Thread: looking for bonsai

As to tools, I didn't need any. If you keep them long enough to where they need maintenance, garden pruner/sheers works fine. Most of that stuff is for traditional style full repotting where you trim root ball back and hard core training/pruning. If you do this for a few years you might get a couple specialized tools.

I did get their potting soil to match what was in the pot originally. Every two to three years I repot the palm. A bunch of them will require daily looking after whether indoor or outdoor. Too much sun, toast, not enough sun, toast, not enough water, toast, too much water toast... Go away for weekend... toast. So be prepared to babysit them.

Originally Posted by jmercer

Too much sun, toast, not enough sun, toast, not enough water, toast, too much water toast... Go away for weekend... toast. So be prepared to babysit them.

I was going to say it can be an incredibly frustrating hobby. Do everything right for 5 years and for no apparent reason, toast...

Originally Posted by Grazor

I was going to say it can be an incredibly frustrating hobby. Do everything right for 5 years and for no apparent reason, toast...

Organic seems to be the consent is over chemical fertilizers, if that helps anyone, just orders s 6" juniper
I read if I put a tile under the roots it will encourage that great trunk taper Does that soung logical to anyone else?

Damn , now I need a trolley to take with me everywhere

Originally Posted by jmercer

As to tools, I didn't need any. If you keep them long enough to where they need maintenance, garden pruner/sheers works fine. Most of that stuff is for traditional style full repotting where you trim root ball back and hard core training/pruning. If you do this for a few years you might get a couple specialized tools.

I did get their potting soil to match what was in the pot originally. Every two to three years I repot the palm. A bunch of them will require daily looking after whether indoor or outdoor. Too much sun, toast, not enough sun, toast, not enough water, toast, too much water toast... Go away for weekend... toast. So be prepared to babysit them.

I have a lingering interest in bonsais. All the points you mentioned have been reasons for me not to get involved in bonsai fancying.

Originally Posted by Kees

I have a lingering interest in bonsais. All the points you mentioned have been reasons for me not to get involved in bonsai fancying.

Its not that many pots unless you are always looking to put it in a perfect size pot every time you re pot while in training

Ahh young kees. You must train bonsai to stand strong like you train razor to hold edge :-)

I would hate myself if I ever killed a $3K+ bonsai. Imagine: you're on holiday, lying belly up on the beach, sipping a nice and cool cocktail and you keep worrying whether your neighbour is doing the the right things with your precious bonsai. Holiday spoiled.

Originally Posted by Kees

I would hate myself if I ever killed a $3K+ bonsai. Imagine: you're on holiday, lying belly up on the beach, sipping a nice and cool cocktail and you keep worrying whether your neighbour is doing the the right things with your precious bonsai. Holiday spoiled.

The neighbir may be belly up after you check on your precious roited child. In my searching , it appears that 3-5 years your in the hundreds after that you're in to thousands of dollars

Once you decide a tree will be a bonsai, it should go into a bonsai pot to begain training the roots and trunk.

Here's pic of my two year (I've had it 2yrs) old Sago palm. By watering from the top (why I got the tray) and not soaking pot in sink I found out the palms can have a dry spot underneath where the roots die and branches croak. It's holding up now. I have new growth shoot starting I will snip soon. Below the palm is a rosemary I killed by under watering and boom it was gone. We got one nice little trimming off it for cooking before I parched it. Still looked kinda cool so we kept it. har.