Hello,
Recently I have become interested in bonsai and hope to begin a tree soon.
I live in South Alabama where it is very humid and very hot during summer. In the winter it usually does not go much below 30 degrees F during the day. So my question is
What type of tree should I get for my environment?
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- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
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- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
Great! Send them an email and maybe even attend a meeting. Also, you can look for books on bonsai in your local area. I have a really great bonsai book entitled: THE BONSAI SURVIVAL MANUAL that describes what conditions different trees grow best under.
Might be a good book to read. But for now, I would talk to some local Bonsai Masters.
Oh, and be aware that growing bonsai is not as simple as buying a tree and leaving it be. You need to prune, pinch, mist, water, fertilize and so on. It's actually a lot of fun! I love taking care of my trees.
Joining a club is about the best thing you can do.
Might be a good book to read. But for now, I would talk to some local Bonsai Masters.
Oh, and be aware that growing bonsai is not as simple as buying a tree and leaving it be. You need to prune, pinch, mist, water, fertilize and so on. It's actually a lot of fun! I love taking care of my trees.
Joining a club is about the best thing you can do.
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- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
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- Mod
- Posts: 7491
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
- Location: Colchester, CT
Hi Evan,
Opa has given you great advice; much the same as I would say. I might add that there are a lot of [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/bonsai/]bonsai articles[/url] here on the site that are suited to beginners and intermediates, so you should read those for sure. Decide how you want to grow bonsai and what you have for resources and use those criterion to decide. I have a friend in our local club who grows all tropicals because she lives in an apartment and has nowhere to overwinter. THAT's what I'm talkin about...
Scott
P.S. They still go out on her balconey all summer...
Opa has given you great advice; much the same as I would say. I might add that there are a lot of [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/bonsai/]bonsai articles[/url] here on the site that are suited to beginners and intermediates, so you should read those for sure. Decide how you want to grow bonsai and what you have for resources and use those criterion to decide. I have a friend in our local club who grows all tropicals because she lives in an apartment and has nowhere to overwinter. THAT's what I'm talkin about...
Scott
P.S. They still go out on her balconey all summer...
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- Mod
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- Location: Colchester, CT
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- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
The Baobab tree is also known as Adansonia digitata try this website for some general information on the trees:
https://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/adansondigit.htm
I found some more information at this website but, all that it says about starting from seed is that the plants can be grown from seed. (not very useful)
https://www.floridata.com/ref/A/adan_dig.cfm
Here is a great site on growing Adansonia from seed:
https://www.baobabs.com/Baobabs_cultivation.htm
https://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/adansondigit.htm
I found some more information at this website but, all that it says about starting from seed is that the plants can be grown from seed. (not very useful)
https://www.floridata.com/ref/A/adan_dig.cfm
Here is a great site on growing Adansonia from seed:
https://www.baobabs.com/Baobabs_cultivation.htm
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- Mod
- Posts: 7491
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
- Location: Colchester, CT
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- Mod
- Posts: 7491
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
- Location: Colchester, CT
Actually Evan, formal upright is the hardest style in my mind; very implicit rules to be followed on branch placement, height of the first branch from the baseTotal height vs. first branch height. Not really a beginners style, but I'm hard pressed to figure what else to do with that tree. I guess informal upright unless you get lucky and the structure comes just right...
ah well I guess my inexperience is obvious
I have planted one of the seeds after nicking it and soaking it over night.
I was going to plant another today but Hurricane katrina screwed me up (I'm in alabama).
Anyway I also purchased a buxus harlandii from home depot and pruned that. Hopefully by the time my baobabs are a bit older I will be more experienced.
At this point I really don't worry so much about making a perfect bonsai at this stage. I most likely will go with informal upright if I understand what that is, will research a bit more.
As far as training in the first year, how far should I let it go before pruning? I understand they need to get started.
I have planted one of the seeds after nicking it and soaking it over night.
I was going to plant another today but Hurricane katrina screwed me up (I'm in alabama).
Anyway I also purchased a buxus harlandii from home depot and pruned that. Hopefully by the time my baobabs are a bit older I will be more experienced.
At this point I really don't worry so much about making a perfect bonsai at this stage. I most likely will go with informal upright if I understand what that is, will research a bit more.
As far as training in the first year, how far should I let it go before pruning? I understand they need to get started.
-
- Mod
- Posts: 7491
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
- Location: Colchester, CT
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- Mod
- Posts: 7491
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
- Location: Colchester, CT