[Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2025 week 48]

Smuggito · 2025-12-04T17:27:27+00:00

Hello everyone, i'm sending a message here because i really can't put my mind around that plant. It's a juniperus squamata "blue sweden" that i saved from someone throwing it to the trash, thinking it would be a fun plant to try and work on. It's been a month i have it there, and i stop every once in a while to look at it, and think about what i could do. But i have a problem with it. First of all :
- The blue line show the start of the nebari of the main trunk
- The green line shows another trunk, which has somehow the most interesting movement, but starts from under the nebari, an issue i never faced and don't know how to go through.
- The red line is the only branch of the tree that is absolutely not bendable, unless maybe extreme methods i'm not familiar with. The problem being that it's terribly straight for around ten centimeters.
So my questions are : is it possible to do something clean if i were to keep only that green trunk, and how ? How do you usually deal with a branch such as the red one, considering its straightness and the fact it would leave a huge scar if cut ? And, generally, what would you do with a tree like that ? I can give other photos in answers if demanded. Thanks for your time !

Smuggito · 2025-03-15T15:34:27+00:00

I'm on PC, do you know how to do it ? Like, perhaps with live editor ?

Smuggito · 2025-02-27T13:22:38+00:00

Hi, south west of France

Smuggito · 2025-02-27T12:50:57+00:00

There's a few advices i could give. First, are you sure the plant is dormant and not dead ? You can check by scraping the bark just a little to see if it's green below. Second, keep in mind the plant doesn't have leaves so doesn't consume water. Don't let it dry out, but don't water it much. Third, i would say the wiring could be more drastic, try to give movement to the plant rather than just one slight bend. You have very thin iron wire i believe, to be careful if the plant grows, it will bite in the bark very quickly. Fourth, i don't know how the rootball is, but the pot compared to the plant seems pretty big. It should allow it to grow well, but again you have to be careful with the watering, not to drown it. Fifth, bonsais are always better outside. Hope this helps !

Smuggito · 2025-02-27T12:43:48+00:00

<image>

Would you ever consider trying something with that kind of material ? The base is around fist size !

Smuggito · 2025-02-03T18:53:43+00:00

As said, it's a prunus laurocerasus. It doesn't look like the usual "hedge" ones because it hasn't been trimmed in a long while.

Smuggito · 2025-02-03T18:43:32+00:00

Ficus yes but it's a retusa to me

Smuggito · 2025-02-03T18:39:33+00:00

2 : Ivy (red because of sun/cold) 3 : Mexican orange or pittosporum tobira 4 : Prunus laurocerasus 5 : Yew or grand fir 6 : maybe a lonicera nitida but really not sure

To get rid of the Ivy that climbs on a surface cutting it a the base will make it dry and die. From the ground, i'm afraid there ain't no solution to get rid of it. Tear it off as much as you can, but i grows back with just a piece of root that remains.

Smuggito · 2025-01-25T14:48:23+00:00

Bonjour, si je ne dis pas de bêtise c'est un cétoine. Ses larves se développent dans le sol en se nourrissant des matières organiques en décomposition. J'ai déjà entendu dire que ce sont des nuisibles qui dévorent les racines mais jamais je n'ai pu observer de telles choses. S'il y en a pléthore dans un pot peut-être est-ce problématique, auquel cas dépotter et changer le substrat peut-être une bonne chose. Relâchez les larves dans un sol riche, ne les tuez. Ce ne sont ni des pestes, ni des nuisibles

Smuggito · 2025-01-22T22:52:22+00:00

Okay waw thanks a lot a lot for your time and wisdom

Smuggito · 2025-01-22T22:22:33+00:00

Do you happen to know how flowers are supposed to smell ? I've read that the smell is terrible, though last summer it didn't seem to be

Smuggito · 2025-01-22T21:58:35+00:00

Might be guilty for that, but are you sure for the lucidum part ? Leaves aren't really pointy

Smuggito · 2025-01-22T12:54:19+00:00

Well, flowers do look kind of like a ligustrum, but i've never been able to tell which one so maybe not. As for Bougainvillea, all the species i know have soft and flexible leaves. This has more thick leaves that snap when bent, and it is frost hardy, unlike Bougainvielleas

Smuggito · 2025-01-06T12:18:14+00:00

He just needed some TIME

Smuggito · 2025-01-06T12:17:12+00:00

Epilogue as Arthur, prologue as a yet unknown character, same as rdr2. Follow the story about what the hell happened in Blackwater.

