The former vine? It's completely covered with flower buds. From the top to the base of the vine! This would be a show. I know I'll have to shape prune once the blooms are gone this spring. Will have pics. on how I go about it. Any suggestion is welcome here. Remember, I've unlocked the key to make these vines flowers. But new at bonsai art.
Kim
This IS exciting Kim. When you see something that looks like a leaf bud Kim, I hope you can get a pic of it so Haighr and I can see the difference in the bud.It has been really helpful to know that the flower comes first,then the leaf☺ I think I can tell even now what looks to be leaf rather than flower, but there is a part of me holding out hope that those buds are flower buds and not leaves☺I am going out and wire mine near the base just a couple of times and see if I can stress it enough to feel like developing a bud or two. The wind is really cold and blustery today. Seems like that would be stressful enough to get some buds agoin.
Lu, I sure will. Today I spotted some flower buds on my 'standard' Chinese wisteria! I'm so excited. (The big one that I planted in the half whiskey barrel). Tomorrow, I'll take some pics. of some of the leaf buds versus flower buds.
Can't wait to see it lily as I can't tell the difference.
Thanks Kim.You are so generous and kind to share these little secrets with us that mean so much to a beginner☺The thing is, you have really unlocked some kind of magic to the Chinese Wisteria and the bonsai of it that is irresistible☺So much more fun to be had from it when one has some idea what to expect and watch for☺
I believe these are flower buds. The smaller, slender looking buds belong to leaf buds. If you look at your wisteria and see many 'nubby stems' (like those of spurs on your apple trees) coming randomly at the main trunk....those signal your Wisteria are mature enough, and ready to flower.
Hi all, just so you know, not only my gardening friends up North get to see beautiful snow, we did too. Wooohooo.
But as soon as the snow melted (it didn't last long for us here), the Chinese Wisteria buds are shining out there. :-)
Until the inflorescents open up, would the cold temp.'burn' them. (So having them in a movable pot to transport them is another great idea why we make these lovelies into Bonsai).
This message was edited Mar 8, 2008 7:43 PM
It won't be too long now before this small vine will be covered in blooms!
When choose our training pots, we need to chose those that are tough enough to weather the freezing/thawing out when the pot takes on the weather. This one was happily covered by snow this morning.
I wish you folks could see me stare and stare at those pics you are posting Kim☺I have my nose right next to the screen and am almost cross-eyed trying to see right where the bud forms on the branch. Your snow pic is wonderful Kim. It must be fun to get snow,enjoy it for a few hours and poof,it's gone,I can only imagine.
We live in Bradford county and are under a severe flood watch for the Susquehanna River. Athens is situated right between 2 Rivers that come together just below us. This River has so far never flooded our town so I hope it will continue to behave☺We are not really worried. I have an evac plan all in place that I developed years ago when I did it for the Elderly Housing I managed and it worked so well I adapted it for our home as well. The only thing that is causing me a little concern is I never practiced it since the wild and crazy cat "Stretch" lives with us now.Now that could be a real challenge☺
LOL, Lu. It was my fault. I'll try to place the pot against some contrasting background next time in order to get a better pic. of the vine. I hope that the weather will be good, and that flooding won't be a threat.
Take good care of your wild thing "Stretch".
Kim
Lu, I just have to keep you updated with my wisteria everyday. lol. I've noticed the pot was frozen this morning (night temp. dropped down to 28F. overnight).
A word of caution for those of us live in colder climate. Be prepare to move your bonsai, should it begin to bloom while it's freezing cold outside. Our freeze was but a few hours duration, thus the plant made it through ok.
Kim
MeOhMy Kim,post away☺every hour,on the hour is good,and brag rights are definitely in order☺One thing I must tell you though,make no apology for the pics you have posted, they are perfect and I get what I need to observe from them as they are showing me very well the difference in buds. The pics of Chinese Wisteria in plantfiles are wonderful,but for my purpose, you have two photos in particular that show exactly what I wanted to see☺
Freezing! How awful for your garden and everything is looking so green, you lucky girl☺☺
Yep, that comes to prove, the grass isn't alway greener on the other side. lol. I love the South, but winter's up/down of our mild temp. confused our early spring blossoms. Gardening in the SW too shares this "syndrom". Wisterias' blossoms sometimes are frost bitten right smack in the midst of spring. (I've relative out there).
An example of early spring blossoms that are being affected intermittently by frost/warm spring days.
This message was edited Mar 11, 2008 7:58 PM
For those of us that are following the progression of this little C. Wisteria blooming this early season....be patient, it's coming along...
Impressive, doesn't look mature enough to put out blooms yet. Have my cuttings in water, hoping to root to begin the bonsai process, fingers crossed.
The key to it, haighr, is a cutting from a matured vines. With our training process, which is withhold water during the growing season, no nitrogen fertilizer. In fact, I didn't fertilize this pot at all last year. (All sort of books and literature will recommend monthly fertilizer program). I went against all odds, and look at the result!
