Czech Yamadori

No TdF cycling today and  the deeply buried thorn in my right palm prevents me from most of the bonsai activities - so a good time to share  another piece of a dead wood... Right, so what we have here is "a typical bonsai".   The size of both jins is too big and there is too much dead wood. A single narrow live vein that feeds  an airy crown.  Something you may find on a junipers, but not really on a deciduous tree.  Unless the tree has started a countdown to pack it... But despite all this there it is.  And  I do like it.  It is not a bunjin but I have tried to style the crown into something that reflects my  vision  how I see the bunjin-gi during  my day dreaming procrastination.  The narrow live vein is the only vital line that connects roots to the leaves.   Cliffs heated by the sun, scarce water supply, biting frosts.  All that is deeply embedded in the face of this little tree.  Would you expect a flourishing crown of foliage on a tree that lives in such biotype?

I have been planning to start with a broom for some time.  But it was only this year when I have picked nicely growing small elm with reasonable straight trunk.  With a little bit of hesitation, I have cut off the nicely developed leader and removed a bit of outer wood to make space for expected new growth.  All this happened somewhere in the second half of May.  During the first week after the cut - no signs of  the new growth.   OK, no problem. Too early - just a little bit of patience old man.   Second week - no action.  Third week - copy paste.  First signs of a despair in my face.  Have I lost a nicely growing plant just for my desire to have a broom?   Forth week - I have not bothered to check. Fifth week - a visitor came to my place.  While passing the bench I have picked the container with the stub to share my bad feelings.  While talking I have noticed a greenish dot  on one side of the cut face.  Algae? I have scratched it with a nail. No, it is something different.  A bud? 

Sandstone from old quarry,  foxtail saw with HM plates,  wood from larch, stainless woodscrews & a guy with two hands - both left. And strong minded character ( it is fair to say - the character of my spouse ).     A feature of interest: the light coloured object on the pole?   A fossil found while cutting the slabs  Now, where to get a nice bonsai to put on there?

I feel very happy that I have decided to collect this little fella in the end.  It certainly doesn't look as a tree with great potential in 2D, but my eyes see something different.  The future will see who is right. But even now one can appreciate the first sign of maturity of the bark and what is even more important - short internodes.   Not to mention the vigour of the tree.   Styling As the trunk is slightly S shaped ( from the top ) I have decided to follow this flow also on the canopy - it will be much longer on the right side. This is my preferred "front"  +/-   Well, at the moment.   The other side.  Short internodes.   I hope it is not just result of the heavy bending ...  Initial signs of maturity of the bark.  Flaky-I guess this is the right word to describe the character of the well aged bark on larches or spruces.    A bark that should force you to hold your breath.  Either because you are so impressed or just affraid you might destroy it

Strange.   We are getting closer to the summer solstice, but since the end of May beginning of June I have had a feeling that the days are getting shorter and shorter.  After the hectic repotting season I thought there will be a reasonable  period of  relative calm ( well, sort of ) but the very dry weather has forced me to spend much more time with the watering can than expected.   Anyway.  Today, as the sky has been overcast for the whole day - hard to believe - I have revisited this little Prunus with my shears.  Hardy noticeable partical defoliation.  Looking at the pics I guess I should take another round there... And calibrate the white on my camera. Height 15 cm ca

I have spotted this little larch back in 2008 or so.   And our relations have evolved from " this is it" to  " well,  maybe later" and finally to "OK, lets go" in spring 2015. Why all this hesitation? First, I was not sure if I like the bulb shaped base of the tree.  And frankly, I do have doubts even now... Second - the major part of the trunk has been just like a straight beam.  No taper, no movement. Spring 2017. Time to work on the straight trunk.   My favourite (Double C)n  method =  multiple Cut and Close method.  Before After I have planned a bit more acute angle, but the tree was not very happy about it.  At a certain moment I have heard a cracking noise and after an inspection I have discovered quite nasty looking crack just above the cut.  So I have stopped it.  Hoping it was not too late... Spring 2018 The larch has recovered  and produced a good number of new shoots. The crack covered nicely by callus .  

Slats  ( Larch ) 35 x 25 x 400 Why to go for slats perpendicular to the axes of the rail board if they take much more time to process? I believe it allows better circulation of air.  So it should be better for the trees.   And if this  " better circulation " is true, then my humidity trays should provide even better environment for my trees ( I will cover this a bit later ). Rails  ( Spruce ) I have opted for a 140 x 25 mm profile.  Solid and good bending resistance.  A torsion could be a problem with such thin elements,  but I am not too much concerned about that as the distance between the poles is just 2000 mm. Wood protection Osmo stain.  Please note the additional protection of the face of the poles.  A piece of a rubber foil. Joints Simple butt joints have been used.  Stainless screws 4,5 x 60 mm Additional reinforcement  on the poles  to support the wooden rails Nearly finished.  Still need to make c. 20 additio