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 Hello, everyone! This is a thread for discussion, care, and maintenance of bonsai. I will also be posting guides on bonsai care from time to time as well. Guides Getting Started: An Introduction to Bonsai and Basic Bonsai Care Getting Started: Bonsai Tools and You Getting Started: Bonsai Styles Collecting and Growing Bonsai from Cuttings F.A.Q. So what is bonsai? Bonsai is the art of growing a tree in a pot. I’ve always wanted to try doing bonsai, but I don’t know where to start… Not a problem! I myself knew nothing about plants prior to starting bonsai, and I know how disheartening that can be. But it isn’t too hard, actually. All it requires is an interest in it and the will to keep your plants alive when you’re just starting out. What Hardiness Zone do you live in? I live in what’s classified as Zone 9b, in California. Hence why a lot of plants I suggest and own myself are more oriented towards being heat and frost tolerant. Mr. Soop fucked around with this message at 08:17 on Sep 1, 2012 |
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Feb 5, 2012 07:10
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Getting Started: An Introduction to Bonsai and Basic Bonsai Care What is Bonsai? “A Bonsai is a tree or shrub grown in a container. Though seldom exceeding 70 cm in height, it makes us believe when we look at it here is a tree just as it grows in nature. The word ‘bonsai’ is formed from two words, ‘bon’ meaning tray or dish, and ‘sai’ meaning tree or plant, so it’s literal translation ‘tree planted in a dish’. A bonsai is, then, a tree – a miniaturized tree – grown in a dish and resembling in all respects its large counterpart in nature.” – Paul Lesniewics, Bonsai: The Complete Guide to Art and Technique Or as my sensei says, “It’s basically a tree in a pot”. So when did people start doing this Bonsai stuff? Originally an art form practiced by the Chinese as early as the 6th Century, the Japanese adopted the practice for themselves via Chinese-Japanese relations. After World War II, bonsai made its way to the U.S. and Europe, and the population of bonsai enthusiasts has been growing ever since. Often praised for their beauty, the intricacies of their creation, and the patience to grow them, bonsai have been depicted in movies and media, with appearances in films like The Karate Kid, Blade Runner, and even Die Hard. Sounds pretty cool! So…can I go out and get one right now? Slow down there! Most people purchase bonsai with knowing less than the history lesson above and end up with what’s call a 3D Plant in a short amount of time; Dehydrated, Diseased, and Dying. Before you go and buy anything though, do as Bill Nye would and consider the following.
All right then. So where is the best place to purchase a bonsai? From my personal experience, the best place to find material is at local plant nurseries. Nurseries typically have a wide variety of plants to choose from, and the staff are pretty knowledgeable when it comes to answering most questions. However, some plants that are considered suitable for bonsai can be purchased at your local OSH, Home Depot, or Lowes. What is probably best though is if you can find a local bonsai nursery. Buying plants online is always an option, although I haven’t done it myself to give an opinion one way or the other. BY ALL MEANS DO NOT BUY THE PRE-MADE BONSAI AT WAL-MART OR TARGET. These are usually just plants with rocks glued on top of them to give the appearance of soil, and are likely to die within a short time of purchase. The only exception to this rule would be any pre-done products done by Brussel’s Bonsai, which you are more likely to see at Home Depot or Lowe’s anyway. So I’ve found a place to buy from. What should I look for in potential bonsai material? What do you think I should start out with? Good question! Ideally, you should look for 1 gallon plants, with a somewhat straight trunk and under 70 cm (27 inches; under 2 feet/0.7 meters) While curvy trunks can be fine for beginners, avoid anything with an extremely angled trunk shape (an L or a J shape that’s sideways is something to be avoided) as they will usually never make for good bonsai. While you can get 5 gallon plants, that’s really pushing it if you’re just starting out. And when it comes to what species of plant you should get, while it does depend on your zone, here are a few general suggestions. Outdoor Bonsai
 Indoor Bonsai
 Anything else I might want to consider buying while I’m at my store of choice? Like maybe some equipment or fertilizer? You may want to pick up a watering can or hose attachment that will deliver a light shower of water onto your plant(s). Even using a basic hose on low power isn’t really recommended. Beware of strong hose/nozzle power, as you don’t want the stream of water to blast the soil out of the plant container. If/when you start using special soil (Akadama), getting a shower head for your hose is pretty much a must-have due to that issue. A watering can will do the trick if you have a low amount of plants though. As for fertilizer, I would suggest getting an All-Purpose fertilizer as you will be hard-pressed to hurt your plants with it. Slow release fertilizers are fine, just avoid any of the stake style ones, as they can damage the tender roots of your plant. Just follow the instructions on the box and you should be fine. Thanks for the advice! Got myself one after all. Any growing tips? Don’t repot it or mess with the root structure in any way. Your main goal right now is to keep your new plant friend alive. Remember that bonsai requires patience, and going to town on it with pruning it and transplanting it into a nice pot immediately could stress your plant to death! The outdoor ones I suggested should ideally be kept in full sun, but if you live somewhere were it gets fairly hot (over 100 F/37 C) you may want to move the Trident Maple to half-shade. For indoor ones, try not to place them in the direct blast of A/C or a heating unit, as they’ll dehydrate quickly. Water around once or twice a week for these guys, as even if not in the direct path of moving air they’ll still need water if you want to keep them healthy. As stated before, when it comes to fertilizers, the All-Purpose ones will get you by just fine, although just as a rule of thumb try to avoid the stake ones if you are getting a slow-release fertilizer, as they may damage the roots of your plant. Just follow the instructions on the box of whatever you bought, and your plants will be pretty happy with you. Pruning of all of these suggested plants can be done by hand, by pinching the leaves off. Try and use your fingernails as little scissors. If you don’t want to do it by hand, you can use actual scissors. Don’t worry if the Ficus or other plants bleed milk from the cuts, as that’s perfectly normal. However, the Ficus do bleed latex, so if you have an allergy I suggest the use basic scissors to do it for you. Spraying water with a spray bottle on the wound will also stop the plant from bleeding more. And while basic scissors can get the job done for these plants, for more advanced cuts or just an overall better and more durable tool, you can invest around $20 and under for a decent pair of gardening scissors. The best resource for information overall would be to contact your local bonsai society. Try looking around for them online. Even if you have a small town, it may have a club you can join, or a nearby area may have one if you’re willing to travel. Bonsai societies are usually populated by older folk who enjoy sharing a lot of their information with other people, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can also find a lot of good deals through them if you want to buy things like pots or special soil. (Raffles with cool prizes are also commonplace!) Congratulations! You now have your very first bonsai! Give it enough time, and if you have enough interest, you can go into more advanced stuff like buying and using bonsai pots, getting special Akadama soil for them, wiring branches, and doing major cuts to shape them. Mr. Soop fucked around with this message at 04:38 on May 29, 2012 |
