Update 2024 - "Acer Negundo" bonsai forest

   I know I didn't write anything about my project in a year, but in one word, it's good.

   For the moment, it successfully passed the winter and yesterday it was its second (infamous) birthday since 2022. Yay... I wrote its backstory in an earlier blog, so let's see how it looks now.

  

     Fig.1.Forest as of 16/3/2024

 The forest broke dormancy in mid February. I was so baffled and worried at the same time, one point because this winter was literally the most difficult one since I was a kid and second point, it broke dormancy in a few days after I pruned it.

  As usual, I prune it once a year, because Acer Negundos got a chaotic rhythm of growing and I am restricted to this point when I can't make too much pruning. 

  

    Fig.2. Detail.

  Probably I would look like a clown trying to bonsai such a tree species, with literally none of the desired features for bonsai, but... these maples came at hand around 2019. One day in March, my mum asked me to join her on a walk with my then 9 years old sister, so I agreed. At some point I found some saplings of Acer Negundo, I took them home. Despite the fact at the time this maple wasn't in my taste at all, however after 2019 things changed dramatically. The quarantine came in and I couldn't do any trees collecting due to the obsessive hygienic procedures and meanwhile I kept on growing those Manitoba maples I collected back in 2019. 

  

    Fig.3.The maples I collected in 2019.

  

   Currently the longest trees that still grows in my company, they became the first trees that broke dormancy early as March. The idea of creating a bonsai forest is very old, as back as 2013. But however, I finally made it in March 2022, when everyone was drenched in war news, rising prices and pandemic issues. 

  

     Fig.4.Early Acer Negundo forest 

  Unfortunately I took few to none pictures when I first planted it. A week later I accidentally broke my phone and I had had it in service. Mainly I didn't believe in the project then and I know I'm not the only one... judging the circumstances of the actual times, I hardly start something thinking I'll be in the same mood and place next year. But yeah, there always a beginning. 

  

    Fig.5. Mid to late September 2022.

 I planned last year to repot the entire forest in a new one, but... I wasn't ready for this procedure.

 My health condition declined and barely got any time for that. I delayed again to next year, until then it can develop roots, branches and taper.

  

     Fig.6. Early March a.c

  Sometimes things happen and are beyond my control. I used to have endless creative energy, but for likely two years my life isn't in its usual frame. I barely found any inspiration, especially now when entire world is falling apart and another economic downturn hit again, like in 2009. I decided to not hurry with this project, since in bonsai there's no time limit, deadline etc... probably that's it's the only hobby I still practice along photography. In the last two years so many changes occurred and I got difficulties adapting each day. 

  

    Fig.7.Forest as of 16/3/2024

  For now, the forest will stay like this for the current year. I still think what kind of pot will fit better, square or round? Yeah, this is another rough year, isn't it? To name a few, this year is full of incoming developments, but literally none of them will improve my overall mood - elections, masters graduation, another pandemic etc. Until then, that's it! Keep growing! 🌳💡