Rick, it is fun looking. I am amazed at how many adeniums you have.

And here I am pretending... I put this one into a bonsai pot, despite not knowing anything about bonsai.

Dain, Your Bonsai is really nice. Love the pot and color of it. I saw the cascading forms in Mark Dimmitt's book and wanted to try one. It is interesting trying different things when you have a bunch of seedlings. When it comes to shaping, I will have to consult a friend that has done Bonsai for many years.

The 'Ballooning' ends up stunting the leaves and they grow very small. Not sure if this is completely necessary. The leaves on this tree shown have grown larger than they used to be.

Rick

I like both plants.

It looks great, Rick. I really like the planter you have it in. Is this the seedling that you had laid over in hopes of it growing that way?

Dain it looks great. Your mix looks nice too.

Tracy

I really like the pot as well. I told my mother to keep an eye out for one at the thrift shop she semi-regularly peruses. I think she got this one for $2, which is a steal.

As for the mix, I used chicken grit, but's it's so expensive! I live in a small town, and there definitely isn't any local suppliers where I could get crushed granite.

dain:

don't they have the mongo 50 lb bags of grit for about ten bucks? A tiny 6 lbs bag is half that much.

not mines

How long did it take, Rick?

Dain and Dave, Cherry Stone #2 Grit is $5.77 for a 50 pound bag here.

The downside is it costs around $15 to have it shipped which is the cheapest I've found. I don't have a local supplier either Dain, although I am going to begin looking over in Missouri for an alternative to this brand.

I'm curious about Rick's bonsai too, how long it took to begin forming the desired position after you laid it over?

Tracy

I potted the seedling up into a small Bonsai pot in spring of 2013 (started in Winter of 2012). Played with "Ballooning" for the first year. First wired last fall and then rewired this spring.

My friend and head of Botanical Gardens in South Africa sent me a note on FB and had mentioned to make sure to rewire before the indentations from girth of stem growing too much, make a permanent mark in branches.

This is a trial and you do not learn unless you try. Always another one in the waiting.

Rick