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Feb 5, 2012 07:16
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Hmm... Well, to answer your last question first, pruning on bonsai serves a few different purposes. The first is to influence growth with what's called "directional pruning". For example, you might prune a few leaves off one side of a plant, thus tricking your plant into thinking that it shouldn't grow in that direction and encourage more growth on the unpruned side. This in itself is the primary reason for pruning, as it is the most influential action that will determine the growth of your plant. Another reason is to limit the size of the leaves you have on your plant. By pruning off the larger leaves, it will encourage the tree to not only produce more new growth, but also make it so your new growth will end up smaller leaves overall. Ficus in particular are very responsive to both of these reasons. As a rule of thumb, when you prune a ficus of any kind, do the pruning primarily by pinching off leaves. This is much easier on the ficus and you'll get better results with this method. For bigger cuts (branches mainly) use scissors/gardening scissors. Ideally if your just starting to train your plant, try pinching off the uppermost leaves of the plant. More leaf buds will sprout out lower down the trunk. After they begin to grow into full-fledged branches, selectively cut them in order to begin shaping your ficus into a true bonsai shape. If you would be willing to post a picture of your ficus, that would be great too. I could give you a much better idea of what you can do with it if I could see it. Also, my lovely assistant helped me get pictures of examples of ficus that I have. (A black background serves to accentuate the bonsai features clearly for those wondering, so that's the reason for the cheesy shirt.) These have both been done using pinch-pruning techniques and fairly minimal scissor work. Ficus benjamina  Ficus retusa 
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Feb 6, 2012 04:06
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Right on. 10 years of growth makes for a pretty nice plant, especially with a succulent.  Any particular style you chose to do it in?Anyway, as a succulent a Dwarf/Baby Jade is a very good plant to have. Although technically not a true bonsai ("professional" bonsai are classified as 'woody plants' only), if you aren't looking to impress some 150-year-old hardcore Japanese bonsai master, they're a pretty good choice overall and very, very low maintenance. And the only real dangers to them are overwatering, and frost/snow, which can turn them to mush overnight if you have them outdoors for whatever reason.
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Feb 6, 2012 06:51
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You can indeed do that for a number of plants. Ficus cuttings can be gathered and planted for free new plants; and although they'll take off pretty easily once potted up; just don't expect for it to grow big/fat anytime soon. In particular, Oaks are a bit tough when it comes to cuttings. Simply taking a cutting off of a grown oak tree will leave you with dead sticks in about two weeks, regardless of how well they're tended to. However, suitable branches for bonsai can be harvested with a more advanced technique known as 'air layering', in which case you wrap a plastic bag full of damp peat moss around a tree limb you want. Doing this over time causes the branch to be fooled into thinking it's in the ground, and it'll start sprouting roots. You then cut the limb off below where the roots have sprouted and viola, you have yourself a cutting that has the ability to survive. This however requires a good amount of dedication. Having roots is key for any cutting though. For example, Junipers will pretty much always root from cuttings, but it may take a year for them to fully do so. Another option is of course to grow from seed. You can harvest most seeds from popular bonsai trees (Gingkos, Oaks, Maples) in the fall. You can plant them before spring starts and get quite a few baby plants from them. The only downside is that you will be starting completely from scratch, and something like a Ginkgo grows incredibly slow to the point where it may not be worth it to start from seed. On the other end of things, starting from seed is good with most Maples however, and Oaks are good to go with this too. (If planted in the ground, the Cork Oak can grow 6 to 8 feet in a year by age 3!) These are the primary pluses and minuses to growing from seeds or cuttings. They're a much cheaper alternative overall, if you're willing to put in the time and effort. My girlfriend primarily does Oaks, so here are a few examples of cuttings and seedlings. Quercus suber (Cork Oak) done via air layering.  Quercus wislizeni (Interior Live Oak/Sierra Oak) done from seed; 3 years old. (Wire was put on Fall of 2011)  Quercus lobata (Valley Oak) done from seed; 2 years old and just bought at a convention this past weekend.  Worth noting is the Interior Live and Valley Oaks are native to my region, and my girlfriend has had no problems with them to date. Natives are a good way to go, if you can get a hold of them.
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Feb 7, 2012 00:17
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I GS'd air layering and found this handy little guide that's about the same as the ones in my bonsai books. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/ornamentals/airlayer/airlayer.html I also forgot that it was sphagnum moss and not peat moss that's used in the air layering process, as my girlfriend reminded me...  Anyway, not quite sure as to what you're asking in terms of keeping something outdoors 24/7. If you mean the Oak trees, yes. They should be kept outdoors at all times. White Oak are a pretty sound tree too, and going with growing from seed is probably going to be your best bet. Heck, some acorns may have sprouted by now or may be sprouting soon, and if you see one growing out of the ground you can try digging it up. Just beware of damaging what's called the taproot (biggest root(s) that come out of a seed; think of it as primary life support for the seed). Also note that the taproot may be a few inches straight down from the initial sprout. Digging it up should be fine, just don't break,(severely) bend, or clip the taproot under any circumstances. Then it's just a matter of sticking it in a deep enough pot for the taproot, watering the plant, and watching it grow.
