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russianolivebonsai

A Few Qustions

russianolivebonsai
16 years ago

Does anybody have an idea where I can buy mame/shohin pots in bulk, I plan on selling bonsai at farmers market, and does anybody have some good suggestions on bonsais I could grow in Idaho (zone 4)

Comments (8)

  • russianolivebonsai
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I actually don't need them in bulk just a place that has them

  • lucy
    16 years ago

    Hi, I'm curious about why you need a place that sells in bulk if you're not going to be buying in bulk (I'm nosy :-), and if you're planning on selling bonsai (anywhere), why you need to ask about which bonsai to grow (anywhere), as it seems to be a very basic thing, not something you should have to ask about if you're prepared to go into the business (long enough to care for trees prior to selling them). Are you an experienced grower, or is it just that the idea of selling appeals to you? A business dealing in living things can be very difficult as they will need to be maintained properly along the way, and unless you have the right place and knowledge about how to do it, you won't be in business very long - even at a farmers' market. Most people who sell bonsai 'on the side' either do have lots of experience and some business sense, or else connections to wholesalers who supply them with 'mallsai', bought in bulk (I know you asked about pots vs trees) from China, etc., but going it on your own (do you have a stock of 'starters'?) even part time will be hard otherwise without the right set-up. I suppose you could find pots somewhere if you Google them, or anything else you're looking for - try www.bonsaimonk.com.

  • russianolivebonsai
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Yeah, I worded that really stupid, I know allot of trees that can be grown in Idaho, such as dawn redwood, various pines, spruce big time, junipers, I was wanting some suggestions on different trees other people think make good cold climate bonsai. The whole pot thing, I sell produce at different city markets, and I thought I could sell some "yard bonsai" different trees that grow naturally in my yard. My yard has a large juniper forest, and many other trees grow there as well. I just thought it would be fun to to do, didn't mean to do a crime or offend, so sorry.

  • lucy
    16 years ago

    Oh gosh, no offense at all - more like confusion! Are you used to digging trees from your yard and potting them? I only ask because a lot of people don't know it's not as easy as it sounds, and don't always know what to do with the trees once they've been dug. If you do, great, if not, say so and we'd be glad to help you... it's only that if it's not done right, most of such dug stock don't make it past a few weeks.

  • jmcat
    16 years ago

    If you're doing mame, would you want to have the tree planted out in your yard at all? Since you wouldn't be needing much of any trunk thickening, it seems to me that you could probably just plant the trees in a big pot for a year or two, unless this is just a way to get rid of some of the undergrowth in your yard. I am not an expert on bonsai, but this is a question that comes to mind.
    -Jmcat

  • russianolivebonsai
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Well first I dig up young trees because the seeds drift into inconvenient places. They are in nursery plastic pots but after the shaping takes place they are placed in small pots, I have some ready and need pots. I actually am fairly used digging up seedlings. I dig the actual tree up (around the roots) sometimes cutting the taproot. I then put the sapling in a nice moist medium such as a sphagnum moss and vermiculite,with some of the trees soil it was in. I keep the water to it. In my opinion a strong root structure is the most important concept in starting a young tree. In 1-3 years later I trim the root ball to a desired length trim the branches to a starting shape and put them in a bonsai pot, and there good to go. This method seems to work great for me

  • lucy
    16 years ago

    Well, you obviously do know what you're doing... and I hope you can find the pots you need.

  • russianolivebonsai
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks, so what types of trees do you have?

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