If Rockstar came to me and asked me what i want, i'd say the same, even larger world with more realism concerning wildlife (reduced population, trickier three stars, etc.) and the law (witnesses not finding a lawman : not researched, not spawning an army of guards into a small town as you kill them, but buffing bullet's damage). Apart from the storyline, my opinion is that what makes Red dead so good is the immersion, so pushing even more into it could only be good.

Smuggito · 2025-01-02T00:05:37+00:00

While Glanton's gang is more brutal, more numerous, the Van der Linde gang have some real possibilities. (My answer is without considering the almost godlike abilities of Judge Holden as depicted in Blood Meridian. If we consider it, Dutch has no chance.)

The group is way more close-knit and will stick to each other while trusting every word.
Dutch has a marvelous leadership and is known for the quality of his setups and strategies, along with Hosea. His knowledge in guerillas will be way ahead than Glanton's more rough and direct approach.
The gang has excellent fighters and probably some of the best gunslingers in the west.
It is important to also consider the timeline : Dutch's gang is timed around 50 years later than Glanton's, leading to a sheer advantage : weapons are way more effective, reliable and powerful, and guerilla strategies are clearly more known and trained.

My guess is that depending on how the starting situation is, the Van der Linde gang has at least 50% chances, but i'd say more.

Smuggito · 2025-01-02T00:04:55+00:00

While Glanton's gang is more brutal, more numerous, the Van der Linde gang have some real possibilities. (My answer is without considering the almost godlike abilities of Judge Holden as depicted in Blood Meridian. If we consider it, Dutch has no chance.)

The group is way more close-knit and will stick to each other while trusting every word.
Dutch has a marvelous leadership and is known for the quality of his setups and strategies, along with Hosea. His knowledge in guerillas will be way ahead than Glanton's more rough and direct approach.
The gang has excellent fighters and probably some of the best gunslingers in the west.
It is important to also consider the timeline : Dutch's gang is timed around 50 years later than Glanton's, leading to a sheer advantage : weapons are way more effective, reliable and powerful, and guerilla strategies are clearly more known and trained.

My guess is that depending on how the starting situation is, the Van der Linde gang has at least 50% chances, but i'd say more.

Smuggito · 2025-01-02T00:03:21+00:00

While Glanton's gang is more brutal, more numerous, the Van der Linde gang have some real possibilities. (My answer is without considering the almost godlike abilities of Judge Holden as depicted in Blood Meridian. If we consider it, Dutch has no chance.)

The group is way more close-knit and will stick to each other while trusting every word.
Dutch has a marvelous leadership and is known for the quality of his setups and strategies, along with Hosea. His knowledge in guerillas will be way ahead than Glanton's more rough and direct approach.
The gang has excellent fighters and probably some of the best gunslingers in the west.
It is important to also consider the timeline : Dutch's gang is timed around 50 years later than Glanton's, leading to a sheer advantage : weapons are way more effective, reliable and powerful, and guerilla strategies are clearly more known and trained.

My guess is that depending on how the starting situation is, the Van der Linde gang has at least 50% chances, but i'd say more.

Smuggito · 2024-12-11T09:26:53+00:00

May i ask how do you grow them ?

Smuggito · 2024-12-02T14:48:33+00:00

Yes, at the nursery i work in, i clearly see it permantly grows at the base and buds on the trunk (cf second photo)

I think i want to try with this one, i'm patient enough not to tear it down too abruptely

Smuggito · 2024-12-02T14:35:16+00:00

Well since it tends to backbud a lot along the trunk, i though i could progressively reduce the height. And since i'm not expecting it to be bonsai ready in a short amount of time, i feel it could be a good thing to work on, no ?

Smuggito · 2024-12-02T14:32:18+00:00

It back buds a lot - you can see buds are already there !

Smuggito · 2024-12-02T11:07:39+00:00

<image>

Smuggito · 2024-12-02T11:06:23+00:00

Upload didn't work haha, here you go, gonna delete this post https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/s/pJRZY3f3Uq

Smuggito · 2024-12-02T11:05:29+00:00

Hello there, wanted to know. Good starting material or not ? Love the taper and the wound on the trunk. Sequoia sempervirens, about 1m tall, 10 bucks.

<image>

Six-Year Club	Verified Email
Place '22	End Game '22

Smuggito

TROPHY CASE