Com Crashed !!!

Sorry guys, not able to update til my harddisk(crashed) is fixed. Hang in there and stay tuned as loads of mame stocks in training will be posted up soon once my com is back up and kicking.

Fukien Seedlings

Source: Wild collected

A bunch of cuttings

Still trying to "strike" cuttings(i suck at it).

One comes, all comes

Fallen quite ill due to weak health and repeated drenching in rain. Fever, flu, diahhorea, headache, body aches, sorethroat. Wont be working much in the next few days. Posting will resume when i recovered.

Out.

Visit to BMB Albert's Abode

Went over to albert's place to adopt 3 water jasmine stocks. And among these 3, produced several root cuttings from them. Its gonna be challenging as to whether the oldest, weakest one will survive through or not. Will post them up very soon. Lotsa stocks to work now considering how little time i have when i reached home after work, merely 2 hours...

Sobz, back to my in-camp training for a week

Will not be updating for the next whole week as i will have to head back army for my compulsory in-camp training. What worries me most is how my mum gonna help me water them. Each one has different watering needs, im very worried that any mishap might caused their deaths...

But do keep tab, as i will posting a whole bunch of water jasmine i've been working on(provided they stay alive).

Two potential mame to be from my cuttings

Source: Cuttings

Majority of leaves remained on the cuttings after 1 week plus, and subsequently, new buds started throwing out. Its more or less been about 3-4 weeks since they were cut off, as such i presumed very likely, they have rooted. Hurray for myself since i never really strike any cuttings before.

Some personal comments and studies

Lately, i've read through Harry's site and agree with what he had mentioned regarding "Euonymous alatus Bonsai Progression Series/ Hard Pruning Nursery Stock for Bonsai ". Most people do not pruned hard enough to ramify the branch structures especially the case where it's problematic. And further for one to develop a stock be it wild or nursery into a bonsai material, it is often required to prune enough to re-develop the branches to taper and further ramify.

There are people who are gardeners, who just want healthy plants and do not want to take so called "risks", im fine with that. But if you are into bonsai and you are afraid to try, take risks, learn, and experience for yourself, you'are better off not doing anything. I'd rather you spend the time constructively outside. But i can assure that with additional bonsai developing knowledge, some plants especially when grown over the years, can be developed into very wonderful masterpieces even if your not into bonsai.

At fukubonsai, on the articles of 18 water jasmine seedlings, we can see how important pinching is. I personally vouched that water jasmine when left grown wildly and not pruned with proper knowledge are only developed as so-so stocks. It is not difficult to see over 10-20years of medium-large sized water jasmine to have very similar growing habits. They lacked the bottom branches, and few if any(often thin and weak), whereas the top portions are over developed with only one main trunk without good tapering and girth to relate to the top. I understand that with wild growing, its to achieve the fattening of the branch/trunk. Normally good healthy stocks will bud quite a few points which some are retained for further lower/main branches. You'll have to determine the height you're gonna work til, when you have achieved the desired height, i think its a good time to start pinching off the apex new growth and start to divert the energy to the lower portions. This will also cause backbudding to happen and it does happen easily in water jasmine. And from here, let the shoots formed at the lower portions to continue to grow wild to develop the thickness. When main trunk line, branches are established, its alot easier to ramify the finer branches.

As far as im concerned, im still newbie to bonsai and just a beginner for water jasmine =P

Rosette In Bonsai Pot (not a bonsai though)

Aquarium Gravels

Woots, finally went to get a pack of aquarium gravels(1-2.5mm) to test out for creating a better bonsai soil mix myself. These are labelled as 100% natural river gravels and it says from "America" which im not very sure about that though. Its always best to sieve it to remove finer size gravels/dust which you dont want it to be there and afterwhich might give it a good wash and sun it for few days before using it for my smaller bonsai.

Reviews:
Here because the diameter are only approximately 1-2.5mm, so i only divide it into a rough portion of two sizes(mainly 2mm's and 1mm's). As you can see the ones on the left after sieveing are mainly 2mm's. From my sieveing experience, a pack of theses gives you estimated 80% the 2mm's and the rest 15% 1mm's and lesser and overall its quite clean, when your the whole bag out, you dont really see lotsa dust flying off niether during the sieveing process. Recommend it as a soil mixing media to greatly improve drainage as these are gravels and they are not porous and does not retain moisture nor break down easily. Dmg: $12/10kg pack

Copper / Brass Wire

Some copper/brass wires i use for my bonsai wiring. The "soft"brass at .41mm is great for loose wiring young soft shoots. The copper .51mm/.66mm wires are great for supple young branch of about 2mm-2.5mm in diamter.

My Plant Rack (Indoor)

Been using this indoor plant rack i set up myself for some time. Pretty simple and compact, also been testing these T8 lights under indoor conditions to monitor whether there are suitable for my water jasmine plants which to some extent yes(otherwise they would have been dead long ago), but the conditions cannot be compared to outdoor with good direct sources of sunlight for sure. If it still goes well, might install a 2nd plant rack in my room soon.

Anyway these are HO(high output) white T8 lights which are very low watts. Everyday on 2 sets of these light-tube for 8hrs a day, and for 30 days(est. a month), will cost about only $3+ of electrical bill. Neat.

Bowl of Cactus

This going out to ferlyn for moving into her new house and chinese happy lunar new year, all in one, and yes.. belated, but better than never. Though i never promised you anything, i kept my words =P (I know its horribly arranged)