I have been eyeing the Bonsai hobby for some time and decided to experiment this year with it. I rummaged around and found a few bonsai pots I had used for cactus and a few cactus pots I thought might be ok for begining a few bonsai plants.
Cactii was hobby #45 what I learned about that was:
Once can never decide whether to water them or not
Cactus grow tall and fall over
Pruning a cactus is a study in futility
Bushy succulents that look great at first turn into spindly messes
With out the right light and rotation they never grow straight.
Have tweezers handy when repotting
Cactus often to grow into strange Phallic shapes that are best hidden in the garage when guests come over.
Ok I digress! Back to the bonsai experiment
Since i know very little about the hobby I will do my homework and since it is december I have plenty of time to study up.
Heres what I do know:
Controlled watering is key. Too much or to little is bad (Im getting I will be slave to that)
Soil mix is important for moisture control. I must re-read on the mix although I think they have some nice premixes for sale.
There's some fancy pants method of pruning I need to learn.
Solid copper wire might come in handy. ( thank goodness I have bunch in the basement it would probably be $20 for a small pack at the garden store yeesh)
Nifty bonsai gardening tools are insane expensive. ( Not any time soon!)
Small leaved plants are better than big leaved :o)
The more twisted and broken the plant is the better ( right up my alley )
If a deer gets any where near my Bonsai I will tie it to the back of Santa's sleigh and let it get dragged all over the country.
I will be dead and gone before any of my Bonsai become "remarkable" ( I will pass it on but i know it will be dead in 6 months in some elses care)
I can cheat the above problem by tromping up to the mountians and rip out some forlorn mishshapen plant that has already been brutalized by nature already.
They do say start with a healthy plant right? umm that contradicts the above. ( scratching head)
If a dog lifts its leg on a Bonsai is it fertilized or Just doomed? ( imagine the Bonsai master gaping at hundred year old bonsai as it is "watered".)
I digress yet again ! ok so it begins.
Setting goals:
Find good starter plants
Get advice and do homework
Avoid big dollers spent for premade "tree" at a nursersy ( ok maybe one or two )
Tromp up to the mountians at least once for the "unlucky tree"
Find "tools" that are not priced as if they were made of gold
Make a plant live through its first year.
Consider this a growing experience even though growing is the thing I am limiting here.
Type of plants and styles i want to try
maple of some type
Juniper
wisteria
azalea
miniture forest look
Tree growing over rock look
windswept look
anything else that looks nifty :o)
Any one want to Join in on this Bonsai journey? I would be happy to have some friends at these same initial steps so we can share trials and tribulations. I would welcome the input and see someone else worse off than I am (I find that some how encouraging)
By the way. Merry Christmas !
Photos below :
Starter Pots I found
A Nifty rock that seems perfect for a tree to grow over. I will start it mostly buried and let the soil recede slowly to reveal the roots.
Bonsai pots-2 002.jpg
bonsai rock-1 004.jpg