| Author |
Message |
    
Bonsaifan
| | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 11:12 pm EST : |   |
Okay I am wanting to start doing bonsai's (or whatever the phrase would be) and I was wondering what a good starter tree would be. I live in the southern half of Indiana and we don't have harsh summers or winters. Also if any of you have any pointers they would be greatly appreciated. ;)
JKSympson
Bonsaifan
- Indiana,
Zone "?"
|
Fbonsailady
My Favorite Photo
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My Time
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 08:10 am EST : | |
Hi Jesse,
When first 'starting-out' in the world of 'bonsai' the easiest trees to adapt are native trees to your region. This is the most inexpensive way to start :-).
Bear in mind that the main objective is to have a nice thick trunk on a bonsai tree. If you find 'saplings' in your region then grow them on in the open-ground, no restriction of roots promotes thicker trunks.
Although there are some exceptions, most specimens can be 'cut-back' later to promote new growth of side branches, new leaves etc.
It is not difficult, but one has to have patience :-). Of course, you can visit a bonsai nursery and pay a humungeous amount for an 'already-trained-bonsia-tree', but this really is not the thing to do if you want to 'start-from-scratch' without it costing 'an-arm-and-a-leg' :-) - Kath
Kath Zone 8b UK |
Treelover
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 08:48 am EST : | |
Kath, I have been trying to get this message over to beginners on another forum. It is the single most important aspect of creating a bonsai that looks like a much older tree.
Without a thick trunk its just a stick in a pot.
I tell them to go plant it in the ground for a few years, keep an eye on it and feed it well as you would anyother plant. Only when its trunk is of a good size can you begin the next stage in training.(I use the cut and grow method, allowing it grow like crazy each year then cutting it back hard the following spring)
But most just want it now and ignore my advice and say something like, 'Oh I'll grow it my way.'
Bonsai takes time and patience. I have a few on the go but not a lot ios happeneing right now so Im quiet about them. come spring and I'll be posting updates.
It can take years to get a good bonsai from scratch but it is so rewarding, more so than buyiong a pre trained bonsai I think.
Treelover
- County Durham,
Zone "8/9"
|
Bonsaifan
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 10:34 am EST : | |
Alrighty, Thanks for the advice. But, how thick does the trunk have to be in order to start training? I was reading a book that said going to a nursery and getting a pine about two foot tall and training that. It also said if you could find a elm or poplar about three foot tall that has been growing in the wild (which isn't hard) that it should be ready to bonsai. Thanks again for the answers.
JKSympson
Bonsaifan
- Indiana,
Zone "?"
|
Treelover
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:19 pm EST : | |
The thickness of the trunk kinda depends on the size of the bonsai overall. If you want to end up with a really big bonsai then the trunk will need to be much thicker, but if you want somwething smaller then obviously a thinner trunk will do. A lot also depends on the style of bonsai youre going for.
But I dont think you can ever get too thick.
I think theres a general 'rule' something like the trunks width should be a third of the overall height of the tree, so if your bonsai is going to be 12 inches tall then the trunk should be no thinner than say 4 inches diameter. Im not 100% certain of that rule but basically its an instinctive thing. I can look at a tree and know if its thick enough or needs to be thicker etc.
Treelover
- County Durham,
Zone "8/9"
|
Treelover
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:22 pm EST : | |
Oh and as for picking species, I'd go for the elm, leave the pine till youre more experienced. Elms are easy fast growers and are bullet proof(some tend to sucker tho) but pines are slower growing, more picky as regards growing requirements(soil, water sun etc) and less forgiving of mistakes.
Ive never tried a pine or any conifer, I just prefer deciduous trees as you get great Auutmn colour and fine branching in winter which shows if youve got it right with your pruning!
As a guide to thickness,look at the pic in Fbonsailady's avatar. Its a maple but you can see the trunk there and get an idea of the height/thickness ratio.
(Hope you dont mind Kath)
Treelover
- County Durham,
Zone "8/9"
|
Bonsaifan
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 01:14 pm EST : | |
Okay thanks that helps. Ok I'll have to go to some nurseries around here and see if I can find one. I might find some wild ones too. Also if you guys would please look at my Mimosa forum it would be appreciated.
JKSympson
Bonsaifan
- Indiana,
Zone "?"
|
Treelover
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 01:47 pm EST : | |
do you not have native elms in your area? you could strike some cuttings,about pencil thick,and get them to root. that way you'd have plenty of material to practice on. (they would be ready for training next spring-Bonsai takes time!)
Treelover
- County Durham,
Zone "8/9"
|
Treelover
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 02:07 pm EST : | |
do you not have native elms in your area? you could strike some cuttings,about pencil thick,and get them to root. that way you'd have plenty of material to practice on. (they would be ready for training next spring-Bonsai takes time!)
