Hi Bonsailelong,

I am Jerome from Singapore.
I have been a quiet reader since your 1st page.
Time to come out from the cave... "Singapore Mountain Tortoise here"

I have been playing with entry level bonsai for since childhood.
Still entry level till today.
Have learnt a lot from this forum, hope to learn more and hopeful meet you in person one fine day.

Favourite species : Shui Mui, Chinese Elm, Chinese Juniper...

Have been growing my plants with old traditional method of black earth...
Venturing into Black Volcanic sand and Burnt soil.
But have many worries about plants killed in the process.

I will try to post pics of my plants when I have taken their pics..

Regards
Jerome

Hi Bonsailelong,

Thanks for your compliments.
Singapore is way too stressful compared to Malaysia...only good is that the place is small and funny things you do everyone is watching..

Yes, Singapore has small cave and small hills (2 to name..Mt Faber with Cable car service to sentosa and Bukit Timah Hill Nature reserve)

Abit more intro on myself...I am half Malaysian, my mum from Semenyih Kampung Baru...
As a kid, every school holidays will be sent there..
I have not been back to Semenyih for many years (15years at least) ...thus places like Sam Fong I really dun know and would love to visit.

I still miss the old Semenyih that I remembered..
Well my next trip back I am seriously considering of paying you a visit if time and not forgetting you permit.
I have so much to learn from you..

Well Semenyih and together with many small towns outside KL has developed by leaps and bounds..

I cannot thank you enough for the wealth of information you provided selflessly to all readers...
I cannot find decent knowledge from Ang Mo written books, as their environment is totally different from ours..
Worst thing is what they wrote cannot apply to ours here..

Regards
Jerome

Hi Bonsailelong,

I am worried for my shui mui which I transplanted from the ground to a 100% black volcano sand.
I washed away all soil only left the root ball.

Attached below is the picture of the said plant.
I use a black net to shelter it from the afternoon sun..

The drying of the leaves got me worried..I was wondering if soaking the whole pot in a basin of water can save my plant.
All advices appreciated in advance.

Jerome

This post has been edited by snowlion73: Feb 12 2015, 01:24 PM

Hi Bonsailelong,
Thanks for your words of wisdom.
Will remember them by heart..

Going to replant it now..
Thanks
Jerome

Hoped it is not to late to wish everyone..just got back into office this morning!


Happy New Year Everyone!
May all your Bonsai Dreams come true!
May all your Bonsais grow well and flourish!

Hi Bonsailelong,

Like to seek your advice on below Shui Mui.
I wanted to cut the two roots on the left side of the picture..to balance the plant impression.


another view of the same plant from the back view.


My final goal is to make this plant into a cascading style..
With the two removed roots, I hope to grow also downward cascading plants from them..

Any advices on fattening or thickening of the trunks and roots?
I know we may have to plant them into big pots to encourage maximum growth,
from there then we trim the plant back to bonsai size..

Looking forward to hear from everyone too.
Thanks in advance.

Jerome

This post has been edited by snowlion73: Mar 4 2015, 11:06 AM

Like to share some updates with my layering or grafting of Shui Mui plants at my work place..
These plants have been neglected since their owners retired 8 yrs ago..

Too many to post all of them here, I concentrated only on those more impressive ones.

Below plant height at 1.5m, covered with green algae.
I removed all unwanted thin branches and used a steel brush to scrubbed away the green algae..
Gave liquid Fertilizers for 2 months, before I started the layering process.

My objective was to create smaller bonsais with thick trunks from these vertically tall plants..


My observations were that roots took almost 2 months to establish despite me using of rooting hormone at the wrapping stage..

Older plants which were planted to the ground, estimated age abt 20yrs old.
I did layering too.


Planted the cuttings 2 weeks ago into a flower bed which I have prepared for them..

Intend to pot train them when their roots are of decent size..

Any thoughts please share with me here..

Thanks for viewing
Jerome

This post has been edited by snowlion73: Mar 4 2015, 11:38 AM

Thanks Bonsailelong for your words of encouragement.

Regarding your advice on the above bonsai, I definitely want to raise the soil level higher.
I am convinced that I dun like the skeleton look too.

I wanted to remove the roots highlighted in red, plant the plant in a big pot to fatten up the roots..


Would this way look better?


Thanks in advance
Jerome

Hi Bonsai lelong,
thanks I will stick with your advice.
Have great weekend!

Hi Bonsai lelong,
I understand your kind intension, but I suspect if I can come out with something so challenging!
Ha ha.. I try... but main concern now is how to fatten up the roots and trunk of this plant..


thanks
Jerome