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Feb 7, 2012 04:28
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That ficus is fantastic! It looks like a Tiger Bark (Ficus Retusa), and you've been doing pretty well with it, I'd say.  They're very hardy and I've also run the mistake of letting mine dry out during fall last year, only to have it recover as if nothing happened.As for the Red Maple, you're doing everything right. Seedlings love a terrarium environment, and now that they're growing I would say to maybe repot them and move them outside to a slightly shaded area if you don't have it outside already. Repotting them will allow the roots to grow and help them get established. You can use a basic flowerpot to do this, just make sure it's around the 4 to 6 inch range in terms of pot size, as you'll allow the roots room to grow without running the risk of overwatering and getting root rot. Make sure that you have a very porous soil that allows for easy drainage; adding some extra Perlite (only about 2 bucks for a bag of it) to whatever soil mix you repot with will do the trick. Normal potting soil is going to be best for now, as it has all the nutrients a growing bonsai needs.  As a general rule, Maples like a moderate amount of both sunlight and water, and with that said, misting them heavily will probably be okay for the time being. Saturation for these guys is key though as they begin to be come full-fledged bonsai.For the time being though, I'd say to just gently pour a cup of water into the pot every couple of days after you've repotted it and it should be fine. At a recent bonsai convention, I bought something I'd never heard of before; an Acer morrisonense (Taiwan Maple).  It has fairly large leaves that don't grow in proportion to the small stem they're coming out of, and I'm told they're a bit more heat resistant because of their slightly fleshy leaves. He's a pic for a comparison to a standard Japenese Maple, with a soda can for size reference.  In other news, I'm very sorry that I've taken so long to respond. Been busy with lots of things lately and I had thought this thread might have been dead because I haven't updated with anything. However, I'll try and have an update soon on tools or soil or something. In the meantime, my girlfriend recently attended a bonsai seminar with the Bonsai Master Ted Matson (I couldn't make it because of work that day  ), and I've been prepping for my first bonsai show. Just a small event at the local Japanese gardens in a park nearby. Here's what my girlfriend and I will be showing off.Juniper procumbens (Juniper; 'Nana' cultivar)  Olea europaea (Olive)  Ginkgo biloba (I was told this may be a rare cultivar from Japan, but I don't have any real way to verify this at the moment.)  Quercus lobata (Valley Oak)  Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm)  Calluna vulgaris (Common Heather; 'Martha Hermann' cultivar)  Kind of a picture heavy response/update... Oh well. Hope I was able to answer your question, Sandwich. 
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Apr 21, 2012 01:01
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@SandwichFight: That should definitely do for now with the cups. Being a deciduous tree, they’ll lose their leaves in the Fall and go dormant. Depending on their size by then, you can get a better idea of what kind of pots they can be replanted in. Also, maybe see about investing in a cheap table from Target or something. As they get older, they're really going to need to be outdoors. Just as a precaution for now though, look to see if they begin to get yellow leaves/brown spots; that will be a sign of overwatering as opposed to withering, which is from underwatering. Seems as though you’re doing well from the picture. Good move with drilling the holes in the cups too. @Mizufusion: Ah yes, Redwoods. Where to start? Well, first off unfortunately most large coniferous trees (Redwoods, Sequoias, Pines, Firs, and Spruces) can’t really be started from cuttings. Or rather, it IS possible, but a little tough to do. So, I would say that looking for a smaller one at your local nursery would be your best bet. There are several cultivars, and from personal experience/advice from other bonsai people, try to get the ‘Aptose Blue’ cultivar. It’s hardier than the other ones like ‘Santa Cruz’ and has the added benefit of looking just as nice and responding well to pruning. What you would do after buying a small sapling is top it (cut off the top of the tree) by only a small amount. I would say about 1/6th of the tree is good cut, and try to do it in the mid to late months of winter if possible. There’s actually a forest planting with 3 bonsai Redwoods at my local bonsai nursery, and it’s one of the nicer pieces I’ve seen. Topping saplings is also how the guy got his Redwoods down to size. As for the Dawn Redwood, that’s also kind of a weird one. My sensei actually has one. Really beautiful. Has nice, green needles budding out right now and they’ll turn red and fall off in the winter. I asked him about it one time last year, as to how it was with pruning and generally growing it as a bonsai. He told me that although it looks good, they’re a bit picky and don’t really seem to like being in a pot; they don’t lend themselves to bonsai as well other plants and really, really want to be big trees. But as he also says, you shouldn’t let a tree scare you, and that if you’re willing to make accommodations for a bonsai tree, anything is possible. One of my local parks has a number of large, adult trees in it and I’m assuming he got a hold of cones there. Or maybe he purchased it online. I can’t really say for sure, sadly. Luckily though, there’s a nursery that I’ve done business with before (drove up to the mountains and actually went there to purchase them) who sell all sorts of neat trees that seem to be a little bit more rare. This in particular might be a good idea to start off with. http://www.giant-sequoia.com/sites/giantsequoia/cart/coast-and-dawn-redwoods/item-g1-all-3-redwood-species-2010-crop-sampler.html I myself bought and Aptose Blue Redwood and Giant Sequoia from them last year, and both plants have been doing fine. I also felt a bit bad about getting an endangered plant, but they do indeed have permits to go and collect Giant Sequoias from the wild, so you don’t have to worry about feeling as though you’re pillaging from the ecosystem. Mr. Soop fucked around with this message at 05:41 on May 4, 2012 |
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May 4, 2012 04:54
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@coyo7e: That's a really nice redwood technique, actually. While a small cutting of a single branch isn't really enough to start a whole tree from, a burl might be. Given that it can be kept alive with just water for years at a time means that it can also has a good chance of being a bonsai by putting it into a soil container. Heck, even in water it has the makings of a good accent plant. Not that I've ever done any of that myself. But if I did, I would say that using a lot of rooting hormone on the cut would be wise when planting it. Probably the best thing though is that living in Humboldt (natural range of the Redwood for those who didn't know) is the best thing for making a tree via a burl. The climate won't shock it because it's already in its natural habitat, and that's one of the biggest obstacles for keeping a cutting of any kind. @nobody-: Ginkgo trees are an absolutely outside all year round, 100% deciduous drop-leaves-every-fall tree. Cut off from the outside, even in the nicest windowsill in the house, they'll simply dry up even if you water them every day (A/C and heating units dry them up like nobody's business), become sick and die from lack of sunlight (even if they're on a super sunny windowsill, it's still diffused light; they will also dry up that much faster with A/C and/or a heater with the sun on them), and without the natural air circulation of the outdoors, they won't be able to transpire as well which will also lead to sickness. However, if it's cold you worry about when it comes to the reason for bringing them indoors, don't worry too much. Ginkgo trees tolerate both hot and cold climates well, although snow can be a problem if your climate does that. In that case, bringing them into a sheltered area before the first snow falls and/or when after last their leaves drop will keep them from being killed by the ravages of winter. As for where they would be indoors, I would recommend placing them a garage or outdoor shed if you have access to either of these places, the reason for this being they'll be protected from cold winds and snow without the shock of going from the icy cold outdoors to a warm, heated house. Even in dormancy they can still be sensitive to temperature changes. Starting them from seeds is pretty cool, BTW. I have a bag of them but didn't get around to starting them this year. And while they're slow to grow, they get nice fat trunks on them easily. Anyway, hope you have better luck the next time around knowing this bit of information. And if I didn't answer what you wanted, feel free to say so. Going to be posting a guide on the basic bonsai tools soon, along with maybe something on transferring (although not repotting) a bonsai. So stay tuned!