This and 4 others Wisteria are making buds for me. This is the earliest of the 5 Wisterias that's going to bloom for me this spring. All are in pots. Those that I planted out in the garden recieved ample of sprinklers water with other plantings, they just sit there and put out green leafy growth and those tenacious long 'whiskers' without any blooms!.
Kim
Here is the large 8 feet 'standard' specimen that I've in a half whiskey barrel. It graced our garden with hundred of blooms last spring....this is the few of the emergent buds...
I took the cutting from my mature wisteria so am hoping for good results. ANy special key to getting them to root?
The best way is to provide warm temp. good light source, and consistent moisture for roots to form, if you want to dust the end of the cutting with a light cover of 'rootone' hormone, it will speed up the process.
I started my corkscrew willows from tiny cuttings and after just 6 years they are huge trees so hope to have a good result with the rootings of my wisteria.
Our weather has been consistently warm this week, and next week to come. The wisteria is about to show its true color. Here are the 'teasers' that it's putting out.
It won't be too long for this inflorescent to be in full bloom.
The cool weather added with some regular rain, the flowers are about to bring spring into the garden. Among them are these Wisteria's blooms.
I just replanted some wisteria's a couple of weeks ago. Not sure what variety they are. Some were bought at a plant show last year as yard plants and one other was dug up from my Mother-in-laws yard as a shoot last summer. She doesn't know what variety her wisteria is. Here are some pictures.
Here is another plant, sorry about the picture quality, I'll send another one
This message was edited Mar 15, 2008 12:28 PM
Here it is in another shot
And one more
dldbrou;
It's nice to see your posting. Irregard as what type (of Wisterias), you indeed have a nice collection going there. Congratulation especially the last specimen you've posted. With careful training you've a bonified 'bonsai' there! Wooohooo, how exciting. Now to coax it into bloom, then you've accomplished the task!!! I'm excited for you.
Kim
p.s.
Mine is still in a training pot, and this one has more than 60 buds count. I'll graduate this one into a bonsai pot this spring as time permits. Spring is almost in full swing here, hope other gardening task doesn't side tract my plan for this one bonsai this season.
I am here and learning,the pics are so helpful as well as the posts☺Thank you ladies for sharing☺
Wisteria sinesis abundant blooms about to steal the show in the front of the garden today. Hi Lu, dlb, Beth and haighr. Stay tuned for the glory of the wisteria. ☺
Will do especially since I have been checking mine and have a funny feeling it is going to be all leaves again this year?
Wisteria this morning.
I find the period before the full blown bloom to be the most exciting part of gardening. The anticipation of the bloom is as much pleasure as the glory of the bloom.
Kim, I see that you have wired to produce an upright stem. Are you going to try to add any movement to the line of the stem as well?
Beth
Thought that you might want to look at this Wisteria bonsai. http://www.bonsaitreessouthampton.co.uk/12%20Wisteria.JPG
It sold for 350 English pounds.
I am enjoying my spring break, alternating between netsurfing and playing in the dirt. Alas, I must quit playing some time this week and start sending out resumes and filing online applications. Oh well, still a week and a half 'til I have to go back.
Beth
Now that bonsai is special. Really like the way the leaves protect and cover the blossoms.
I actually went out and beat mine with a rubber mallet the other day when the weather was nice (trying that stress thing again). There are tons of buds, but fear they are all going to be leaves once again. Am thinking that year of the hurricane was what it needed since it did not bloom fully again. I did get a couple of blooms the following but nothing like the year of the storm and last year only one pitiful bloom on the entire tree.
Oh well, must enjoy the little that I am blessed with in all things and especially this wisteria tree. Perhaps the slight beating I gave it will help?
haighr; lol. I think beating the plant is a myst. An Oldwife Tale? LOL. In which I'm guilty of all count.....being 'older' and a wife, and I do tell some tall tales from time to time. But, on the serious note, wisterias when they attain their own natural age, drought and poor soil condition does induce them to bloom.
Beth, enjoy springbreak, and best of lucks with your job search. I wish you the best for the year to come. As well as gardening, and bonsaiing.
As far as shaping my future Wisteria Bonsai, I'm going to need all the help I can get to shape it. Particularly this one....
...noticed, with the young pliable branches, the one I wired. I'm able to move it freely at this time. But in order to create a 'wind swift tree'. I need to trim off the branch that sticks out and straight up to the left? Further more, I'm contemplating that I need to whack down at least 2/3 of the plant....what's your thought?
Kim
Well, as I live and breathe - Were it not for this thread, I would not have taken a cutting, nor stuck it in a jar of water and guess what!
Now there is no sign of a root, but a distinct blossom has formed on this. The cutting had no sign of a bloom back on March 3 when I cut this and have one in another jar of water that appears will produce as well.
I am so excited.
Now, how long before I may see a root do you think?
The canning jar with the bloomer to be.
