface
Crushed granite (Gran-I-Grit in grower size or #2 cherrystone)
1 tbsp gypsum/gallon of soil

Let me know if you have questions.

Al