Lily_love, I'm still here. I became sick not long after I signed off. I stayed home today running fever off and on. I did not get to take a picture of my plants, because when I finally started feeling human again, it was dark. Sorry, I will try tomorrow when I get off work. The weather is playing havoc on my sinuses. We have gone from nearly freezing to high 80's and are expected to go back to freezing this weekend. Guess what effect the weather is having on my plants. A month ago it rained every day and now we rarely get rain. I am having plants bloom that usually only bloom in mid-summer. I have winter bulbs sprouting. My flower beds don't know what is suppose to bloom and what is suppose to be dormant.
Wisteria Senisis Bonsai anyone?
Dlb; I'm sorry you've been under the weather - but glad that you're feeling better. Take things easy, I know what you meant about the odd year in gardening we've had. And yes, short-sleeves weather in mid Dec. in the South.... It all sounds strange for our Northern's friends. Will resume our bonsai's project soon....
Lily_love, I am going to try and post pictures of the plants (Wisteria)
Here are a few more pictures of others.
And this is the only other Wisteria that I have
Dld;
Thanks for posting the pics. The first two maybe ready to be wired, begin this winter and get them wired so you can begin to train them to the shape that you so desired. Slanted? Cascade? Semicascade ect. Look at your Bonsai's guide and chose one style that you like best. The 3rd one you've many 'babies' vines. Separate them into indevidual pots and nurse them to be bigger. The first two may flower for you, if you keep them on the dried side. Water them only when the soil is dried out.
And stop - pruning off the side branches, those short stubby spurs -- those are your flowers branches.
Will check back before 9 pm.
Kim
Dld; did you check on the link I posted above regarding forcing your Wisterias to bloom?
Kim
Lily_love, thanks for reminding me to go back to the post. When I started getting sick, my mind was not on reading much. I will reread post as soon as I can. Just glancing back at it, I can tell there is a wealth of information that I need to record. Thanks. No one else in my Bonsai club is interested in Whisteria, so they are of very little help to me. I am still very new to Bonsai and it is all trial and error. Hopefully very little error. Still I am not sure which type/variety I have.
I afraid we can't tell which is which until the vine blooms. So hang tough. We'll work together if you'd like. I'll post more pics. as I work with mine this winter.
Kim
Merry Christmas and happy bonsai-ing. :-)
http://www.thecompassgroup.biz/merryxmas.swf
I'll insert a picture of the Natal Plum in bloom here.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=4248357
I just found this thread. Natal Plum is real common in south Texas and used as mass plantings everywhere. You have me thinking that I am going to go buy a mature plant , prune the roots and try to learn to bonsai growing!
Gail;
It's very easy in training them to flower and set fruits. And if you love butterfly gardening. This is a project that is rewarding. I highly recommend it. Oh, by the way, what's Houston classified in USDA zone? If they're hardy there, I maybe able to grow them outdoor in a protected area? I was just wondering.
Kim
South Tx.....it maybe as well zone 9b+? I'm out of that range by a long shot. Oh well.
I am in south Texas but we are the same zone as Houston which is 9a. They are hardy in the ground both places. We get some light freezes......maybe 3 or 4 but they don't last more than an hour. So...........just guessing that, with a blanket over them, that would add another 10 or 12 degrees above what you have.
How cold is zone 7b just out of curiosity?
I have a front screened in porch that I wrap with poly in the winter and every single thing makes it fine through our winter......including hoyas, orchids, etc............even the tropicals continue to bloom with the low south sun coming in on the porch.
We're known to have occasional teens in the low, but brief. With a little microclimate differences (being by the lake), I've success with many a tropical planting. Though, I overwinter most of my tender plants indoors. Natal plum is one of them.
I always wonder what people do for humidity when they need to overwinter inside the house? Do plants just acclimate to wherever they are put.
Their need are uniquely different on each plant. In the simulated gh, I keep the humidity level at certain level, and they seem to adapt well. Some that are accustomed to higher humidity, they go in a stage of transition, then adjusted, somewhat. I've brugs and hibiscus that continue to bloom while indoor, with added light source. Though, without pollinators, I don't give them the maximum condition they need, so they stay "idle" and take less care.
Ok, thanks. I supposed you might have a simulated gh inside. I know I would have to or I am positive I would otherwise kill them. Impressed that you are still getting blooms. The only gro lights I have are on 8 stands for other kinds of plants...
I discovered by accident that plumeria seeds went on and sprouted being kept under my simulated gh - where lighting condition was not ideal. But, I'll try to sow seeds in a more controlled environment than the gh can provide at present. :-) Happy gardening.
Kim
In reference to your earlier post about thickening the trunk, there is some information about that on the Knowledge of Bonsai site online. I am dealing with that myself in some collected plants. If you really want to thicken the diameter of the main trunk, root pruning apparently slows it down, as does removing the lower lateral branches.
