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Wed, Jul 4, 07 at 9:00
| Hi! I'm a plant-loving country mom of 2 in nursing school and trying to apply bonsai tecniques to some houseplants for a pleasant escape from the burnout and stress of school. Used to have a brown thumb, but I think now that it was just bronze, as its gradually acquired a nice green patina. ;D. I now start all my herbs and veggies (tomatoes and peppers included) and even some trees from seed. Having been planting, pruning and training fruit trees in the back yard for the past few years, I'm already familiar with some aspects of getting trees (Recieved a poor little pear tree whose trunk took a 90º bend--I straightened it with a pair of stakes and some slings over 18 months.)
I've a jade and several Wizard Mix Coleus that I'd like to bonsai. My Questions: Anyone ever try coleus on the rock?
Any other Techniques y'all use on these would be really appreciated. TIA, Kitty |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| You're really on a tear aren't you :-)! Terrific! Chopping means to take a tree of any size and cut it into two pieces (of any size), though it's usually done with a relatively young one of e.g. 5+ (and +) feet that looks bonsai worthy - i.e. has a nice balanced root spread, or else at least a decent sized lower trunk tapering to the higher parts, and some 'movement' in the lower trunk - not straight up and down (unless you like formal upright styles). You'd throw away the top half (unless you're smart enough to have airlayered it off properly) and work with what's left. The only caution would be to know the species as some won't bud back lower than the already existing lowest branch(es). Coleus is a bit of an experiment to say the least, but it's definitely been done, so go ahead. Jade are done more often, but again are not traditional, and you wouldn't want to wire them for fear of cutting into the trunk, or snapping branches... graduated weights work better if at all. You'd also not clip leaves, but use a tight twist right at the trunk to remove them. If you can make coleus work on a rock, try it! Marigolds do seem to be a stretch however - do they ever get woody? But use them as accent plants nearby, or just a few sprigs in a bonsai pot could look interesting after all. |
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