An April mood - "Acer Negundo" bonsai forest

  It's almost mid April and the weather was hm, rainy. My expectations of a sunny warm April broke within minutes when one morning I woke up and saw the snow in early April, I already knew how the weather will be. 

  My "Acer Negundo" shed its leaves as usual in mid March a.c, and as of 3/4/2023, it already released its powerful green in a time when outside temperatures still got under -1°C.

    Fig.1.The forest in mid March

    Fig.2.Snow in April, 2023

  The snow was quite unexpected and really screwed my schedule, as (luckily) I was home and hadn't any business somewhere. The day before was a bright sunny day and I left my bonsai forest on its regular place, watered and ready for spring. 

  When I woke up, I felt uneasy and contacted my sister and move inside some of my potted trees that broke their dormancy and are now in full force.

 

    Fig.3.My trees in early April 2023

  The snow days were very cold and snowing seemed unstoppable (Fig.2). After the "mini winter" ended, I could return back in city and check my trees and do some chores. 

  The time in the town past, had Palm Sunday and a really warm day when I went out and took some photos. I kept the forest inside during my stay and I really enjoyed the way developed in my absence. 

  

    Fig.4.My forest in April 2023

    Fig.5.My Acer Negundo forest in my room

  Also, I checked the forest in detail and again, scale insects were stick on the trees in certain points and manual cleaning was needed. 

  Sunlight really does a good job when looking for pests and this light was really absent in the last three years from my life. These pests called "scale insects" slowed the growth of certain branches on the trees and after cleaning, these branches easily started growing in their natural rhythm. 

 

    Fig.6.Transition from winter to spring 

    Fig.7.My forest during photoshoot

    Fig.8.My trees along the forest a week ago

Update 25/4/2023

    These days I returned home for a short time and as usually I checked the state of the forest. It did a great job in its first month of leafing out. 

    Fig.9.Forest as of 25/4/2023

  I wasn't able to take professional pictures with my camera, but after a sleepless night I took these ones in a hurry (Fig.9). Leaves are now growing large, though the bigger tree kept them at a decent size and all branches developed well.

   If it wasn't for the scale insects... like any other bonsai enthusiasts, I deal with certain pests that eat the vital energy of the trees and myself (don't blame me, but I must have had clean manually these ugly scale insects using a toothbru.sh and inspect in detail using a magnifying glass!).   Nowadays I made a step forward and at the last check the bonsai forest seemed clean. 

   I watered them gradually and at the moment it's alright.

    Fig.10.My Acer Negundo's as of 25/4/2023

  It's difficult leaving it behind, now the whole thing reached a pure beauty I dreamed once when I was a kid. I would like to "duplicate" it and have a version with me wherever I go, but... I planted them, God does the job I can't do, give life. 

 Cheers! 💡🌳