Bonsai

Sharing my first bonsai-to-be projects. My goal right now is just to get these happy in pots without any more fuss after getting them situated. The oaks just passed the 1 year mark in pots, taken from a mess of sprouts under the parent tree. I'm guessing these are common oaks. The pine saplings (probably Pinus sylvestris) were taken a few months ago from the seaside. The evergreen seedlings are who-knows-what until they mature; these were potted up after finding them growing around the property where there are a few varieties of conifers kicking around.

I'm not thrilled about the pines getting bunched up in one pot, even for basic acclimatization, but I didn't have any standard nursery pots on hand, and then a week passed, and then another. So since they weren't looking too stressed I figured it's best to kick that problem over to next year.

Hope it's ok to ask for help here... We've had this for a couple of years now, and apart from an aphid infestation a long time ago, it's been pretty good. But recently it's been looking very sad. Leaves are pale and veined, and drop easily. It's still (trying to) flower but definitely not right.

It's in a sunny position, and watered with rain water / general bonsai food. I had read it might be nitrogen deficiency, but the feed definitely contains that.

Any advice on what else we can do to improve things?

I saw this beautiful bonsai in the Meiji Jingu inner garden and thought you folks would appreciate it.

It looked absolutely stunning.

This small red Japanese maple is barely hanging on to it's late fall foliage.

This tree has been 3 years in training and it's about 8 years old total. It was created from nursery stock intended as a landscape plant. I'd started by chopping it in half and then splitting the trunk with the help of a friend who taught me how to use raffia.

2 yrs in training

A photo from my recent trip to the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Washington. Unfortunately I don't remember what your of tree...

My faithful tanuki guardian is standing watch.

The kutzall carving disc and drill bits are amazing.