imafan26
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Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Re: Bonsai identification for beginner

The value of the bonsai goes up with age. Twenty five dollars really isn't that bad. The bonsai pot you have is pretty generic and probably was on the low end. The juniper actually grows that way so it doesn't take much training. The bridge in the pot probably cost a few dollars more, but he probably made about $10 on that sale. I can't tell if he actually planted it in a bonsai mix.

Good bonsai pots are heavy. They have to be relative to the tree or they fall over. When you get a pot make sure it is level, many of the mass produced pots like the one you have rock and when you turn it upside down the edge is not flat on the table. While there is no rule that bonsai pots cannot be colorful, most good bonsai pots are earth toned and have a matte not shiny finish. The pot should complement the tree not compete with it.

BTW junipers are definitely not house plants. They need to spend as much time outside as possible. The need to be hardened off if it has been in the house awhile to prevent the leaves from burning.

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rainbowgardener
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Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

RE: BTW junipers are definitely not house plants. They need to spend as much time outside as possible.

I would say they need to be outside ALL the time. They are extremely cold hardy, down to MINUS 30 or something like that.



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