Archive through February 27, 2007

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Author Message   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 - 12:14 am EST :    But my point was what kind of facility do you have? Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Treelover  My Favorite Photo My Garden Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 - 05:36 am EST :    Jesse if you do sow seeds of things like crab apples,cherries,plums,Hawthorn etc they will need stratifying first. This involves putting them in pots of sand and placing the pots outside so the frost gets to them,or you can put them in the freezer for a few weeks then sow normally. But many will take years to grow this way and may not come true to type,especially apples. It mentions this in the Chan book Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 - 08:47 pm EST :    Okay, I remember something about that. But what do you guys think about a greenhouse? Is that a smart thing to look into or what? Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 - 10:16 pm EST :    Yes if you can afford it, but for bonsai it would only be to get baby plants started. Many mature plants will be subject to rootrot type things in such a humid environment. I agree that apples etc will not be true to type, however for bonsai purposes you are interested in the shape of the plant and not the fruit, so I would think seedlings have as good a chance as anything to turn out looking nice. And yes it will take years, but bonsai is definitely a slow process anyway, lol. I have a small cold frame for starting spring seeds, apart from that everything lives under 50% shadecloth, facing north (the sun direction here), so it is quite bright, but not scorching. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 - 01:43 am EST :    What exactly is a 'cold frame'? So for bonsai a small one thats naturally heated would be good? Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 - 08:14 am EST :    My cold frame is simply a black steel box with a clear hard plastic lid. In the sun it keeps seeds at a comfortably warm temperature - enough to keep away the frost here, but our frosts are not severe. Any box with a clear glass or plastic lid would work as well. DH did fit it with a heating wire, to heat the plants from underneath, but we have never connected it. It helps me get spring seeds started while we are still having frosty nights, and they grow much faster during the cold months. As soon as the weather warms, I move seeds out, because it gets too hot in there, and they can simply grow in the shadehouse. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 - 11:18 am EST :    So once the plants have matured a little then they should be left out all year. Okay I think I've got that. ;) Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 - 11:37 am EST :    Now what kind of shelter would be needed during a strong storm? Or would just bringing them inside the house be alright? Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Treelover  My Favorite Photo My Garden Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 - 01:17 pm EST :    if they are outdoor Bonsai(truth is there's no such thing as an indoor Bonsai) then they will need to spend all year out in the garden. maybe some protection in winter for the less hardy or younger ones. Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"   Greth  Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 - 04:51 pm EST :    My shadehouse is about the equivalent of most peoples outdoors. In my outdoors on one of our hot days, anything in a small pot would be scorched dry and crunchy in a couple of hours. Even cactuses look thoughtful sometimes. The shadehouse still has plenty of sun and wind and rain, just not the blistering heat. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 - 10:09 pm EST :    ahhh.... Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Monday, February 12, 2007 - 03:59 pm EST :    It has a smell of a spring morning with winters chill still hanging on the leaves. Even though it's 40 out. I feel the start of spring. Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 12:23 am EST :    Come on folks. 72 make that 73 posts and we are gonna let this post die. (falls on floor in desperation) Okay, not that bad. ;) Well it keeps getting colder for the love of the God we all adore! Alright, well lets come up with something to talk about. Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 01:10 am EST :    Oh sheesh, you want us to stick to a topic? We got up to 3 archives in the first few days of February, could be close to a record! Lol, well here is where I'm up to. Lots of feral baby elms in pots, some even alive, and a largish flowering ash I am thinking about. I've researched bonsai sites, and found some herbs I'm already growing which might be useful. Been gathering some seeds to get started, too. Found the best local nursery which has a range of reasonably priced containers. Trying to get my husband to remember to bring home the digi camera from work so I can show you guys the ash and get some opinions before I do anything irreversible. Meanwhile we have had one of our nasty heatwaves, and its been impossible to do anything outdoors in the afternoon for a few days. Even lying down inside for a siesta has been pretty uncomfortable. That is over for a while, looks like milder temps for this week, but still plenty of summer to go, and more heat. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Treelover  My Favorite Photo My Garden Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 07:14 am EST :    Hi Greth,when you say flowering ash what tree do you mean? Is it a Eucalyptus or Fraxinus? Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"   Greth  Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 03:10 pm EST :    Fraxinus ornus, Treelover. Leaves are the same form as common ash, but shiny. I must get photos for you, I rang DH at work 15 minutes before he left on Friday to remind him to bring the camera home, but he FORGOT. He also forgot on Saturday and Monday, sigh. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 03:22 pm EST :    Staple a note to his forehead. Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 - 08:11 pm EST :    Gets out the wall stapler for the second weekend running.. Another catch this week, we have feral olive trees along our road, Landcare are waging a major war against them, but there was a nice seedling, thick trunk, about a foot high, now it is in a pot, no longer a feral threat but an asset. Isn't artistic yet, but lots of potential. This is fun, when you try doing it for free! Saw another one further up the road, will collect it later.DH flattened a large area with the tractor for a new shadehouse, I think he senses I need more space! Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Treelover  My Favorite Photo My Garden Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 01:41 pm EST :    Olives make great bonsai , a bit like privet(Ligustrum) but with fiber leaves and very pale bark. Good luck with yours! Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"   Greth  Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 06:18 am EST :    Fairly impossible to kill too, always a good point. I will have to try and look nonchalent when I go to dig up the second one, and pick a day that isn't too hot, or I will be taken for a potential arsonist! Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"

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