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Thu, Mar 15, 07 at 9:03
| For the past month or so, i have had the urge to grow things. I am starting an container garden for edible things and am just generally interested in bonsai. I have had 2 bonsai previously but my cat seemed to think they were for digging and managed to uproot and kill them for me. now that the cat is gone, its something i am looking into again.
I have read that if you don't have to grow bonsai from seed, don't do it but around here there isn't anything but the juniper looking ones available. I have seen a beautiful bonsai from wisteria which immediately had me looking at the one choking the tree in my front yard. I like the weepy look of the wisteria which got me to thinking, are there any of the weeping type trees suitable for bonsai? Also, i have a rosemary bush and would like to take a clipping from it and see what i can turn it into. any advice on how to make that work? or should i just go buy a rosemary and start from there. Will lavender work as a bonsai? What type of plants would you recommend a beginner to work with? And if i were to be masochistic enough to start from seed, are there any types that are generally more viable than others? I am also interested in quality plants and seeds which would have to be purchased online. I dont' want old established plants but ones that are relatively new that i can work with rather than just maintain. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! |
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| The best start is usually with something relatively 'native' to your environment and local nurseries are where to look for those, as you'll at least not have to worry much about wintering trees beyond a little protection. Rosemary are great if they'll grow there year round - just be careful about watering too often, or at least be sure the soil mix is fast draining (lots of grit), which generally applies to almost any bonsai, except maybe azaleas, which always need lots of water. You can also buy tropical house plants anywhere and turn them into bonsai, but consider if you can supply the heat, humidity and (usually) extra lighting they need indoors (except in summer when they should go out). Your climate's great as it will let you grow almost anything. You can bonsai wisteria for weeping, or willows, whatever suits you within the general parameters of bonsai candidates, which are usually things that at have relatively small leaves (though they can eventually be reduced over time, some better than others - but fruit will never 'shrink', so use either small types like crabapple, cherry, etc, or be prepared to regularly cut them off before they get large). You also want to look for things (and you may have to politely dig a bit to see them) whose roots at least have a semblance of being radial, rather than all being in one big knot to one side (though the odd one like that can eventually be interesting, but you'd need to read up on advanced techniques to make it work), and most important, having a little 'movement' in the trunks - unless you want a tree to grow in the 'formal upright' style, the trunk shouldn't grow straight up and down, but have at least 1 or 2 curves, jogs, etc., though not ones made by grafts, which rarely look good and are only ever 'accepted' if low and inconspicuous. Taper's important, but can be designed in, however trees with too many higher 'bar' branches (two coming off the trunk opposite each other, or more than one per height level) can create lumps and reverse taper unless you know you can prune and carve to get rid of them over time. Most bonsai are created by chopping trees of 5+ (many +'s depending) years right down to either lowest existing branches or below (but you need to know which will 'back bud' below as not all do) and growing new smaller ones with more twigginess (ramification) over a few years, and it may be done a few times, all of which increases taper and the look of an older tree's proportions of a fattish trunk with small foliage. But there is SO much more to it, so many techniques, and you're not going to learn properly from a few online tips, so do try to find a local club to join and see how things are done, do read lots of books, and definitely start here:- www.evergreengardenworks.com/articles, www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural/html (for indoor trees), www.bonsai4me, and get a sense of what it's all about - those sites are surprisingly comprehensive! If you have access to the Sunset Books (those big mags at home centers) there's a good basic one on bonsai too. |
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- Posted by tragikmuse (My Page) on Fri, Mar 16, 07 at 9:39
| Thanks for the fast reply. I have been to a few places online and haven't as of yet found any type of bonsai club. The place I live is relatively small so i'm thinking I may not be able to find one although I do beleive that would probably be the best place to start given the benefit of having people who are experienced and being able to see first hand some of the things that up til now I have only been able to read about. I was toying with the idea of starting from seed because that would be easier for me money wise and would give me time to find some contacts that wouldn't mind offering me the benefit of thier trials. You mentioned that my climate woudl let me grow almost anything but didn't make any mention of plants that I might start out with. Any particular suggestions that woudl be good for a beginner? Perhaps something that can be worked with sonner than the 5 years you mentioned. Rosemary grows great here if left alone outside. I started with a twig about 5-6 years ago and since it has developed into a 7ft in diameter monster that ate my herb garden lol. Ah well, it was so cute and small when I got it, i chalk that up to my own ignorance =) also any idea if lavender woudl do for a bonsai? My mother had gotten me one a few years back and it stayed relatively small as i never repotted it. It grows similar to rosemary it seems as far as the leaves and branching so I was curious. Thanks again for the info! |
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| Hi - check out the clubs listed here (all I did was advance google bonsai club NC). They're real clubs, that you attend in person (ya, I know, unheard of these days :-). As well, they'll have a much better idea of what's good to grow there and what's for sale than I would up here. Rosemary's a PITA to grow sometimes, water issues and all that, so it wouldn't be my first choice, but feel free... NORTH CAROLINA - Asheville NORTH CAROLINA - Charlotte NORTH CAROLINA - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill NORTH CAROLINA - Winston-Salem |
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