Treelover
- County Durham,
Zone "8/9"
|
Bonsaifan
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 02:54 pm EST : | |
Calm down! ;) I do live near the woods and there are about 5 different locally owned nurseries in the city. So I should have no hard time getting an elm. My only point was that we have like 100 Mimosa's and was wondering if I could bonsai them.
Bonsaifan
- Indiana,
Zone "?"
|
Bonsaifan
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 03:29 pm EST : | |
The book I'm reading wants me to buy this whole long list of tools. What do I need and what would just be convenient? Thanks for your guys help. I would be lost without it. 
Bonsaifan
- Indiana,
Zone "?"
|
Fbonsailady
My Favorite Photo
My Garden Journal
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 04:22 pm EST : | |
To start with Jesse, you don't need all those expensive tools
A very sharp pair of secateurs and a pair of long-handled scissors, anyway, that's what I started off with
Later on invest in a pair of concave-branch cutters, of all the bonsai tools,I use these the most. Sieves, in 3 different mesh sizes is a good investment too, always sieve the soils well, to get rid of 'lumpy bits' and rubbish, but never forget the GRIT. Whatever types of soil you decide to use always add GRIT, this does two jobs, opens up the soil to let air into same, which is good for roots of any kind, and gives 'good-drainage' eg water flows through the soil freely. This of course is 'down-to-the-very-basics' - Kath
Kath Zone 8b UK |
Treelover
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 05:16 pm EST : | |
oops my message posted twice. As for tools well I started doing Bonsai in 1986 and I didn't get my first proper tools till 2004!
As for the Mimosa I cant help as I've never grown one or seen one as Bonsai. But the so called rules of Bonsai apply pretty much to all species as far as training is concerned. The only difference I can see is a matter of horticulture.
Treelover
- County Durham,
Zone "8/9"
|
Treelover
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 06:24 pm EST : | |
i personally would avoid buying expensive tools for a few years,you don't need all the fancy cutters until you have something that needs cutting.good old cheap secateurs and a small saw will do you fine,and who knows you may discover Bonsai really isn't for you after a few years(be prepared to lose a lot of young trees in the first years)
BTW what books you got? Books are great tools if only to look at all the pics for inspiration.
Treelover
- County Durham,
Zone "8/9"
|
Bonsaifan
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 06:24 pm EST : | |
I must be driving you guys crazy  Okay I have picked out some pots and essentials. but as far as fertilizer do they already have premixed stuff that would work fine? I saw one simply called 'Bonsai Potting Soil' it reads, "This is a very popular product for us and widely used by bonsai growers. This soil is the result of years of experience and trial testing. We use the best components available and double sift everything. There is no better all-purpose bonsai planting medium out there. Contains: Composted bark fines, Calcined Clay, Beneficial Micronutrients, Akadama Horticultural Vermiculite, Sphagnum peat moss...and other minor ingredients. Ph balanced for use with virtually every type of bonsai tree. It's sterile too. This potting media is designed to be a loose and well draining soil which is essential to the health of your bonsai tree. This is a root systems dream world." So is that good enough? Alrighty thanks again for all your guys.
Bonsaifan
- Indiana,
Zone "?"
|
Treelover
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 07:22 pm EST : | |
Hey don't worry about driving us crazy,we get a good thread going here! ;) As for that soil all I can say is can I have some,it sounds great stuff! Akadama is the good stuff,never seen it over here!
Treelover
- County Durham,
Zone "8/9"
|
Bonsaifan
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 08:00 pm EST : | |
Okay well go to (don't laugh) www.joebonsai.com They sell the stuff I was just talking about called Joebonsai Potting Soil for $4 a quart or $15 a gallon. Or if you just wanted Akadama for straight Akadama it's $5 a quart or $20 a gallon. I have to say (despite the name) that Joebonsai is the best (cheapest and more selection and higher quality) site that I have found. you might have to write Joe and ask him a price for the UK. So, I guess I will order me some of it. It's cheap I think. He sells a lot of stuff that he special orders from Japan. He has moss spores that you can buy. I never knew a person could do that. He also has Super thrive which he says can really help a plant. A site definatly worth checking out.
Bonsaifan
- Indiana,
Zone "?"
|
Bonsaifan
| | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 08:05 pm EST : | |
I have only one book not sure the name. I'm planning on running to the library and bookstore. If you have any suggestions I would love it. I'm really excited about getting started!! 
Bonsaifan
- Indiana,
Zone "?"
|
Fbonsailady
My Favorite Photo
My Garden Journal
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Saturday, February 03, 2007 - 03:20 am EST : | |
Larry you can get Akadama here and everything else Kath
http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/shop/index.php
Kath Zone 8b UK |
Greth
| | Posted on Saturday, February 03, 2007 - 03:58 pm EST : | |
Yep, read read read is the way to go with any new projects, IMO. I am reading this thread too, as I want to have a go with bonsai. I have a shadehouse and a nursery business, so I can guarantee to look at everything and water it daily, a luxury I haven't had in the past.
Greth
- South Australia,
Zone "?"
|
