Show your Bonsai

Raymond Lin · 9 May 2019 at 12:02

Picked 2 up over the weekend, thought i start on something easy, an Acer palmatum (Deshojo Maple) and a Podocarpus (Buddist Pine). One outdoor and one indoor. Anyone else have a bonsai and how long have you had it?

Rannoch · 9 May 2019 at 12:08

Lovely. I had one years ago but gave it away as I couldn’t look after it.

thezappa · 9 May 2019 at 12:14

Very nice. I’m keen to get some, what is it about these particular species makes them easy to look after?
I suppose in theory you make a bonsai tree out of any species couldn’t you? Would be interesting to try some native species.

Raymond Lin · 9 May 2019 at 12:21

thezappa said:
Very nice. I’m keen to get some, what is it about these particular species makes them easy to look after?
I suppose in theory you make a bonsai tree out of any species couldn’t you? Would be interesting to try some native species.

You can make Bonsai out of any tree but some are easier to take care of than others. I have only started looking into so feel free if someone likes to correct me. A lot of trees needs to be kept outdoors, they need a certain level of direct sunlight in order to survive, some (not that many!) can be kept permanently indoors, Chinese Elm is one of them and is very hardy and they are normally the defacto first tree to get).

Some outdoor trees are quite tricky, particularly if they are not native to the UK so some of them will need protection from frost in the winter etc.

I really want a spruce or a pine but they are next level in difficulty.

The_Abyss · 9 May 2019 at 22:17

That acer has been grafted onto something else - I wonder what it was?

tonys · 10 May 2019 at 07:28

It would be just a normal Acer Palmatum as they have a stronger root system than some named varieties, which don't produce roots readily.

Raymond Lin · 10 May 2019 at 08:15

The_Abyss said:
That acer has been grafted onto something else - I wonder what it was?

It's just a much younger branch when it was pruned at that point.

tonys · 10 May 2019 at 08:53

It looks grafted as you have 2 colours of bark, a callous at the joint and the original trunk has been removed. Just keep an eye on the cut end of the trunk as it can die back.

The_Abyss · 10 May 2019 at 08:54

Some wax around it normally protects it from the elements, if it is outdoors.

Raymond Lin · 10 May 2019 at 08:57

tonys said:
It looks grafted as you have 2 colours of bark, a callous at the joint and the original trunk has been removed. Just keep an eye on the cut end of the trunk as it can die back.

Good point.

The_Abyss said:
Some wax around it normally protects it from the elements, if it is outdoors.

It is an outdoor plant, what kind of wax though?

koolpc · 10 May 2019 at 08:59

I got a few at my ex's. Over 30 years old now. Not looked after properly. And thats me!

I have looked after them over the years but not recently.

Raymond Lin · 10 May 2019 at 08:59

tonys said:
It looks grafted as you have 2 colours of bark, a callous at the joint and the original trunk has been removed. Just keep an eye on the cut end of the trunk as it can die back.

Just checked others from a completely different place.

https://www.herons.co.uk/Red-Deshoj...1GwjoI1YWm1Khi1hNuRTBsTyEb701MshoCGZAQAvD_BwE

They all seem to do this.

The_Abyss · 10 May 2019 at 09:03

Yes, it is quite common with acers. One of my outdoor ones was grafted.

I've used some clear boot polish to just smear around the join - the main purpose is just to avoid any water ingress and subsequent rotting until the graft has had an opportunity to take and harden the exposed areas. It won't take long, especially if there are no places where the water can collect.

Raymond Lin · 10 May 2019 at 09:04

The_Abyss said:
Yes, it is quite common with acers. One of my outdoor ones was grafted.

I've used some clear boot polish to just smear around the join - the main purpose is just to avoid any water ingress and subsequent rotting until the graft has had an opportunity to take and harden the exposed areas. It won't take long, especially if there are no places where the water can collect.

I think its quite an old graft actually, should be fine.

tonys · 10 May 2019 at 09:04

It's so you can get named cultivars in quantity that don't root easily. If they root easily they normally don't graft as it's hard to disguise the joint

Raymond Lin · 26 Sep 2019 at 09:17

4 months on, both my trees are still alive.

So I bought a few more.

Although the maple hasn't really grown that much, I am not sure what i am doing wrong with it, it seems to just frozen in growth but not dying as such. The Buddhist pine is doing fine, noticeable more vigour and more leaves now.

Burned_Alive · 26 Sep 2019 at 15:27

Are any of these suitable to be in a bathroom?

Raymond Lin · 26 Sep 2019 at 17:39

Burned_Alive said:
Are any of these suitable to be in a bathroom?

A ficus? If it’s by a window but the problem is bathroom windows are almost always frosted so light is massively reduced.

tom_nieto · 27 Sep 2019 at 20:05

Burned_Alive said:
Are any of these suitable to be in a bathroom?

Bathroom window = orchid! They love the steam from the shower.

Chinese elms are pretty hardy and like a bright window.

Nice collection @Raymond Lin. It’s been ages since I’ve had a bonsai, perhaps I should invest in an outdoor one. I especially like your Buddhist pine.

Raymond Lin · 27 Sep 2019 at 20:12

tom_nieto said:
Bathroom window = orchid! They love the steam from the shower.

Chinese elms are pretty hardy and like a bright window.

Nice collection @Raymond Lin. It’s been ages since I’ve had a bonsai, perhaps I should invest in an outdoor one. I especially like your Buddhist pine.

Thanks, I like the buddhist pine too, it is quite hardy and it is an evergreen. You can keep this by a south facing window and it will be fine.

I've been reading a ton, for outdoors, I want something that I withstand out winter (-10c), Golden Larch, Dawn Redwood and Maple can do that. You can leave them outside all year round and it will be fine. You could put the trees that loses all its leaves in the garage or shed for the winter, I plan to do that.