Another molave

 I potted this molave (vitex cofassus) about two years ago. It's time to "operate" on it.

Checking the root growth.














Reduction area identified.




















 Reduced.

Potted.

Molave reduction

 A molave (vutex pavlifora) tree planted in a pot.  I have had this for two years. 

I decided to reduce it now.
















It is big leafed vitex but with the reduction it will adapt and produce small leaves (I hope).

I exposed the roots. It looks like a giraffe...

School Repair

Grade six is housed in the Rodriguez Building which was commissioned in January 1969. The building is 45 years old. 

I'm not an engineer but judging from the size of the concrete columns and the  concrete beams, the structure  was made to last except for the floor trusses and slats which was made of wood.

The wood trusses and slats were heavily infested and consumed by termites that the tremor created by a pupil jumping in the room at end of the building could be felt in the room at the other end of the building.

We were informed that there will repairs (maybe retrofitting) of the building. Most of the teachers would like to see the old building demolished and a new building erected in its place but since the school has no available space, I think the demolition will not happen in the near future. I just can't see where the contractor will put the debris and the construction materials aside from the disruptions it will cause to the whole school.

I am glad that the old building will be rehabilitated but I just have one question: Why are they doing this today in the middle of the school year when classes are in full blast and the work will cause disruptions? I mean, we have two months of summer vacation. 

I'm not complaining just asking. 

Anyway, I'm just a classroom teacher.

Mulawin Materials

I don't know which is the mulawin aso from the mulawin surot.

Balete

A potted balete from cuttings.  It has grown wild and too big for me.

 I decided to cut it into two.

 I was checking where to split it.

 Because it has been growing in a large pot, it developed radial roots.

 These are the two materials I got out of the tree. Planted in my crude trainer pots. Aside from the trunk, I also planted the top part for future use.

Sunday Hunting

 One of the things I enjoy is bathing in the rain. I was not ready for it last Sunday. I got off the jeepney when it poured and i did not even try to take cover..  

These are bignay pugo stumps (Antidesma bugnius). Bignay is a fruit bearing tree native to the Philippines and is a popular material for bonsai enthusiasts. 










It is also known as bugnay in Ilocos and isip-isip in Pampanga. It is a robust, easy to grow tree.  It's fruits are used in making wine.

I don't know how this material will turn out or if they will even live. I potted it useing my homemade concrete trainer pots.

This will be a fun journey.

Bonsai Branch Guide

Taken from cutebonsai

Some guidelines on which branch to remove or to keep.

1. Branches (called "yagome") growing from the bottom of the tree.(Yagome is just a sprout first but when it becomes a branch (yagoeda), it takes all the nutrition and can kill the other new growing branches on the tree.)

2. Branches (called "kan-nuki eda"　or "boat") growing at the same height on the both sides of the tree and one of them should be removed

3. Branches crossing the trunk.

4. Branches growing close to each other and are short, of the same length and in the same direction. (ruins the space that makes good bonsai visual form.)

5. Branches (called "dou-nuki eda") growing from the middle of the trunk. It blocks good growth condition.

6. Branches (called "tachi eda") growing straight up.

7. Branches (called "sagari eda") growing straight down.

8. Branches (called "gyaku eda") growing in the opposite way of the branch they are growing from.

9. Branches (called "kuruma eda") growing from the same spot in many different directions.

10. Branches (called "kousa eda") crossing other branches.

11. Branches (called "Tochoshi") growing much longer than other branches. (however, this branch is sometimes used to adjust the growth of other branches and/or growth of the trunk for the purpose of making the trunk and other branches thicker or to slow down their growth.)

12. (Not pictured) Branches pointing at the viewer from the front side of the bonsai. (this is because pointing at someone is considered to be rude in Japan. No exception even for bonsai I guess)