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May 19, 2012 00:53
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@Kip: Redwoods are pretty resilient trees. As a rule of thumb, transplant during the cooler, winter months before spring begins. Also, if you're simply putting it into a bigger pot you don't need to cut any roots off. If it's going into an actual bonsai pot where the roots won't fit, go ahead and chop some of them off. The most important thing though is to not trim the taproot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taproot) by more than 1/3rd if your tree still has one going. However, you can trim off some of the smaller, more fibrous roots if you also trim off a proportionate amount of branches from the tree right before or after you transplant it. Also, don't blast the roots with water or anything to try and loosen up the root ball, otherwise you'll end up with a lot of damaged roots. Investing in a bonsai root rake ($10 - $20 for one) might be a good idea. Don't overdo it too much on the root trimming though or your tree won't be able to recover. A good way to think of root trimming is that you're effectively intentionally weakening it; a strong, healthy tree will be okay with this but one that is already weak to begin with will encounter problems and potentially die. Sounds scary I know, but if you think of it this way it makes some root and general pruning decisions a lot easier once you get to know your trees. @Clanpot Shake: Good news and bad news. Bad news first. A Trident Maple probably isn't going to work out for you, as Maples in general require about 4 to 6 hours of sun minimum each day. You could have one, but it wouldn't be too happy and wouldn't grow very well. If you're dead set on having an actual Maple though, a Japenese Maple might be worth looking into as it has a higher shade tolerance and might do okay on your fire escape. Now for the good news. While a Trident Maple wouldn't work, there are other plants associated with bonsai that might. Indoor bonsai like a Ficus or a Fibrous Begonia would benefit from more from such a small amount of sunlight better than a typical outdoor bonsai would. In particular, a Fibrous Begonia might be right up your alley. It has trident shaped leaves and grows pretty well without too much maintenance. My teacher recently entered one in the California Shohin Seminar (held only every 2 years, it's a bit of a big deal here in Cali for bonsai enthusiasts) and had a lot of people impressed with it. Many mistook it for a Trident Maple actually. I have one as well and I'm pretty happy with it. Anyway, here is where he got his. Cuttings also root easily for Begonias, so you can potentially grow more if you wanted. http://www.logees.com/Begonia-Partita/productinfo/B3222-2/ @Sandwich Fight: Looking good! Glad to hear and see that they're doing so well since you put them outside for a little bit now. I don't have any experience with Red Maples in particular, but from what I can see with the pictures they're doing just fine. (Nice wiener dog patrolling in the background by the way. My girlfriend has an elderly one that she adopted a few years back from the pound. Poor guy came as and still is morbidly obese though, despite all we've done to get him to loose weight... But that's a whole other topic.) Apologies that I haven't posted up the tools guide yet. I've been real busy with work lately and when I get home I'm usually too wiped out to feel like writing. So, I'm sorry about that. I do my best to answer everybody's questions though of course! 
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May 23, 2012 07:49
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Clanpot Shake posted:This site says minimum temperature 60F, hardiness zone 10 or higher for outdoor. I'm in 7, and it can get down below zero here, and maybe down to 60 indoors (old building). Are you double sure that one will work? Also, it's not clear what that site is selling for $10 (that particular plant, one like it, with/without pot?) Does this species change with the seasons as the maple does? The Begonia would be fine for indoors during the winter and would be okay outdoors or indoors with the 2-3 hours of sunlight during the warmer months when there's no chance of frost. They key thing is just to keep it hydrated in the summer (water it at least every other day if it's outside, once a week if indoors). I'm not sure if the plant comes with a pot either, but I'd wager a guess that it probably does. If not, you can keep it growing in the pot it came in and just train it as a bonsai until you get an actual bonsai pot. It'll also be one that looks like the one in the picture, not the actual one in the photo. A juniper is actually a sun lover, and wouldn't do too well with what you have. One of those guys that needs minimum 5 to 6 hours of sun a day.  And no! Don't make me do work...  (Actually that's a pretty good idea. I'll update that when I have the chance as I'm off to work in like, 2 minutes.)
