Hi guys,

this is my first post so I thought I would say a bit about myself, my names Karl, im a 22 year old Tree Surgeon from Cambridge who has a passion for bonsai trees.

These trees are around 7 years old which I have grown from seed, they are still in their training pots however I will get them in bonsai pots next year.

http://i54.tinypic.com/jrr9qr.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/2rxxy1i.jpg

I hope these work.

On Jun 9, 8:28*am, ukbushmonkey ukbushmonkey.
wrote:

I will get them in bonsai pots
next year.

ukbushmonkey

Whoa, not so fast. I got your pictures loud and clear. You did not say
what they are. They are a long way from being ready for a bonsai pot.
The first picture I assume is a yew. The two trees are not on speaking
terms. First you need to get that big root out from between them. It
doesn't go with the composition anyway. Next you need to prune the
little one so it has distinct branches & you get a glimpse of the
trunk. On the other hand, the tall trunk needs to be severely pruned
at the top to encourage back-budding. That long naked trunk will never
do on a yew.
The other tree looks like a horsechestnut. You have two competing
trunks. I suggest you remove the straight heavy one. Then you can wire
the trunk to get more curves that go with the first bend. You will
have your hands full reducing the leaf size on a horsechestnut, but
constant pinching & pruning may help.
It's too late for this year, but for training pots you need to use
wide, shallow bulb pans or training boxes to prepare the roots for a
bonsai pot. When you repot, be sure to cut off any taproots.
Meanwhile, keep them in full sun & feed heavily.
Join the nearest bonsai club. Get some bonsai books out of the
library.
Iris

Many thanks for the reply.

You are correct, one is a Chestnut and the other is an English Yew.

I believe they are ready for bonsai pots, sorry you do not agree. The trunks are much thicker than they look in the pictures.

On the yew, its not a root, its a piece of dead wood, gently placed there for decoration which I like. They are not two seperate trees, they are the same tree which I have trained to grow like that, as for this reason, the trunk can be that bare and will cause no harm to the tree what so ever, it will get a high amount of energy reserves from the lower follage.

On the chestnut, I agree with what you say, I like the look of the two trunks but feel one needs to go.

Well, you asked for an opinion. Mine comes from 22 years experience in
bonsai and studying with some world-class bonsai artists.
They are your trees & you are free to style them as you please. If you
are dissatisfied with my opinion, post your pictures at the Internet
Bonsai Club, or even better, take your trees to a meeting of the
nearest bonsai club. Either way, you will get even more expert
opinions than mine.
If you like the piece of driftwood, place it to one side of the tree,
not between the two trunks. Also, treat it with a wood preservative,
like MinWax Wood Hardener. Otherwise, leaving it on damp soil will
cause it to rot.
I am not concerned that the long bare trunk will cause harm to the
health of the tree. It just doesn't look right artistically. The two
trunks need to look alike, as if they have both been growing in the
same place, under the same conditions.
Try to get hold of Deborah Koreshoff's book, Bonsai: Its Art, Science,
& Philosophy. She has a whole section on two-trunk trees. Also, take a
drive out in the country and look for twin-trunk trees, & see how they
actually grow.
Iris

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Brassavola is named to honor a famous Italian physician and botanist, Antonio Musa Brassavola. This orchid is a genus that includes about 20 species, and has a close relation with the Cattleya family. The majority of Brassavola are epiphytes while some are lithophytes.

It is native to the tropical region of central and southern part of America including the Caribbean islands. “Lady of the night” is referred to Brassavola nodosa due to its intense fragrant at night. Some records show that Brassavola nodosa was the first orchid that has been successfully brought to and cultivated in Holland.