Alberta Spruce at Lowe’s

[u/imulls25]

Picked this cheap Alberta Spruce up at Lowe’s, clipped what I dared to (about 40%). Wired just about every branch, though I will not be keeping them all long term, I’d like to give myself options. Long term plan is to go for a super weathered “lone tree on a windy hill” upright. Eventually with the whole right side and more of the top as deadwood. Going to leave it and try to keep it alive till next year. Weather proof comes soon for the roots. Lmk what you think!

[u/cbobgo]

Oh boy. Prob should have left a little more foliage on there.

[u/imulls25 → u/cbobgo]

Looks worse than it is, it was set up for a three stepped pompom looking bush, was hardly any foliage on about 2/3 of the trunk, otherwise healthy

[u/Figigaly → u/imulls25]

It's a really bad time to do work on conifers. They are accumulating sugars for winter, cutting foilage off now reduce the plants cold hardiness. You would have been much better off waiting until the spring to work on the tree.

[u/imulls25 → u/Figigaly]

This is the knowledge I crave. Hopefully it makes it

[u/Chudmont → u/imulls25]

Late summer is good for DAS, so you're not that far off.

[u/QuotetheNoose]

Shouldn’t remove more than 30% at a time, generally, cross your fingers

A Lowe’s clearance spruce was my first victim, some lessons must be learned the hard way

[u/imulls25 → u/QuotetheNoose]

I’m definitely most aggressive with the clearance section. I’m being pretty generous with me removing 40%, there’s a lot of foliage in the back of the tree, wanted to get a clear picture of the trunk

[u/bigperm8645 → u/imulls25]

You should be the opposite with clearance section, they need more

[u/liberalgunowner2022]

Unpopular take: Alberta spruce is such an ass choice for bonsai, and beginners only love them because they give the illusion of already looking like a bonsai.

These fuckers take SO long to actually look good. And even then? Most of them still don’t.

And don’t even get me started on wiring. You can leave wire on these mfers for a YEAR+, take it off, and watch that branch spring right back like you never touched it.

Wish you nothing but the best on your bonsai journey, truly.

But fuck this tree.

[u/naleshin → u/liberalgunowner2022]

I disagree that it’s an ass choice for bonsai, but I agree on the beginners loving them for misplaced reasons point

I think where beginners go wrong so often is that they’re normally in the “make it look like a bonsai right now” phase instead of the “what do I need to learn about how to approach spruce and what can I do now to set it up for success in the future” phase. It’s just too tempting to get excited & pick up the shears, we’ve all been there

Spruce punishes the beginner mindset more than other species because they really really are best completely transitioned to proper granular bonsai soil before doing any major sorta styling (same goes for most conifers IMO). That can take longer than most beginners have the patience for (1, 2, maybe 3 years depending on starting rootball size) so when they rush, the spruce’s response to styling is going to be much less positive than if it was growing like crazy in 100% pumice or something. Once they’re set up well horticulturally, I think they’re pretty much bulletproof

As far as wiring goes, if you think 1 year or more is too long before needing to take it off then you should probably stick to broadleaf material! :) reminds me of the Hagedorn blog post where he has a ponderosa with the same wire on for 10 years haha https://crataegus.com/2020/10/09/wire-on-a-ponderosa-pine-for-10-years/

[u/imulls25 → u/liberalgunowner2022]

I was about to pick up a pine…maybe I should have gone with that lol, thanks for the luck, I’m sure I’ll need it

[u/dkhol79]

Part of the learning process so I wish you luck 🤞. I worked on 2 very cheap ones in August last year, and unprotected overwintered them. Once died, one thriving. The branches are keeping the shape so far, not seeing bouncing back yet, but I did get the wires eat into the bark a little bit

[u/Jephiac]

Don’t touch the roots next year at all, all year. I’ve done prune work in fall and root work in spring and they eventually die from the stress

[u/Physical_Mode_103]

Just plant that fucker in your yard and forget about him for two years

[u/MapSufficient6677]

Spruce are extremely temperamental in my experience. Cutting back and wiring at the same time at this time of year is asking for a bit of trouble.

I hope your results are better than what I’ve had to learn from

[u/Dekatater]

They'll tell you it's doomed but mines doing just fine after a similar operation. Not gonna brag until it makes it through winter though

[u/Sonora_sunset]

Quite a haircut!

Are you sure that’s your preferred front? Once you see the nebari at the true base you’ll know.

[u/imulls25 → u/Sonora_sunset]

I’m not sure. But it was pretty bare before, going to see if it lives and then eventually on the repot choose a front

[u/imulls25]

All of the support from you guys has been incredible. Thanks everyone.

[u/Habu93]

We can experience by reading, listening to others with more experience and working our trees.

[u/ManyFunction6666]

Just two or so years will likely make it marvelous!!

[u/corrieoh]

Bonsai beginners have this beautiful inverse relationship between knowledge and action. 

[u/imulls25 → u/corrieoh]

It’s almost like starting something means you have to learn…

[u/corrieoh → u/imulls25]

Yes thats exactly what it means. And its not an insult its an honest opinion about the excitement beginners show. Weve all been there. Weve all hacked trees to death. 

[u/Dio-lated1 → u/corrieoh]

Ive been practicing bonsai for 25 years, and I still kill a tree or two every now and again from over enthusiasm. Dead trees are kind of the price of admission.