Bonzai011
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Location: Glendale az

Where to Buy Bonsai

There is a place I'm looking at that sells Bonsai trees and this looks like a good deal but I hope its not one of those that have those glued in rocks or that is a bad tree that will need to be replanted asap as soon as I get it....
what do you think?/?

It comes with everything I will need for awhile and overall it seems like a good deal....

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Gnome
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Bonzai011,

Not to take anything away from that establishment but to my way of thinking you will get more bang for your buck if you visit a local nursery or even home center and purchase an older tree. Virtually every nursery will have some form of Juniper in several sizes. Here is one I purchased for less than half of what the kit costs. I not only got more tree for the money but I also was able to learn something while doing the initial styling.

[img]https://img464.imageshack.us/img464/4975/juniperkz6.th.jpg[/img]

I'm not meaning to portray this as a wonderful bonsai but just an option of another approach. At this point no wiring had been done, I worked first on the deadwood (Jin and Shari) and removing unwanted branches.

The specialized fertilizer is not required and concave cutters would be my first choice in a tool rather than shears. As for the mudman, well....

Norm

kdodds
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Just to back up when Norm has said, that particular seller has a great vareity/selection, but some of the plants he offers can be gotten for lower prices, sometimes half, in the same or more advanced stages of training.

Kenshin14435
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I would just go buy from a nursery because you can actually look to see what kind of shape the tree is in. And I have to agree with Norm's "Bang for your Buck".
That mudman well........FYI, you'll probably be spending five bucks on it in the kit when yuo could get for 50 cents at a nursery.
Just go with what Norm says.


K5

Bonzai011
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Well I went out and looked and no luck so I guess ill just buy one online

alisios
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I just noticed you're in Glendale - check out "Baker Nursery" at 40th St. and Osborn between Indian School and Thomas Rd..

Some good starter trees there... in fact, I'm due for a visit...

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Gnome
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Bonzai011,
Well I went out and looked and no luck so I guess ill just buy one online
Perhaps I was not clear enough. I was suggesting that you purchase a typical nursery tree and create your own rather than pay a premium (local or internet) for a young tree given a hasty pruning and then rushed into a bonsai pot. I don't think I have ever been to a nursery that did not have some form of Juniper.

Norm

alisios
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...and to add - Baker Nursery has inexpensive starter trees in bonsai pots as well as a whole selection of plants still in nursery containers, supplies, and a wide selection of bonsai pots... you'll be supporting a local business too.

davedave
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Hi, I'm new to this site. Looks like a great resource.

Does anyone know of any stores that ship Bonsai trees to Canada? I have been looking and am having trouble finding locations in Canada or stores that sell to Canada.

I'm in Vancouver and am interested in buying a Juniper but also interested in sending a gift to a family member in Montreal, Canada.

Any recommendations/help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

Dave

kdodds
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Junipers make really bad first trees, especially if kept indoors. You might want to consider a Ficus as a starting point. I don't know of any Canada-specific sites that sell trees online, sorry, but many US sites should be able to ship pot plants over the border, no problem.

Kenshin14435
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Location: Northern VA USDA Zone 7A

davedave,
I spotted a couple bonsai clubs you could ask.
Heres on of 'em
https://www.victoriabonsai.bc.ca/

Then heres one more.
https://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Garden/1666/bcclubs.htm
Just scroll down a little bit and vancouver is there.

Also, Just google "Vancouver Bonsai" and this stuff should come up.
Good Luck!

K5

Kenshin14435
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Location: Northern VA USDA Zone 7A

[/quote] Perhaps I was not clear enough.
[/quote]

Now, Now Norm. Just because someone doesnt take your VERY useful advice doesn't mean you can go off on 'em.
(Although you are a mod)
A sense a wee lil' bit of anger in your first sentence.
Well....guess what...............I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I NEED TO GOGET SOME POPCORN IF YOU KEEP THIS UP!
:roll:
Ohwell.


K5

(random post)......sry

davedave
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Thanks for the links Kenshin14435. I am checking out those clubs. Hopefully, I can find some contacts there for nurseries.

Thanks kdodds for the tip about Junipers, I guess I will need to learn more about Ficus and other indoor trees. I have not been able to find a US site that ships to customers in Canada. I think it is due to Canadian border controls.

Cheers!

Dave

constantstaticx3
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Try www.sonlightnursery.com or www.gregorybeachbonsai.com

Tom

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

If you don't have much experience with bonsai. I suggest you join a bonsai club. You will learn how to take care of the bonsai and get expert advice and help to work the plants. Most clubs also have members that have suitable trees to sell as well as the tools, wires, media, turn table, and sometimes pots.

Junipers are flexible so they are easy to wire, but they need to be outside plants. They are not house plants. There are other kinds of plants that would make suitable bonsai specimens. But you need to choose one that fits your conditions.
Here is a listing of bonsai clubs around Phoenix.
https://www.phoenixbonsai.com/pcalendar.html

There are bonsai clubs all over the world, it is a good idea to check out one near you. Bonsai is an art form and takes time and patience. At a club you will get expert advice and help choosing your plant and help with care and training. Beginner bonsai are usually yound starter trees. Advanced bonsai growers usually start with much older trees that have developed "character". Much of the beauty of bonsai is to try to make the tree appear to be old and stressed. That is the point of the windswept, and lightening strike trees. It is also the point of looking for trees that have interesting trunks that looks like they have a few miles on them. The trimming of the canopy is done really to show off the trunk and branch structure as well as to kind of show their gnarliness. You don't want to really see sawed off branches, nature does not make nice saw cuts. People will usually carefully file branches so they look like they were naturally broken off rather than cut or sawed off. Lateral branches are also placed to follow lateral lines and generally a pyrimidal shape.

The difference between topiary and bonsai: Braided trunks, animal sculpture, geometric shapes which show more leaf and not a lot of branching is more topiary.

Bonsai, is the art of mimicking nature in miniature with emphasis on showing more of the trunk, branching and the appearance of age or 'stress'.

A tree in a pot is still a tree in a pot, it does not become bonsai or topiary until it is shaped and carefully trimmed.

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rainbowgardener
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imafan... how did you come to resurrect a seven year old thread? :)

imafan26
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Totally by accident. I was just browsing unanswered posts.



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