Bonsai trees

#1 08-01-2014, 10:56 PM

So anyone here have any bonsai trees? I took horticulture in college and picked up many trees.

All the art consists of is taking a tree genus and growing it small, in a pot. Trimming and shaping the tree to be small and imitating the larger trees. Very beautiful art it is. They make little forests too, they call the satsuki.

if you google bonsai trees you will find thousands of pics. The older the tree the more sacred.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=bonsa...=998&bi h=565

#2 26-02-2014, 06:00 PM

I do not own one, but I really to admire them. They are so beautiful and delicate looking. I've always loved the red maple trees and so many of the bonsai trees have the most beautiful, tiny, almost feather like leaves. I bet it is a joy to work with them.

Visitor · #3 21-04-2014, 01:34 PM

Hello Somnium.

Yes, I have a twenty four year old bonsai Elm tree.

I started with several tree seedlings from our State Forestry Nursery. Of the ones I bought, I kept only one, the Elm tree.

I bought the seedlings in Spring. At the end of Winter I started to prune the branches, roots, and re-pot them. It was then I discovered why the Elm tree was not growing as fast as the other seedlings. Its taproot was in a knot.

As you may know. The taproot of a bonsai is usually pruned, together with the other roots. But my Elm's taproot does not need to be pruned. It is already a bonsai because of the knot.

I have never used wires, or any other thing to shape it. I just prune its branches every year, after winter, as soon as the first bud comes out. And I trim the other roots and re-pot it.

It is nothing extraordinary to look at. I love my bonsai, and we are old friends.
As you know, the bonsai is a tree, and they need lots of sunlight. I live in a flat, so my bonsai is left out on the veranda exposed to people passing by.
It has been stolen twice, and within two days, I was able to get it back from the thieves. In both cases, a neighbor had seen someone they knew, on my veranda, of time of theft.

Twenty four years ago, a man said to me, 'to learn how to take care of yourself, first learn to take care of a garden.' I had no room for a garden, so my bonsai is my garden.

Tealight · #4 07-05-2014, 06:09 AM

I love your bonsai Visitor, it's beautiful and unique <3 you take very good care of it, I can tell c:

I have two bonsai trees. I've only ever started owning bonsai about 2 years ago, so I don't have much experience with them. I have a ginseng ficus and another nicer looking bonsai that I recently bought, but I'm not sure what species it is. I've never trimmed the roots before, so I guess whenever I find a good book or website that describes the steps how and whatnot, I'll feel more comfortable doing that.

Visitor · #5 07-05-2014, 06:28 AM

Hello Tealight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealight

...I have two bonsai trees. I've only ever started owning bonsai about 2 years ago, so I don't have much experience with them. I have a ginseng ficus and another nicer looking bonsai that I recently bought, but I'm not sure what species it is. I've never trimmed the roots before, so I guess whenever I find a good book or website that describes the steps how and whatnot, I'll feel more comfortable doing that.

If you do not mind me making a suggestion.
Ideal Books: Search for an old Japanese Bonsai 'how to' book. I had seen an excellent book, 'translated' to English. The author was a bonsai grower - a family tradition and profession, passed down by many generations.
Tree Identification: Search Internet for websites that provide 'leaf to tree' identification key.

Cherish your trees with lots of love, and talk to them while watering them - they love it.

Tealight · #6 07-05-2014, 06:46 AM

Of course, I welcome suggestions!
I will be sure to keep my eye out for that book, or at least something like it! I know bonsai is a Japanese art anyway so if his family has been doing it as a tradition for a long time, that would be the best go-to guide for sure. You don't have a specific title of the book off the top of your head by chance, do you?

I tried looking up my unknown bonsai, but I couldn't find anything even close to it. Perhaps it's not even a "bonsai" after all and they just labelled it as one in the store? It certainly looks like a mini tree to me I might post a picture later and see if anyone has a guess as to what it is.

Visitor · #7 07-05-2014, 07:06 AM

Hello Tealight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealight

Of course, I welcome suggestions!
I will be sure to keep my eye out for that book, or at least something like it! I know bonsai is a Japanese art anyway so if his family has been doing it as a tradition for a long time, that would be the best go-to guide for sure. You don't have a specific title of the book off the top of your head by chance, do you?

I tried looking up my unknown bonsai, but I couldn't find anything even close to it. Perhaps it's not even a "bonsai" after all and they just labelled it as one in the store? It certainly looks like a mini tree to me I might post a picture later and see if anyone has a guess as to what it is.

Just done a Google, and Amazon search for book - no luck.
Amazon is good in a way, because some of their books can be looked into, to some degree, or at least the table of contents.

A close-up picture of the leaf would also help. The tree leaves of a bonsai are less prone to distortion. Sometimes easier to identify tree by its leaf.

Tealight · #8 08-05-2014, 03:15 AM

I stopped by the library today and I spotted a book on pruning and caring for bonsai...I haven't read it yet, but hopefully
it will be able to teach me how to prune and trim them correctly c:

Here is my unknown bonsai, it looks almost like a fake plant, but I know for sure it's real lol. From what I know so far about
bonsai though, it needs some pruning...but it's a little too late in the year now. So I guess I'll have to wait until next year.
http://ge.tt/37WaaNg1?c

Visitor · #9 08-05-2014, 05:37 AM

Hello Tealight.

Beautiful looking bonsai. Love the pot, though it looks deep.

From my Google search for leaves identity, it does look like an oak type pin-lobed oak leaf.

The closest thing I could find to the leaf is a Norway Maple.
Here is a link:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/46513808624846874/

Hope this was of some help.

Tealight · #10 08-05-2014, 08:42 PM

The pot IS a bit deep for a bonsai, but unfortunately that was how I bought it so there isn't much I can do to change it now, I don't want to shock the tree into dying...

The leaves do look similar to the Norway Maple, but they're much curlier and bunched together. Perhaps it's some sort of hybrid, who knows. I'll have to keep my eyes out for what else it could be.

Thanks for your help Visitor! c: