WANTED a Bonsai

[Tengu]

Kerphooey, friend has given me her Christmas list...and I am skint.

(I wish people remembered my birthday, the way I am so dilligent with `their` gifts...)

If anyone had one I am sure I have something nice to trade...

I will pay postage too as Im sure it will need dedicated wrapping.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Strange thing to want as a ready made item. I tried growing one years ago, did pretty well until I went away for a week in what turned out to be a heat wave, housemate left it to cook and never watered it. 10 years of work gone. However, I found the interesting thing was in choosing the plant, training it, arranging its roots, setting up the pot, and pruning.

The places that sell little bonsai seem able to ship for £6 or so, but I am surprised it isn't more costly. A pot, and damp soil, and packing, and needing to be sure it doesn't move and get crushed...

The things you can buy generally look like this: about £12

Whereas what people imagine they will have is more like this: $1750!

My suggestion would be a book on bonsai, from Abe Books!
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/...rchF-_-home-_-Results&an=&tn=bonsai&kn=&isbn=


Even if she has a tree, she will still need to know how to work on it and if you don't do the right thing you can either kill the tree, or simply wind up with something ugly.

Best of luck!

 

[Billy-o]

Architectural maquette makers, railway enthusiasts and others have a strong supply of reasonably realistic plastic trees. One stuffed in a pot would give your friend the added gift of a real sense of natural competence and horticultural achievement as it weathers every successive drought and other domestic mishap

 

[Seagull]

It's a sad fact that far too many of the younger trees being marketed as Bonsai, end up dead very soon, because of lack of knowledge and understanding.
The Art is long.
If your friends heart is really set on embarking down this route on something other than a whim, then the kindliest thing that you can do, is to buy a couple of dozen young Larch seedlings. They are not expensive and are readily available as hedging-size seedlings, or may be cadged from Estate type gardener/groundsmen.
The plan is to pot up a dozen and learn the design and horticultural skills, but be warned that gaining such skills inevitably means losses...perhaps on a large scale.
The other dozen should be planted outside and left to grow freely.
However, should the Bonsai enchantment last for more than 5 or 6 years, then those trees planted in the ground, (and hopefully un-touched), will have bulked out some and may be lifted and worked at, with a much better chance of survival, and the accompanying sense of fulfilment, rather than despair.

Ceeg

 

[Tengu]

Now you know why I said `Kerphooey!`

I was thinking of going the yamadori route....I mean,it happens naturally...cant be hard to emulate, can it??

 

[Seagull]

Yup, that is certainly do-able for a lot of deciduous and for Larch too.
Taking is more successful , this time of the year, if fewer roots have to be chopped and the rootball is large.

But the thing will still need settling and at least a year of full growth, before styling can begin.
And it won't really be Bonsai, as to get it to that stage will need a lot of commitment, especially of time.

Taking wildings is not without all the same perils as keeping a potted tree, it's a matter of knowledge and that that's gained in the hands-on.
Better approached down the seedling route if at all possible. And you don't get the physical exertion involved with digging up.
For sure, one cannot know what difficulties will be encountered in the Yamadori route and it is sadly true, that a lot of potential material is lost to hacking about with sharpened spades.
Without wishing to be negative, if your friend is attracted by the beauty of the visual impact of trained trees, then a fair bit of that criteria can be provided by any of the large amount of artificial, ceramic creations that are available cheaply...no digging involved, no training, or care regime needed, no pest problems or issues with growing medium and root rot.
On the other hand, as a conscience easer, consider the fact that, just say you still want live stuff as a present, then you are consigning your friend to the inevitable expense of suitable tools, pots, books and sundries that are essential to the hobby...would you be thanked for that?


Ceeg