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May 23, 2012 15:28
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@GabrielAisling: If it's a maple sapling, cuttings probably aren't the way to go, sadly. However, you can still get yourself something from it to grow a tree from. Maybe not now, but soon the maple may begin to put out seeds. Wait until the mid to late fall, when the seeds begin to drop off the tree to collect them. Grab as many as you want. Won't matter then whether or not they're on the ground or still attached to the tree; the tree itself has full intention to drop them all. Put them in a plastic bag and pop them in your fridge (NOT freezer) and wait until the last few weeks of winter. Take them out then, put them into water that's been heated in a microwave (warmer water, but not boiling) for about 3 to 5 minutes. That will help to break open the seed coat and signal the seeds to start growing. Then plant them in a seedling tray by either scattering them all over the top of the soil and slightly burying them, or by making a small hole for each one and planting them individually with just a little bit of soil to cover them. (Try both to see what works best.) As for bonsai traveling, it depends on a number of factors. Number one is the weather. A mild temperature (5 to 7 degrees or so) change won't really bother the plants, but something like a sudden 10 to 15 degree change might. Also think about what their sun exposure might be, as even if it's only a slight temp change they might get fried if they're not used to being in the sun all day. Another factor is the plant itself. Things like junipers or olives are hardy and tend to not generally give a drat, but something like an oak or maple might get a little bit wonky from a sudden change. If you're moving them in the summer, try and compensate for the sun exposure and temp change somehow by moving them under a patio for half shade for the first few days to first week or so. If moving them in the winter, research how much cold a plant can take. Even if they are deciduous and therefor in hibernation for the winter, their roots can still frost or freeze over if the winter is colder for them than when they're in their usual zone. @The Door Frame: I have to admit my lack of knowledge with this question. I myself have not done any flowering bonsai. At the very most I have a Satsuke Azalea (super traditional flowering bonsai plant from Japan) that I'm struggling to keep alive. My girlfriend however does have both a normal Flowering Quince and a Contorted Flowering Quince, and they've done pretty well with half-sun half-shade for the past 6 months or so. Wisteria are also possible and fairly hardy, but seem to be unpredictable with their flowering. They may not have any flowers for a few years at a time, other times they'll flower like the apocalypse is right around the corner. The key thing with any flowering bonsai though is that as opposed to growing the foliage for show, you're trying to achieve the best shape to show off the flowers for whenever they bloom.Junipers are really nice though. It's what I started out with, and having no knowledge of plants before I got it, I managed to both keep it alive and grow it how I've wanted. The good thing about them (aside from being hard to kill) is that they can be shaped into just about any style. Japanese Maples though have a really refined look to them, so that's always worth looking into as well, even if they aren't as easy to take care of as something like a juniper or olive.
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May 27, 2012 03:57
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Getting Started: Bonsai Tools and You So, you’re thinking of investing in some tools. Fantastic! This means that you’re probably getting serious about bonsai. There are a few things you’ll need to consider when you purchase them, however. For example, any idea of how much you’re willing to fork over for them? What tools that you’re going to need? What if you’re on a budget and want to buy only certain ones for the time being? What you might need them for in the first place? Well, let’s take a look. Shopping for Bonsai Tools 101 The first thing most people think of when they hear the word ‘bonsai’ and ‘tools’ in the same sentence is something like this…  Ah, yes. Just look at all those results. Scissors of so many shapes and sizes, big pruning devices, and generally lots of shiny sharp things and complicated devices. Surely tool sets full of so much stuff must contain quite a few good quality tools, right?  …Right? This, my friends, is exactly the kind of thing you’re going to want to avoid. Tool sets like these usually range in the $50 to $200 range, and are a complete waste of metal and more importantly, your money. Typically manufactured in China, these tools are of poor quality and have a superfluous amount of tools. Honestly, unless you’re working with some very specially sized and/or styles of bonsai, you’ll never really need more than 1 of each kind of instrument. Oh. Well in that case, what should I be looking for then? If you’re buying them online, for the love of Naka make sure you’re buying Japanese made ones. Do some research into the brand and website you’re buying from if you’re not 100% sure about what you may be purchasing. Google search can show reviews from online bonsai forums concerning tool reviews as well. Why purchase Japanese made ones? They’re a bit pricy… Japanese manufactured tools are usually made by hand, with special attention paid to the overall quality of the tool. Even the cheaper Japanese tools have especially sharp blades if they’re a cutting tool and will last you around a decade or more if properly used and maintained. Chinese ones on the other hand, are cheaper because they’re mass manufactured with little attention paid to quality and functionality. They lack the finesse and are really many a grade below Japanese made tools. I will warn those interested that bonsai can be an expensive hobby once you begin to buy tools. However, you have to look at such costs as investments in the long run. If you have good tools the quality of your work really will increase, and you won’t have the frustration of damage to your trees due to cheap tools to worry about. So what should you buy? Well, I think it’s best to start out with what you will need first in the long run. Essential Purchases
These are the tools that are essential to standard bonsai work. And while it may seem like quite a bit to pick up, you will most likely never end up regretting a purchase if you shop around for good tools.
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Jun 3, 2012 06:18
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Authentic You posted:Hey guys, I've been wanting to get into bonsai for a while now. My boyfriend and I went to a local bonsai show the other day, so now I'm all fired up about it. I've read this thread and poked around online a bit, but I'm a complete and utter noob. Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with Silver and Sugar Maples. However, I do have some general advice and good news for you. Transplanting them now would probably shock them and kill them. I would say that as with most deciduous trees, wait until Autumn to transplant them into a container. Both seedlings and the year-old saplings will be fine to work with. The 18 inch ones will be a little tall, but you can always cut them down bit by bit as time goes on. Doing so will encourage them to backbud and put out shoots lower on the tree; I would advise doing this in the spring right before the tree comes out of dormancy in order to have it be ready to recover from such a large cut (maybe take it down from 18 to 12 - 10 inches) right away. Also do your best to keep all the roots intact when you dig them up as well. As for the Linden tree, I have no idea at all. Sorry. The Rosemary is also an acceptable candidate for a bonsai so long as it has some semblance of aesthetic appeal. If you could upload a pic or two of it, that'd be great to see what's going on with it and where it can go.
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Jun 9, 2012 08:16
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Sorry about a long reply time. I went on a family trip for a week and came back to no electricity in the house AND no internet...  But everything is fixed, so hooray!  @Authentic You: I don't know anything about Mountain Mahogany, but California Juniper and Manzanita are suitable choices for bonsai. @The Snoo: That's a pretty cool one. Can't tell exactly what it is, but if it's indoors all the time (guessing it is because the pics of it are indoors) it may be a verigated Serissa. @Sandwich Fight: I would say to let them grow for the time being. Resist the temptation to trim them, as when you do so you'll be weakening the little guys. (Remember as with any first year seedlings, your goal right now is to keep them alive first and foremost.) I'd say to wait just before spring of next year to transplant them into larger containers. Then you can start trimming and working on them, as they'll be bigger and healthier when they leaf out.
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Jun 26, 2012 01:12
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Indeed! Ginkgos are pretty much a living fossil. They're found in the fossil record around 270 million years ago, and have no close relatives with today's trees. In the bonsai world, they were pretty popular specimens until around the 1970's when they saturated the bonsai market completely and fell out of popular eye. They've come back into style over the past decade from what I understand though. They do grow extremely slow though... Glad to hear that they're making a comeback though, nobody-! Just keep at it and I'm sure you'll have yourself a nice little tree or two a few years down the road.
