Archive through March 14, 2007

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Author Message   Greth  Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 08:56 pm EST :    Here is the little olive tree and a helper.. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 09:04 pm EST :    And the flowering ash Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Fbonsailady  My Favorite Photo My Garden Journal My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 09:55 am EST :    Great little Olive tree Margaret, If you're going to keep it as and 'informal-upright' bonsai, think an imaginary triangle when pruning it back to shape. Ash is great too, although as you see most of the new growth is at the top. If it were mine I would remove all that top growth so as to encourage re-growth lower down the trunk Kath Zone 8b UK   Treelover  My Favorite Photo My Garden Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 03:01 pm EST :    Great little trees(cute litle helper too!) That olive looks ready for bonsai training to me, i would remove the low branch in front and see whats left to work with. One of the other branches may have to go as it looks like a fork shape from the photos. And i would always remove the thicker one so as to get good taper. But take off that lower branch fiorst then repost a pic so we can see the trunk line. Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 03:24 pm EST :    Beautiful little helper! ;) Looks like you caught her right before she ripped it out of the ground. lol. Well, the winter is leaving a little bit at a time. Was up at Lake Michigan taking pictures and boy is it freezing up there. The water had huge chunks of ice all in it and the wind was horrible. But, down here its starting to warm up and I'm getting excited. Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 03:58 pm EST :    Thanks peoples, really enjoying these projects. Fairly much what I was thinking. The low branch on the olive has to go, and soon. Might take another pic or two once I've done that so you can see the remaining shape, which is forked. I think it wants to be some sort of informal upright. The ash does need lower branches, it's a pretty plant tho, the leaves are very glossy, which doesn't show in the picture. And flowers would be a big bonus. Would it be a good idea to prune now in early autumn, or wait till it is dormant in winter? Jessie grew up in that shadehouse nearly, Jesse! (Has her sandpit in there, with pots and labels and trowels) She isn't being destructive, just saw Mum turning the plant round for Dad to take pics and thought she would turn it a few more times. She was too quick, zipped into the pikkie before we could stop her, lol. Oh, and Jesse, DH told boss he had orders from wife to bring home either camera or stapler!!! Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 04:43 pm EST :    There we go I knew threats would help. ;0) The olive and the ash both look promising. Keep us updated. Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 05:07 pm EST :    Just looked at olive#2 on the way back from dropping boy at school bus stop. I had thought it was slender and not as good as #1, but it has two lovely round heavy nubbles near the base, so just waiting for some rain so I can dig it up :) Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Treelover  My Favorite Photo My Garden Posted on Monday, March 05, 2007 - 05:31 pm EST :    i don't think the ash needs lower branches,not if you go for the literati style that i suggested earlier. could do with thickening up a little tho. Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Friday, March 09, 2007 - 11:22 am EST :    Okay I was reading in one of the dozen or so books that I got from the library trying to decide what kind of facility I might need in order to not burn them in the summer and freeze them in the winter. I'm also pretty sure I'm in like zone 4 or something like that. I'll have to go look that up again. Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated. P.S~ Only kidding about your lil' dearie killin off your plants. ;) Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Friday, March 09, 2007 - 01:03 pm EST :    Found a beautiful set of 20 bonsai tools. Had a nice variety and all brand new for only $30. I'm gonna have to buy it everywhere else would have sold them for like $100 - $300. Come on SPRING!!!! Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Friday, March 09, 2007 - 02:02 pm EST :    Jesse, just go for a protected area, maybe covered with shadecloth. You might have to bring the more tender things inside or something in winter, but as long as they are watered summers shouldn't be too bad. Here we get days when the humidity is 5%, the north wind is like the draft from a blast furnace and the sun is blistering, the moment you walk outside the heat hits you. This is the worst weather imaginable for any potted plant. I think what you need to do is to start looking for some trees, don't spend a lotta money on it but get some things to practice on for now. Post some pics here or on some bonsai sites and let the experts confuse you until you decide what you are gonna do. As for Jessie - she is a terror when she moves all the plant labels around - imagine when I have ten different varieties of tomato with random labels! Lucky find, Bonsaifan, for me decent tools are several dreams away still. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Friday, March 09, 2007 - 02:08 pm EST :    Oh, the olive has had low branch removed and is waiting for the camera again. The ash I think will follow Bonsaifan's idea and be harshly cut back in winter, not yet. Then I want to wire it to a more horizontal form, because I think those lovely shiny leaves would show to best advantage as low rafts. Wiring might happen first, while it is still flexible enough. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Friday, March 09, 2007 - 02:42 pm EST :    I never said they were decent just beautiful. lol. I'm talking to the guy about how 'decent' they are. I'm a cynical buyer. So should I bring my plants inside or should I look into building a little cold frame? Things (I think) are finally falling into place when it comes with where I'm going to put my bonsai. Do we get an award if we get up to 100 posts? I saw people selling bonsai trees on ebay. Not like trained ones but ones ready to be worked on. I neeeeedd to go to a nursery. It's 69 out absolutly gorgeous! I feel spring!!! Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Greth  Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2007 - 08:32 am EST :    We should get a medal, this is one long post. You wont have to worry about protecting your plants until next winter. Don't pay big money for starter bonsai, just pick up cheap trees or dig stuff from the wild. (to be honest, your first few trees, and mine, will be subjected to a few mistakes, so better not to waste money until you know what you are doing) Wild trees are called yamadori, and you get extra points for using the Japanese term. It is Japanese for 'woody weed I pulled up while noone was looking' One of the guys on the bonsai forum has this quote 'If you want to make a small fortune from bonsai, start with a big fortune' Very wise advice. Except for the ash, which was cheap from an opshop, the trees I have collected have all been free, so far this hobby has cost me less than $10, but a few cuts and scrapes from digging. I will continue to resist throwing money at it. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 - 08:01 pm EST :    Okay now as soon as I can figure out how to put some pics on here I will show you a couple junipers I found in the woods. They are just several inches tall and if anyone has some tips/info/help on them it would be appreciated. Lets reach 100 posts! Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 - 11:23 pm EST :    Okay so when you pot a plant you don't just dump the dirt in the pot and throw the tree on top. So what exactly do you all do/use. Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Bonsaifan  My Weather My Time Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 - 12:19 pm EST :    Ok and also lets talk about soil. Do I honestly have to pay $16 a gallon plus $13 shipping and handling?! That's nearly $30 a gallon. I can buy caviar cheaper than that. So what kind of soil do you use and whats in it? Bonsaifan - Indiana, Zone "?"   Treelover  My Favorite Photo My Garden Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 - 03:53 pm EST :    jesse,there is no need to buy expensive soil for your Bonsai. there's a lot of rubbish out there on the net about how you need special this and special that for Bonsai,but as long as its free draining and holds nutrients you can use almost any soil. i use commercial potting soil,john innes no2,and add grit for extra drainage.(john innes is a formula of loam based compost that is like good garden soil-avoid peat for a couple of reasons) Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"   Greth  Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 - 04:43 pm EST :    um, I dump the plant in then throw dirt on top. Not fussed about potting mix too much, just using the same organic one I use for my herbs. I might think a bit harder when my plants are actually in bonsai containers, when there will be a whole lot less soil, for now they are supposed to be settling in and growing on. Do get a good quality general potting mix tho, some of the bargain varieties can be dreadful. If it doesn't have inbuilt fertilizer you will have to add some. Check the texture, some are full of chunks of bark so they interfere with the root system. Greth - South Australia, Zone "?"

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