LiddleBuddha wrote:Hey ynot,
I printed and read everything at the great link you gave me. Thanks!
Sorry for my delayed reply. I've been reading up on Bonsai soils and I'm learning a ton!
Your very welcome, That's excellent to hear, [Um- Pick your appropriate smiley, I like both myself.
] [img]https://www.mainzelahr.de/smile/cool/yo.gif[/img][img]https://www.mainzelahr.de/smile/cool/yo.gif[/img][img]https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/1939/u4jchinaec9.gif[/img][img]https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/1939/u4jchinaec9.gif[/img]
I've also been reading various other posts of yours and several others' in the forum.
Very cool stuff going on in the Bonsai world!
Ah, Little Buddha...You are a rare breed indeed! a
'Researcher' [img]https://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9830/clapoheadjc6.gif[/img]8)8). This is a good thing in bonsai [As you have 'read me' a bit- You have most likely have heard me say this] Because there is lots of time to read and research while you 'Let them grow - let them grow - let them grow'
Reading up and looking at pictures has me feeling pretty inspired. So I'm thinking of trying a real Bonsai tree soon.
I'm probably going to wait until the weather's a little warmer here though, (Southeastern PA.)
Good call, I think you will have more options to choose from at the nursery if you wait a bit. .
We can get more in depth into the nuances of nursery shopping for material with bonsai potential ['Potentsai'] later if you wish. IMO it is simply the most bang for a buck a beginner can possibly get. In addition one tends to be willing to take more risks [And therefore
learn more] with the 5$ or 8$ stock rather than the $50 variety you know. That $50 [Spent wisely] gets 5 or 10 times as much stuff.
[With significantly less stress]
I have about an hour each morning I can spend with my plants/trees, and every evening after work, in addition.
Morning will be your 'maintenance time' as this is the most appropriate time to water [When required-Naturally. You
knew I was going to say that though.
].
After work you can just chill out and stare at them and consider your plans for their future. [Hmm, I want a branch there...More girth at the trunk flare, I need to eliminate that branch...etc.] or simply enjoy the progress made so far. BTW- Take lots of photos to keep track of the progress your making.
You will be amazed at what the application of knowledge and some time can accomplish, I bet you already know this feeling from surfing through bonsai pix online.
Wait until it is
your tree
It may not [Yet, Or possibly ever] be one of those 'jaw-dropping' specimens but the sense of accomplishment you get when you start to recognize progress in your own trees is
Amazing. You will hardly be able to contain yourself
.
My friends do not mention bonsai to me
under any circumstances as they are annoyed enough already.. : P
[Kinda like that guy you know who is a football, or car/truck, or wrestling fanatic...
]... Just a silly sidenote there.
The actual time spent working on the trees [Or 'potensia'- Potential trees] is far less than most people assume. The sad reality is that many bonsai are 'killed through kindness', IOW- micro-management. IE: Patience is both a virtue and the discipline to do things
on the trees schedule because without a
live tree...Well, What's the point?
Having said that, Understand going in that
you will lose trees.We all do. I have lost more trees than I care to remember. [Gnome has said this also]
[I see I have already posted this quote in this thread but Oh well..
]
John Naka said: 'Dead trees are the tuition you pay to learn Bonsai.'
These words are so true, As long as I am repeating myself
... Here's something I say about bonsai often:
Learn from your mistakes, Celebrate your survivors, And above all else,
Enjoy the journey!
Trying to learn from the mistakes made and striving not to repeat them is part of the challenge of bonsai.
I am lucky in that I keep coming up with creative fresh new ways to kill 'em.
.
Bonsai is a mix of art and horticulture [From a horticultural point of view it is essentially container gardening
with some caveats wrt the size of the containers we are aiming for, The 'soil', and winter protection.
The 'Art' side of it comes into play [To the degree that you care to apply it] when you have a pretty good handle on not producing 'kindling'
.
Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for a good beginner tree?
I'll probably just go to a nearby garden center and pick out an inexpensive sapling and get it started in a training pot with some good soil.
Did you see thread about pond baskets? [for water plants] They are inexpensive [$2 or less] and make excellent training pots.
Well, I don't know if you have seen [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3524&highlight=shohin]this[/url]thread. These/This were bought from Lowes in the greenhouse [I emphasize
not in a bonsai pot. It is described in the thread but if you have questions let me know.][url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3369&highlight=shohin]These two[/url] are from the same original pot-o-ficus as the above [As I recall-
Might have been another $6 investment]. They are not a great example of...Well,
anything actually IMO, But you come to love even the red-headed step-child type ones too if you know what I mean.
[url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3379&highlight=shohin]Yet another[/url] ficus from lowes, This is a 'pandora' variety of Ficus benjamina. I think these were actually cheaper than the $6 stated [I get confused...:shrug:] also later in that thread is a far larger boxwood that was $13 from [again] lowes.
What is available locally can vary considerably. Along with any species ideas you may get [From me or elsewhere] I also suggest that you cruise your local nurseries {Pen & paper in hand} and take note of a few of the things that are easily available and then put those research skills to work and see what the bonsai possibilities for 'x' and 'y' are. Remember to check both the Latin and common name in combo w/ 'bonsai' when googling [search the images also]. Your options may surprise you.
Obviously I highly recommend ficus [Again NOT in the bonsai pot] Though there are many other options available at your average nursery:
Japanese Holly, Boxwood, several varieties of Junipers, Pyrocanthia Often Barberry, Camellia, Azalea, and Forsythia among others are available as well. [I have no doubt I have forgotten some very obvious examples of good choices...Someone will come along with those suggestions soon though.]
Considering your rookie status
. I highly suggest the bucket of ficus [This offers multi trunks to separate re-pot and play with [Chop some, Grow some- etc...] AND they come inside for the winter so you get to continue to play in the winter time.
] Also a juniper or holly [The smaller leaves the better] to have something for the evergreen outdoor experience [WRT holly- Illex Crenata are evergreen, Illex Serrata are deciduous] I am not sure what deciduous trees/shrups you will have available [inexpensively] locally. [Aside from the aforementioned deciduous holly]
Don't be afraid to get dirty when nursery shopping:) Dig a bit, Pull possible candidates from the pots and check the root systems/nebari.
Ignore the looks of strangers who do not understand the hunt your on
:).
Don't feel that you have to get everything in the first place you stop [or in one trip] don't feel the need to buy the first thing you see.
On the other hand don't get all stressed out either...This is supposed to be fun.
We can get more into what to look for when 'bonsai hunting' later if you wish.
I know your reading list is pretty full at the moment...
Well,
If your still reading this and have not died of old age while wading through this novel-esque post. [It was
intended to be a vignette I swear..
]
I [and others I am sure.] look forward to hearing your continued enthusiasm, Research, and resulting questions, Keep 'em coming.
later on
ynot
hehe..
