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Blue Spruce as Bonsai?
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Posted by
shelleykj 4 SD (
My Page) on
Mon, Jun 18, 07 at 17:50
Hi all! Could a 6" Blue Spruce seedling be trained as a bonsai? I currently have it in a large pot outside, been planted since Arbor Day and seems to be growing. How long should I wait to put it in a bonsai pot? I'm totally new to this and just looking for some pointers as South Dakota is not a popular climate for this hobby! Any other northern enthusiasts out there know of any bonsai clubs up here? Thanks everyone!
Shelley |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Blue Spruce as Bonsai?
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| Not a good bonsai subject for various reasons such as it's natural growth pattern, etc., and conifer seedlings aren't the way to go with them anyway. It's best to leave them in the ground til they're at least 4-5 yrs old, then get them in a largish pot while deciding how you want them to be eventually, and working on it slowly, then when you know what you're doing and how to do it, it will end up in a bonsai pot. |
RE: Blue Spruce as Bonsai?
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Thanks lucy, Yeah I kind of figured it would be a few years before I could really do anything with it. It seems pretty content in the pot it's in, so nature is taking it's course.
Shelley |
RE: Blue Spruce as Bonsai?
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Here's a photo of a Colorado Blue Spruce I collected in 1999. It is on its way to being a very nice tree. This one is between 50 and 100 years old, hard to say actually.
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RE: Blue Spruce as Bonsai? Yes!
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| Blue spruce can be used, even though the internodes are longer than Edo spruce, which is a top 5 favorite species for "Important Bonsai Masterpieces" in Japan. I don't recommend seedlings because they grow so slowly. The tree I posted above is probably 4 and a half inches across at the base. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Important Bonsai Information
RE: Blue Spruce as Bonsai?
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bonsaikc:
THANKYOU for the great link about your training, very interesting read! But for some reason the photo will not come up. Is there another way you could try it? I'd love to see it.
Shelley |
RE: Blue Spruce as Bonsai?
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| If you plant it in the ground for a few years I believe that it would be an excellent candidate for bonsai. There are many people who prefer to stick to conventional material but some of the best bonsai that I've ever seen have been created from less popular varieties of plants like coleus and ivy. Be careful that you don't spray the spruce with a foliar insecticide because it'll break down the waxy coating on the needles that give it the blue color. I wouldn't recommend trying to make it mame or shohin sized because it has semi-coarse foliage but they do make spectacular bonsai with proper pinching and needle reduction. |
Here is a link that might be useful: club listings
RE: Blue Spruce as Bonsai?
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| I can't imagine why you might not be able to see the photo, but you can see the one I posted here and more besides at the following link: Internet Bonsai Club |
Here is a link that might be useful: Interview with Boon Manakitivipart
RE: Blue Spruce as Bonsai?
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| I am interested in trying these as Bonsai myself, so I have been searching sucessfully on the net for the plethora of information that it yeilds. Type in Colorado Blue Spruce Bonsai and it will list a number of great sites with fantastic suggestions . Alow no negative opinions persuade you otherwise. Let me know how it works for you. |
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