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Jun 28, 2012 19:34
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Indeed! Their roots are also extremely bizarre, as they don't have root hairs. They simply grow larger extensions of their roots, leading them to grow ones that look like a Mandrake as time goes on. Which makes repotting a Ginkgo one of the more fun/strange things to do. 
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Jun 30, 2012 15:07
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Things like that can be very informative, but also can be very intimidating to newcomers. It's all dependent on the crowd that attends though. For example, I'm a member of three bonsai clubs at the moment. Something interesting I've noted is that one of them is extremely laid back and welcomes newcomers at all turns, and another is pretty snobby with a lot of members who are all old white guys with a good-old-boys mentality to who they're warm with. So if you're going to join a club right away, be prepared for the possibility of meeting few jerks. From what I've seen, a number lot of people (no matter the hobby) forget where they came from; that they once started out knowing nothing about bonsai. That's the reason why I started this thread. Bonsai is a very daunting art form, and if you don't know where to begin it's that much scarier... But if people can see that it isn't about instantly having a masterpiece tree and knowing that everyone begins with questions, it makes it that much more accessible. Anyway, maybe look into getting some sort of indoor bonsai like a Ficus. Easy to grow, will tolerate low sunlight being an indoor plant and all, and so long as your residence maintains a pretty decent temperature all year round (think anywhere from 70 - 85 indoor temp range throughout the year) it'll grow just fine.
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Jul 4, 2012 05:33
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Fantastic tree! My teacher has a Ficus Nerifolia, and it looks good as a larger bonsai with its large leaves. To answer some of your questions, that pot size sounds A-OK. Just make sure you don't damage the roots of the tree when you remove it from the pot. I imagine the glue might make it a bit of a pain in the rear, but I'm sure you'll manage. As for using diatomaceous earth, you bring up a little more of an advanced point. Theoretically, you'll want to use some form of diatomaceous earth in your bonsai soil mix. I'm lucky enough where I get what's called Akadama from my local bonsai club, along with crushed up lava rock. I mix them together with some basic soil amendment compound to create a mix of diatomaceous Akadama, porous lava rock to offset the decomposition of the Akadama which could potentially inhibit drainage, and amend to provide an organic compound that introduces nutrients into the soil that naturally compose over time. All of this is measured out as 1/3rd each for my bonsai soil. In terms of using cat litter (called Kittydama by those who use it), you're right about it being hit and miss. If you're going to try some, be VERY careful that you are buying diatomaceous earth with NO additives in it. Some people do indeed have luck with so called Kittydama, but from what I've heard from the people in my area, it should generally be avoided to do the risk of unlisted additives in it.  I'd say to search around online though. While a bonsai soil mix can be a little pricy ($10 to $20 for a 1 pound bag) it's not too bad of an investment if you have only one tree to repot. For fertilizer, 20-20-20 is going to be a bit too strong for a ficus, or most bonsai in general. Go for something with a much lower NPK rating, and something that isn't chemical but organic instead. The reason for this is that while large plants can take a fair amount of chemical build-up with repeated chemical fertilization, bonsai will accumulate such build-ups much faster and you could risk damaging the root system of the plant. If you go organic for bonsai, you'll be giving them an organic compound designed to completely be absorbed/decayed/washed out over time. What I use is a 5-1-5 'Herb Food' %100 organic fertilizer made by Grow More that I purchased at OSH for like, 5 bucks or so. I only fertilize once a month, but as I have a lot of plants to feed the 1 LB container of fertilizer lasts me about 4 months. But if you just have one or a few plants it could easily last a year or more. And as for styling, it has a nice formal upright shape to it, or it could also be a broom style with those nice full branches up top. I'll be posting a guide on traditional bonsai styles soon too (next few days probably), so stick around if you're interested! 
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Jul 10, 2012 08:47
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Ikebana are pretty cool as they traditionally go with bonsai displays as "accent plants". Wouldn't mind seeing some pics as well. Also, ginkgo plants do lend themselves to cuttings. However they should be taken in early spring and need about 6 months to a year to fully root as they are incredibly slow growers.
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Jul 18, 2012 16:12
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Finally got off my lazy rear and put together something on bonsai styles. It'll be kind of short to read (although it wasn't exactly short to make), but should be pretty useful. I'll be posting it later tomorrow. Sorry for the delay as usual.
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Jul 28, 2012 07:41
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Getting Started: Bonsai Styles Bonsai is an art form, perfected through the ages by the Chinese and Japanese. Over hundreds of years, bonsai masters have derived true styles by looking to nature for inspiration. Here are a number of various bonsai styles and their explanations, with silhouettes (scanned from the book Bonsai: The Complete Guide to Art and Technique by Paul Lesniewicz.) Individual Tree Styles      Trees with Several Trunks and Group Plantings    Styles that may be Planted Singly or in Groups     All of these styles are achieved from various pruning and wiring techniques. The main thing to keep in mind is that none of these styles will be achieved overnight. All of them will take years, potentially a decade or more to achieve ‘perfection’. There are also a few more styles than the ones listed here, but these are the primary styles that you see bonsai portrayed as in most photographs and paintings. There is also no true order of ‘difficulty’, although the windswept and rock grown styles can be notably harder to achieve than the others due the effort and time you have to put in. The key thing however is to look for one of the styles being a potential style for your tree. It’s going to be pretty hard and time consuming to modify a plant that may naturally cascade into something like a formal upright style for instance. So if your tree already resembles one of the above styles, just stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic specimen of a bonsai.
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Jul 30, 2012 00:41
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Pretty much. The only upside to still having the smaller shoots and not wanting a multi-trunk style tree is that they will help the tree grow and 'bulk up' faster while also aiding in the recovery from any pruning you do. Ficus are very resilient, so there probably won't be much harm in chopping them off in one go. If you're a little cautious about it though you can chop a couple off at a time in the span of two weeks; it will help keep from shocking the tree that way.
