Hi all,

I recently wired my first Podocarpus (Buddhist Pine) tree. It’s really just my first true attempt at wiring. Have only wired a few branches before as the trees I have are mostly mature trees I inherited and only now I am trying to style one myself.

I really wish I had taken a few pictures of the bush I had before I started. But here is what the finished (for now) product looks. I hope to develop this into a fine Shohin over the next few years....

Btw I also reported this from an 8inch plastic training pot into this 4inch bonsai pot.

Hope and pray it survives.

First off, good to see you get off the internat, and get your hands dirty. Best way to learn, is to do. That being said..

leroycoutts wrote: Btw I also reported this from an 8inch plastic training pot into this 4inch bonsai pot.

Hope and pray it survives.

Let's assume you mean repotted?

Why did you do this? Wiring is stressfull for a plant, and it needs strength to recover. So repotting is not a good idea. Furthermore, your tree needs a lot of growth to become a bonsai. So again, space .. not a bonsai pot. Bonsai pots are for trees well on their way to become a bonsai.

The wiring.. You have two types of wire. One is alu, the other steel, right? I think you might want to read a little more on wiring; Not all is effective, I think.
If you wire, you aim at getting a sort of pattern in the branches. Now I see branches pointing down (In top) and branches in a sort of loop (Lower down). That will always remain an issue.

Thanks... for writing in.

Yes that was a typo, I meant repotted.

Well in terms of getting my hands dirty, I have been gardening for a while, so this is only an extension. Like I said, I’ve inherited a few 30 plus years old. I said trees that I have reshaped and rewired for sometime now. But I never started on a young tree. I have one malsai from earlier, but I am just letting that grow out before I reshape. This was complete new material ... which I took up first time.

That said, I want to keep this a small tree so don’t want it to grow more, want to now start shaping it. It’s a first time... so let’s see how it turns out. Will keep I guys posted on its development ... if it survives

Both wires are aluminium. One is coated and one is uncoated so appears to be steel.

leroycoutts wrote: Btw I also reported this from an 8inch plastic training pot into this 4inch bonsai pot.

Hope and pray it survives.

Let's assume you mean repotted?

Why did you do this? Wiring is stressfull for a plant, and it needs strength to recover. So repotting is not a good idea. Furthermore, your tree needs a lot of growth to become a bonsai. So again, space .. not a bonsai pot. Bonsai pots are for trees well on their way to become bonsai [/quote]

LB - I rethought about your advice about the pot. Have been thinking if I should move this into a colander... thoughts?

I have not really seen the benefits of a colander. I am growing some plants in pond baskets which are also supposed to work. But not sure they really make a difference. As this is a plant you will need to bring indoors for winter so I would go for a larger nice looking pot.

I don’t have winter as I live at the equator in a tropical climate throughout the year. We are at 28-35C throughout the year.

I have read that colanders provide much better drainage and air circulation for root development.