I spent about an hour out today looking at spots where I had seen possible plants. I dug up the wild roses, at least I hope that is what I dug up. They had amazing twisted roots that I think can be raised to form a stem if they survive transplanting. The leaf looks a lot like a dew berry leaf, but there are differences. The dew berry plants around here have a white reverse and my collected rose is greenon the reverse. Also the rose has some leaves that have five leaflets and the brambles have only three.
I also dug up (yes, you can laugh at this) a honeysuckle vine that has been cut back so repeatedly, that it had a basal stem of over an inch in diameter topped by a rosette of sprouts. That one is going to be fun to play with this spring. I also found a tiny winged elm that was growing in the dirt that had accumulated over the concrete apron along a fence. It is almost perfectly shaped for one of those tiny mame pots that need to be watered ten times a day in warm weather. I believe I will pot it in a very porous soil and put it on a wick like the African violet growers do.
Out of pity, I purchased a fig walsai and repotted it, I know that warmer weather is preferable for repotting, but I can't stand that glued gravel. Since I had to take the fig out of the pot to get that stony junk off, I combed the roots and repotted it in a clay pot.
It has a n ice curve to the trunk, but also has one humongous scar on the upper trunk. However, it will make a fun beginners tree to play with styling.
Beth
It didn't rain today so I went plant hunting
Beth, it all sounds an enjoyable outing. When you go dig plants. Is there a designated area that you obtain permit to dig. Or are you digging things around the wild? It sounds like alot of fun.
I don't know of any resource. Other than the plants bought from nursery. Last winter, I eyed several tree shrubs from the nursery, then went back and bought them. Planted them, and they are now ready to be dug up and work on. One is parachantha, which is full of berries and a huge trunk, an equal large trunk (specifically selected for...future bonsais) is a Yellow Bells (Forsythia). I also have one bonsai pots ready, but need more accessories such as carving tools, brushes ect. Local nursery has wiring material, but not other neccessity, have you any suggestion?
Ah, the soil preparation, is quite involved to eliminate microorganism and get the right consistency, porosity.
The roots and trunk formation you've described sound intriquing. Care to share some pics. as you work on them?
There are some tools that you must purchase specifically for bonsai. Knob cutters are one such and they are pricey. For others I think that you can find substitutes. You can find perfectly good brushes at craft stores including the hake brushes used to paint dye on cloth in Japan. Tweezers to me are tweezers, I don't have the really long ones, but I don't need them yet. I keep a set of pliers, actually more than one set, easily accessible. I keep bamboo bar b que skewers for a multitude of craft and other uses. I keep sharp scissors like embroidery scissors on hand. I replace them frequently. I like the ones that are about 5 inches long but have a cutting surface of barely an inch. I can reach into the canopy of a small tree with those to trim as needed. I purchase dead soft cu wire at hardware stores by the foot. I use it as armature wire for sculpture, but it will work fine for bonsai as well.
One tool that I need, but am wondering if I can make do with a hardware substitute, is a pair of nippers to remove training wires. I think end nippers with the cutting edge perpendicular to the jaw hinge will work better than diagonal cutters. However, they need to be a good quality. Many times the cheaper ones don't meet well for a smooth cut.
I am allowing myself $100 for my trip to Conyers. I already know that it won't be enough, but right now that is all I can afford. My spring project is a display and growing bench in the back yard against the fence. so that will be funded out of next month's paycheck. After that perhaps some sort of auto watering system. So much to do - so little time and money.
Beth
Hi Beth;
Your trip to Conyers? Wouldn't be the Monastery, would it? Great place, and the largest assortment of Tokoname pots in the U.S. I'm told. Surprised you didn't mention a 'concave' cutter. A great and versitile tool. Looking forward to some pics.
Wally
Yeah, I should have mentioned the concave cutter. I gave mine away some years ago after I quit the Botanic Gardens to go back to school and now I need to replace it. Even the smallest one will take a chunk out of my $100 limit for next month. Later I also want one of the folding saws to keep in the car along with my poachers shovel, hand pruners, plastic bags, gallon of water, and paper towels. I travel prepared.
I just discovered today that one of the willow cuttings, which I made a couple of weeks ago, has rooted. I know that this doesn't sound exciting but I took two cuttings from a grafted plant and both immediately lost all leaves and have looked really sad. I really got worried when one stem began to look slick ; I thought that I would lose both.
Beth
Ah, Beth, from experience, Willow will root easily at anytime of the year. I'm starting saving up and make my wish list for all the equipment that I need. For wire cutters and thing like that I can borrow it from hubby tools box, but a concave cutter is a must. There is a Bonsai store merely 30-40 miles east from us. A trip there is def. in my calendar. Thanks for sharing the idea.
A bonsai store near you? Where? I would love to stop by when I come up to Birmingham in March. There is nothing in this area that I know of, or, if there is, it is well hidden or poorly advertized.
Uhh, time to leave for work. My munchkins are waiting to paint the walls and themselves.
Beth
...like these munchkins? LOL
I hope you've had a great day. Beth, the Bonsai store that I've often seen advertises on bill board on Hwy 20 Eastbound from B'ham. Around Talladega (?) roughly. I'll be sure I'll give them a visit soon as the weather warms up a little.
The monastery trip went great. I came home with two plants, five mame pots, a pair of concave cutters, and a large bag of premixed soil. I plan to go back in late March or April.
I also got an ID on my walsai fig. Looks like it is Ficus 'Green Mound'. I really want to go back to see the Monastery bonsai collection in leaf. I asked about the grasses and so forth and was told that there would be more available as the year warmed up. They also will have Cacti and succulents during the warm weather.
It was interesting to see the automatic mist/spray system that they have set up. They propogate some of their plants on site and, I think, order in job lots from specialty nurseries. For any one in driving distance it is worth the trip.
Beth