I have planted out some of my collected trees in beds and some in 5 gal nursery pots to allow for greater root development. The hawthorns have had a year to strike new roots, so this year, after the first sappy spring growth has hardened up, I will cut them back to try to force buds from lower on the trunk. I hope in two years to start styling for shohin and transfer to a bonsai pot in the fall of the 4th year.
I have a forsythia that has been in the ground for at least 4 years and cut back by an agressive spouse with a lawn mower, or maybe that should be a spouse with an aggressive lawn mower. It is also destined for a small pot, possibly this January. I find myself gravitating toward spring blooming plants rather than evergreens.
I have a pot buying trip planned for next week, if the store at the monastery in Conyers will be open. Somehow I have a little extra cash left even after Christmas. Don't know how it happened, don't care how it happened, but I know where it is going.
Beth
Hi Beth,
I'm glad you've joined in and shared your observation and knowledge. That confirmed mine (observation with my 3 Wisterias). Thank you for the reinforcement on that. Where is the mentioned Monastery, Conyers? Is it far from our State's line?
Kim
Below Atlanta and a bit to the west. Google Bonsai monk for the online store. They also have plants there but those are not mail order items.
I used to grow succulents in bonsai pots, back when you could find bonsai pots in Birmingham at Aldridges and at Libby's place when she was on Clairmont. The last time I went looking for pots in Birmingham was disappointing. I found a few at Leaf and Petal but I can't say that I found them aesthetically appealing. A friend in Atlanta has offered me kiln time if I want to try to make pots for kusamono or slabs. I think that this spring I will take her up on that.
Beth
Thanks Beth,
I'll do some search tomorrow. I thanks again, and glad to you're here. Back in the morning.
Kim
Kim,I just looked on the Web and it said the fruit is totally edible and taste like a very sweet cranberry. I am definitely going to have go buy a Natal Plum to bonsai☺
Lu
Lucille, you'll love these little 'trees' keep me posted as to how well they do for you.
Kim
I will Kim. Your enthusiasm is contagious as well as your Bonsaiing☺
LU
Thanks Lucille, I'm enjoying this plum(s) still at we speak. Here is a ripe fruit. Soon, I can collect these seeds. (These fruits were formed, and green when I moved them indoor for the winter).
Hi everyone, not much as been changed for the past week. I've just now collected this rippened fruits of my Natal plum. Also, I've seed that germinated. Yes I sowed a handful of seeds in a 4" container indoor. 2-3 weeks has passed, one has germinated. The seedling is tiny like that of a tomato's seed.
The mentioned Natal plum continues to bear fruit indoor at this time.
That bonsai with fruit is looking good Kim! Thanks for sharing☺
Hi Lu, thanks for the compliment. I really didn't "train" the above Natal plum by wiring and such, I did however root prune, and pruned the tree severely last winter.
Wally,
*Here is the picture of another type of tree/vine trunk that I've wired, with my inexperience into the technique. I've inadvertently allowed some of the wire cutting through the bark, but basically what I did, that caused the plant to be "swollen" and created a knawling effect.....here is of my Wisteria. This wiring was done last winter....
*Here is the original thread that I initiated the question to Wally regarding how to train a tree trunk to create a swollen looking trunk....
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/796555/
This message was edited Jan 30, 2008 3:56 PM
Another angle of the same trunk. I hope all is not loss as far as the shape of one of my very first attempt at bonsai training. This one is at a blooming age, it bloomed last year.
Here is a picture of a similiar Wisteria, same size, same age. That wasn't wired. Notice how the trunk is slender and upright.
As spring is but few weeks away in our zone, wisterias' buds are more plumping up. Stand by, I'll post more pics. as the blossoms unfurl.
The buds on wisteria are swellen up, soon there will be picture.
Happy bonsaiing.
I am waiting patiently for pics Kim. I am going to try bonsaiing the Chinese Wisteria I planted last year if it gets going this season. It had blossoms on it when I bought it so I am hopeful it will blossom its first year.
I am enjoying my Ficus bonsai this year too. What a restful inside garden it created using bonsai and cacti together☺
Hi Lu, check this 'bonsai' out. We can do this with ours. Look!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/145856/
That is utterly,absolutely beautiful. Yours seem to have already started to achieve that look with the wiring you did above. It is just an incredible art form and I can just imagine the fragrance to add to the elegance,WOW☺
Lu, having planted your Wisteria, that will encourage the trunk to enlarge faster than if we were to prune the roots and keep them in training pots. For example this wisteria, instead of planted it in the ground. I allow the root to escape and ran out of the bottom drain-holes. Those roots were tenatious, they ran on the surface of the ground for some distance, at the end of the growing season, I severed the rampant running roots. Over a year's growth. The trunk almost doubled.
Funny how bonsai and succulents seem to attract the same people. I also like both.
Beth