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seeking feedback on my first bonsai

  • TrentM
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seeking feedback on my first bonsai was created by TrentM

Posted 2 years 10 months ago #75124
Here is a photo of my first bonsai, a boxwood from a local nursery. I trimmed it myself and shaped it with copper wire. I live in Minnesota (northern USA), where it is very cold in the winter, so the bonsai is indoors. I welcome all advice and recommendations. It has been about two weeks since shaping it. Today is 26 February, 2022.

I am happy to have found this site and am here to learn and develop my skills with bonsai. Thank you.
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  • Tropfrog
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Replied by Tropfrog on topic seeking feedback on my first bonsai

Posted 2 years 10 months ago #75125
Did the nurcery keep it indoors? Do you know what species it is? Most common buxus species will do good outdoors in usda zone 5 or above. Very tolerant to cold weather, not that tolerant to skip winter dormancy.

Regarding your styling work I have seen worse. The left trunk have two defining branches, commonly called handlebar branches, not normally a feature to strive for in bonsai. One simple rule to follow is that anywhere on the tree you should only have one dividing into two, never more as is the case here. But no rush really. For now just hope the tree survives until spring. Pruning more can be done next year.
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  • TrentM
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Replied by TrentM on topic seeking feedback on my first bonsai

Posted 2 years 10 months ago #75126
I appreciate your feedback. Thank you, it is helpful. It was indoors in their greenhouse, and there was no label about species, unfortunately. I wonder if it might have been one left over from last summer's outdoor sales season. As I am now reading more about indoor bonsai on the BE site, I'm seeing there are a few options more suited to indoors to try. I would like to maybe try one bonsai indoors and one bonsai outdoors this summer. In Minnesota, the last frost is typically in early May. I will continue reading the BE site for sources to buy plants, possibly locally and online.
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Replied by Tropfrog on topic seeking feedback on my first bonsai

Posted 2 years 10 months ago #75127
I guess first thing ou need to do is identifying the species. If it was left from outdoor sales it might be B Seperivensis. Lets hope someone more familiar with the genus can chip in on species.

Can you go back to the nurcery and ask If they know species and about the conditions in the greenhouse? If it has beenproperly hardened off during athum, bringing it outside now might be your best chanse. If not, a protected place at 5-10c would be more suitable.
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  • leatherback
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Replied by leatherback on topic seeking feedback on my first bonsai

Posted 2 years 10 months ago #75128
Nice work so far. Pretty good for a first try.

When styling a twin, try to kee the two trees separate; THe branches should not cross the trunks, so one trunk grows to the left, the other right.
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