Tsukumo Saikei

Finally made the Tsukumo Saikei that I've been dreaming about for so long. Of course, it's not totally finished, but what planting ever is 'totally' finished.

My little trees seem to like a moderate amount of sun and shade. I found three good rocks for hills, the perfect bonsai pot - 11" x 7", some aquarium gravel in two shades of blue and some kyoto moss spores. The drainage holes in the pot were covered with net to keep soil from falling out. A very shallow layer of small crushed rocks were laid down to aid with drainage. Then a layer of soil.

I decided where I wanted each of the nine trees. I put them into groups, one with five trees, one with three trees and one tree by itself behind a rock. The five-tree group with a rock went on the left side and the other two groupings went on the right side. I built up the soil on each side, leaving a "river" curving from front to back in the center. Two rocks at the center back curved the river to the left and out of sight. The darker blue gravel was laid down along the center of the river with the lighter blue along the bank edges. A little water, some moss spores and more watering. Now I've done all I can do at this point.

For now, I'm keeping my little Tsukumo Saikei in the shade, watering it and waiting for the moss to grow.

Tsukumo False Cypress

A very cute little pre-pre-bonsai tree at only 2" in height. I have nine of these little babies & I want to make a saikei with them. Of course I want to use the right soil, food, water schedule, etc. etc. And find information on their natural settings. What kind of rocks, hills...so many things to learn. As I find what I need to know, I'll keep track of it here.

Tsukumo False Cypress

The signals are confusing me. One website says Tsukumos need full sun. A book says they need shade. If I ever get this landscape put together, I'm setting it half in and half out of the sun and shade. Then whichever end dies, I'll know the other way was right. They've been on the porch on the north side of the house since the end of April and are still green. I'm taking that as a good sign.

It seems that after reading all these books, it's still pretty much just do what seems to work. They give me ideas & helpful hints. But in the long run, it's still my recipe.