True Dwarf Boxwood New Home!

[graphyfotoz]

Well after 1 1/2hrs of work I got TDBW in his new home.
The following pics show the hell I went threw to get him there!

Your comments PLEASE!

#1
What a mess of roots!!!!
That's what happens when you get a yard plant to make into a Bonsai! Eshhhhh!



#2
Cut the mass in half right off the bat!
Had to saw threw it all.



#3
After picking and picking and a good wash this was the finished root process.
Took forever I hope it was worth it.
The reason what the roots were such a mess...90% of the organic matter was bark chips.
The roots were grown all threw them!
Hope I didn't take off too much root?
From what I read they can take a sever pruning!??




#4
Here is a close up of what I wanted to accomplish with a nice raised root system!
BTW: I took several PPL's advise and mixed a GOOD amount of Aquarium stone threw the mix for this one!
Layered the bottom 3/4in of the pot with it also.
Next root job should be much easier?
Front then rear.

Coupla weeks I go back to work on the topside!




#5
Final product from all angles Front to rear.

[graphyfotoz]

Oh yeah BTW the pot is 5 3/4" x 5 3/4", 4 1/4" high.

[Allen MacMillan]

I like how you raised the tree up some exposing lots of roots. Sweet little pot as well. Nicely done as usual man.

[graphyfotoz]

Thanx Allen!
Better feedback than I got from you know where!
I guess I'm not doing too bad for a rookie?

[graphyfotoz]

Check this out and tell me what you think??

I think you need to spend some more time reading about soil. I think that your use of potting soil is likely to cause some harm to your trees.

www.evergreengardenworks.com/soils.htm

www.evergreengardenworks.com/earthpot.htm

Other than your soil, the rest of what you did looks good.

- bob

Thanx Bob!
Soil is about the most debated part of Bonsai.
EVERYONE seems to have their own formulation!

Fortunately I'm messing with hardy plants that will grow on a bowling ball.

My bottom layer of stone is crushed shale finger nail size....didn't have lava rock.
Lava rock would hold more water than shale.
I have a 50/50 mix of soil and pea sized aquarium stone which is crushed granite as far as I know.
Seems to drain fast when I water and the Boxwood and Ficus being drought tolerant type plants I only water only 2x a week.

My Ficus when I bought it was in almost pure potting soil and sand.
Which I reused 90% of it on both plants. When I removed my plant which "looks" to have been in there for a coupla years.
Had a lot of root and there was zero damage to them.
My Boxwood was in pure bark mulch which holds water like a sponge as you can see had a ton of roots with zero damage.
That had to of been in there for a LONG time to get that amount of roots. NONE were rotted!

I'll keep a close vigil on my plants and see what happens.

[stinkdog12]

Everything looks good to me. Pretty major root prune but if I remember correctly you whacked a good bit off of the top of this plant so I think that it will be fine. I wouldn't dial 911 on the soil or anything but I would keep and eye on it. If I understood you correctly I think that you were saying that you reused 90% of the old soil? I would probably recommend using more new mix to get some good new fresh stuff in there. Like you mentioned, that plant has probably been in that same pot for quite some time. I was looking for some good box woods yesterday at the do it yourself centers here in town but I couldn't find anything that matched the quality of yours. I think that is going to make a good little tree for you.

Brock

[graphyfotoz]

stinkdog12 said:

Everything looks good to me. Pretty major root prune but if I remember correctly you whacked a good bit off of the top of this plant so I think that it will be fine. I wouldn't dial 911 on the soil or anything but I would keep and eye on it. If I understood you correctly I think that you were saying that you reused 90% of the old soil? I would probably recommend using more new mix to get some good new fresh stuff in there. Like you mentioned, that plant has probably been in that same pot for quite some time. I was looking for some good box woods yesterday at the do it yourself centers here in town but I couldn't find anything that matched the quality of yours. I think that is going to make a good little tree for you.

Brock

I mixed old and some new together bout 60% old and 40% new.
Plus a fair amount of Aquarium stone and a like pine mulch.

As for my Boxwood....got it at Walmart.....check there!
Watch the trunks......I got mine for $4 there!!