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Aug 1, 2012 19:48
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The first thing you'll have to do is to put it in a larger container. Around double or even triple the size of the one that it's currently in. Don't worry about getting a fancy bonsai pot yet as you're just trying to get it to bulk up all around. Next would be to fertilize it (a lower N.P.K. rating would be best) and let it grow from there. As the plant grows and develops more leaves, selectively prune the leaves in order to help develop fine twigs and branches, along with strengthening the existing parts of the tree. (Doing this when the tree is well established with nice full foliage will force to tree to send nutrients elsewhere when you prune, thus aiding the process of growing faster so long as you don't clip off too much.) Ficus grow pretty fast, especially when they're allowed to grow freely without pruning. It'll take a few years, but eventually your tree will get bigger and be ready to become a true bonsai.
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Aug 6, 2012 22:08
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Nah. If you're just growing it to be a bonsai and not actually doing it as a full-fledged bonsai, potting soil is going to be better for the growth and the health of the tree.
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Aug 9, 2012 06:37
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So, since fall is coming up I thought that I would put up a little guide on gathering cuttings. Hopefully it will answer a lot of questions people might have about collecting and growing them! Collecting and Growing Bonsai from Cuttings Cuttings are a fantastic way of acquiring new bonsai material. However, it is a tad bit of an art that can also require a small amount of luck. That being said, it’s always worth a shot as it will probably cost you a fairly small amount of money and effort. When should I collect cuttings? There are generally 3 times during the year that you should collect plant cuttings. The first would be in the Spring before the new buds on deciduous trees begin to open; the second time is the rainy season in very late spring/very early summer when the young shoots are turgid (swollen and distended) and becoming woody. The final time of year would be during the fall. Evergreen cuttings also should be collected during these times of the year as well. Awesome! Any plants in particular that might be good to take cuttings from? Any that aren’t? Good question. Off the top of my head, ones that do well when grown from cuttings would be Chinese Elm, Junipers, Ficus, Olives, and Fibrous Begonia. Japanese and Trident Maples can be done from cuttings, but you’ll probably have better luck with growing those from seed or purchasing them as pre-bonsai’d plants. However, most pines and firs will do very poorly when taken as cuttings. And although it is possible to grow them from cuttings, you’ll probably have better luck training a cat to do tricks than you will in getting the cuttings to grow. Alright. So what should I take into account when I gather cuttings? First of all, make sure that the parent tree is healthy enough to gather cuttings from. This isn’t so much a problem when collecting from large, full grown trees. However, many bonsai enthusiasts prefer to collect from smaller trees. Not necessarily bonsai sized ones, but smaller ones. In this sort of instance, the parent tree should be given extra fertilizer and potentially pesticides in order to give any cuttings a better chance for survival. Try and use apical or strong, long branches for your cutting material as they have a higher chance of survival. You will also have to have some sort of cutting bed ready for when you collect and plant the cuttings, as this should all be done in one sitting. A small container (think 4 to 6 inches high) that allows for easy drainage of water is ideal. An ideal soil mixture for your cutting bed will also be a mixture of 80% clay and 20% sand. This will allow for some water retention with less danger of drowning your cuttings. Also, make sure you have a rooting hormone/root catalyst handy. You can buy these at your local gardening shop, most likely in a powdered form. However if you want the really good stuff (Dyna-Gro Root Gel for instance) you may have to pay a bit more for it. Note that there is nothing wrong with buying the powdered form; the gel is worth it though if you feel very adamant about collecting from cuttings. So I’ve found a good tree to collect from. Any sort of fancy way that I should go about clipping off and prepping the cuttings to be rooted? Make sure that when you collect cuttings you are of course using a sharp pair of scissors or a knife. The ideal size for a cutting is about 1 in. to 2 in. of dominant shoots or 4 in. of the roots. The cutting may be a split-slanted cut, split cut, opposite cut, slanted cut, or straight cut. (See diagram directly below)  Once you’ve collected your cuttings, soak the lower end of the cutting in a diluted solution of your rooting hormone/root catalyst for 20 to 30 minutes in order for the cutting to absorb sufficient moisture. Then use a sharp knife to trim the cuts so that a smooth root base can be formed. Lastly, retain only 2 or 3 leaves on the cutting and prune the rest off. This will balance out the amount of nutrients your cutting has to supply to the leaves and will boost the chances of survival. When planting the cuttings, make sure that at the very least you plant them so that although their leaves might touch, they do not overlap. One-third to one-half of the cutting should be buried in the soil. If you desire, you can also plant them in a way to get them started as bonsai. (Plant it at a slanted angle if you want it to be a cascade or informal upright, ect. or upright for upright styles, of course.) Finally, water the cuttings with the same kind of diluted root hormone/root catalyst you used to soak them in. After that, water them two or even 3 times a day with normal water and fertilize them lightly. And of course, all cuttings need to be protected from direct sunlight and strong winds as well. Whew! That was a lot of work. So how long before these things sprout roots out? This is the part where luck comes in. It depends entirely upon the kind of tree you took the cutting from, the current season, how well they respond to their environment, and how well you care for them. For example, Junipers are very good at rooting…but it can sometimes take a year for them to. It’s all just a waiting game at this point, so all I have to say is good luck and hopefully you’ll get some roots sprouting a few months down the line! 
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Sep 1, 2012 08:15
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Yes and yes. Japanese Maples and Chinese Elms really begin to slow down during this time of year. You may even see some leaves on those guys beginning to turn their Fall colors. The Trident Maple will do the same as we get into further Fall, but whenever deciduous bonsai lose their leaves it makes for a good chance to really see the growth of the tree. So even if you can't work on it during the Fall and Winter, you can get a good idea of what you want to do with it when it buds out again.
