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Blue Spruce and Live Oak Bonsai 6 years 3 months ago #37185

  • leatherback
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Your oak is nowere near the stage to start training as a bonsai. For these leaves, you would need a trunk of at least 5cm to work as a convincing bonsai. Pop it in the ground and let it grow for a few years, either using sacrifice branches (Then wire the main trunk in a pleasing shape) or with trunk chops to get taper in.

The Spruce needs a lot of thinning. Remove branches that are opposit of eachother as they will create bulges in the trunk. Then wire the branches and place them sloping steeply down. You can trim these well into the green as they will -provided the right growing conditions- will backbud into the green areas. Keep in mind that these, unlike deciduous trees, retain their strength from the foliage and not the roots: Kep a good porion of the green on. Typically, do not remove more than a third in a go to stay safe.

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Blue Spruce and Live Oak Bonsai 6 years 3 months ago #37186

  • WesternGrower
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Thanks for the info on the oak, Ill let it grow some more (Im in no hurry here). Should I let it get as tall as it wants and lop it off a few years from now, or should I keep it from getting too tall now?

Is it advisable to thin out that spruce so close to a large portion of its root system being removed? I removed alot, however there is still a reasonable amount left in the pot. How steep down are we talking here, and should I do the traditional branch-trunk wiring, or just anchor it to the pot from the ends?

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Blue Spruce and Live Oak Bonsai 6 years 2 months ago #37187

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Update, I removed some duplicate branches, the top needs a little more work but I am hesitant to remove any more growth at this time. I plan to remove the current apex and use the branch to its right as the new apex in the future.

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Last edit: Post by WesternGrower.
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