I can't wait to see your e-book! I've been working with p. afra for a little over a year and there are many things that I still need to learn as someone new to bonsai: I struggle with envisioning what shape I want the tree to be in the future, and then working toward getting that shape through pruning and wiring. When it comes to developing a branch structure, I know general rules that get repeated often (keep the branching to 2, cut upward and downward growth) but without looking closely at someone else's bonsai I have a hard time figuring out how to best use those rules to develop a nice branching structure. And then pads - I know you're supposed to repeatedly cut down to earlier pairs of leaves so that you get dense growth but I'm having a hard time repeating that on my own trees. I figure the only way to get better is to experiment and play with trees and figure out what works, so I propagated a lot of cuttings over the summer. This then left me with questions about when I should start the shaping process, or if early on it's more important to let it grow vigorously for health and to get a good trunk. Hope this helps you think of what to include in your book and thanks for your videos!
First of all, THANKS for leaving such a detailed comment! Yeah, I also really struggled with that when I started. I am addressing all your concerns in the examples part of the ebook! But to give you a bit of an early answer regarding when to start the shaping process: There isn't a correct answer, it depends on person to person. If you are fine with a smaller trunk but would like certain movement, then I would style from the beginning. If you would like a larger trunk with more natural movement, then I would let it grow crazy and cut back. I mention in the book a lot, that if you want faster growth and thicker trunks, put it in a biiiiiig bag or pot. I am a fan of letting it grow wild (cutting back in a general oval shape every now and then) until the trunk is thick enough), and then working with what the tree gives me.
Bellissimi bonsai, complimenti sei bravissimo
I can't wait to see your e-book! I've been working with p. afra for a little over a year and there are many things that I still need to learn as someone new to bonsai: I struggle with envisioning what shape I want the tree to be in the future, and then working toward getting that shape through pruning and wiring. When it comes to developing a branch structure, I know general rules that get repeated often (keep the branching to 2, cut upward and downward growth) but without looking closely at someone else's bonsai I have a hard time figuring out how to best use those rules to develop a nice branching structure. And then pads - I know you're supposed to repeatedly cut down to earlier pairs of leaves so that you get dense growth but I'm having a hard time repeating that on my own trees.
I figure the only way to get better is to experiment and play with trees and figure out what works, so I propagated a lot of cuttings over the summer. This then left me with questions about when I should start the shaping process, or if early on it's more important to let it grow vigorously for health and to get a good trunk. Hope this helps you think of what to include in your book and thanks for your videos!
First of all, THANKS for leaving such a detailed comment!
Yeah, I also really struggled with that when I started.
I am addressing all your concerns in the examples part of the ebook!
But to give you a bit of an early answer regarding when to start the shaping process:
There isn't a correct answer, it depends on person to person.
If you are fine with a smaller trunk but would like certain movement, then I would style from the beginning.
If you would like a larger trunk with more natural movement, then I would let it grow crazy and cut back. I mention in the book a lot, that if you want faster growth and thicker trunks, put it in a biiiiiig bag or pot.
I am a fan of letting it grow wild (cutting back in a general oval shape every now and then) until the trunk is thick enough), and then working with what the tree gives me.