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Sep 5, 2012 22:12
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Interesting background story for Greg there. A juniper though? That's like claiming a Palm Tree is a Douglas Fir or somethin'. No worries however, as Umbrella Plants (Schefflera) are neat little trees. As far as aesthetics go, he's a good looking plant. Glad that you're fertilizing him, and the stuff you're using is A-OK. Watering sounds good as well; if anything the fact that Greg has put out new roots is a good sign that you're doing well by him. Now for the tougher answer; how would you go about shaping Greg? Well, the good news is that Schefflera is that they grow well, fast, and are pretty resilient to pruning. My teacher has a forest planting of these guys, chopped off 95% of their 'umbrella' leaf parts, and 2 weeks later they were growing back as if nothing had happened. (That being said, it was in a temperature controlled greenhouse, a.k.a. optimum conditions, but you get the picture) What this means for you is that you shouldn't be afraid to approach it with a pair of scissors. Now then, GISing for 'Schefflera Bonsai' will yield a good amount of results for what your tree might have the potential to look like. But, if you want my opinion, I would say to cut down the right portion of the tree so that it's on par with the height of the left side. Here's a picture for reference.  This isn't too major of a cut, and it will encourage growth on the lower sections, which will in turn help the skinny trunk to bulk up. The primary reason for making this cut though would be that it will develop a canopy with fine branches as time goes on. Personally speaking, I think it has the potential to be something along the lines of a broom style bonsai. That's just one person's opinion though. So don't be afraid to experiment with making it something else, as I tend to lean towards making 'safe' decisions about tree styles.
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Sep 19, 2012 04:38
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The cuts on the diagram I posted are more for dealing with collecting cuttings than anything else. However, I would say to cut the part you won't be wanting off at right above the node or branch that you do want to keep. Here's an MSPaint example I did. The black is what will be cut off, the red is the cut itself, and the green is what you'll be keeping. Hope this helps a little bit. (I'm terrible at art and it's hard giving bonsai directions with diagrams sometimes.)
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Sep 20, 2012 04:42
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Aye, that Ficus done by your friend and that Trident Maple are really something else. (The Jurassic Park bit also really got me.) Well done work on that Juniper as well. I wouldn't say it's non-traditional even; it's actually very much in tune with the more stylized Chinese version of bonsai. Those ikebana are also quite fantastic as well. It always surprises me to see the different styles of ornamental horticulture that have come out of Japan. They really seem to have gotten the beauty and elegance factors down.
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Sep 28, 2012 06:19
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Pinching the leaves should be fine. The plant looks pretty healthy and it'll just encourage it to fill out more up top. If anything it's already in the shape of a literati style, so you could always prune it with that in mind too. Probably the best way to develop the roots would be to just cover the base of the plant with more dirt rather than moss, as the moss won't be able to keep the trunk moist and closed off from air as much as soil would. And you CAN get it to develop roots from the canopy (aerial roots would be the technical term) but it's hard to accomplish if it isn't in an ideal, humid and warm environment at all times.
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Oct 2, 2012 00:41
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Yeah, they're one of the more popular and pristine examples of a 'scale' Juniper. They're referred to that as they don't develop needles over time but instead have a very soft form due to their scales. If you can get one for a decent enough price, I say go for it. They're quite nice to work with and only slightly more temperamental, if temperamental at all in comparison to a needle Juniper.
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Oct 3, 2012 01:33
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The Door Frame posted:Well, I got it from a local Home Depot, so I have no idea where it came from originally. Does that really matter? Not particularly, unless for some reason it migrated from one extreme climate to the next in a matter of just a few days. Usually most home and garden stores get Junipers in stock during the Spring and Summer, so I would imagine it's been hanging out in your neck of the woods long enough to have gotten adjusted.
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Oct 5, 2012 02:24
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I just put my Ficus up where my cat can't get it. But then again he's never shown any desire to munch on it, so I dunno if that's really very good advice...
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Oct 10, 2012 08:14
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I just gather whatever moss is growing on the ground and use that. Saw some fancy Japanese mosses at a bonsai show for sale earlier this year. As for indoor bonsai, I don't use anything. 
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Oct 13, 2012 01:10
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FloorCheese posted:After being inspired by this thread, I went to an amazing local bonsai nursery (Bonsai West in Littleton, MA!) and got myself a lovely ficus and a natal plum. When I bought both, the staff told me that the ficus would be easy but the plum would be a little more finicky. This sort of thing will usually happen when a tree from a greenhouse is brought into a house or apartment. Sometimes as much as 60% of the leaves will fall off as the ficus adjusts. The fact that you're getting new growth and fruit on it though is a good sign, as plants will usually not produce new growth and fruit if they're in a dying state. I would suggest to maybe pinch/snip off the fruit in order to redirect nutrients away from producing fruit and back into the leaves of the tree and the tree itself. Also, like Crocoduck said, what kind of soil is it in? That can be all the difference in the world in terms of how often you need to water it.
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Oct 16, 2012 19:21
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If anything, be happy jerkstore! If they haven't lost their leaves it means they're still growing. Around these parts where I live, the Japanese and Trident Maples don't start turning red until late October to mid-November. It's really dependent on when your cooler temperatures begin to stabilize.
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Oct 16, 2012 22:29
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Hey guys, been away for a bit due to broken laptopitis. @Crocoduck: I like the first picture of the Triden Maple more. Even with the large knot/scar being on the front, the tree has more taper. My opinion is that should be your display angle. @FloorCheese & RizieN: Evergreens like Ficus don't have a true dormant cycle in which they loose leaves; they will simply not grow as vigorously or as fast as they would during warmer seasons. Deciduous trees like a Chinese Elm or Japanese Maple should not be brought indoors during the winter, the exception being to put them in a protected area (garage or a shed being good examples) if you are in an area where snow falls. Bringing them inside your house or apartment during the winter will expose them to all sorts of problems, such as warm circulating air that may cause disease and confuse their dormancy cycle.
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Nov 11, 2012 01:50
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Dawn Redwoods can make pretty cool bonsai. The only Catch-22 with them is that they like to be big trees, so a concession you'll have to make is that you'll have a big bonsai of one. They are pretty hardy though otherwise. Ivy can make for some really nice bonsai. Even if it isn't a rare cultivar, it could still make for something good. Grab some cuttings and experiment!  After all, the worst that can happen is you unintentionally off a free plant.
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Nov 15, 2012 23:48
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They're very good examples of the Shohin (bonsai under 9 inches) and Mame (bonsai under 4 inches) bonsai styles. The downside to letting those fruit is that it drains the strength of the tree immensely. As in it probably has at a 50% chance of killing them. But the people who grew those probably know what they're doing, so I'm sure those ones are fine.
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Nov 18, 2012 08:57
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