I read an article a number of years ago on growing bonsais from seed. Yet after reading the materials here and on hyperlinked sites, I'm seeing something quite different. Has anybody else heard of a bonsai method in which you start with the seed?
Growing bonsais from seed
Janet,
Sure you can grow seeds into bonsai, if you have the time. Starting out with seeds can take 10, 15, 20 years or more before it can be a decent bonsai. What most people do is take a full size tree, chop it down, regrow it, chop it again and again until it taper nicely. Or air layer a nice branch and work it from there.
I have a few Acer palmatum seedlings I started last year, they are now about 3-4 inches tall, maybe in a few more years they can go into a 1gl container!
What I recall from that article was that you had to pinch the first set of "real" leaves and when the new ones appeared, pinch the stronger looking of the two pairs and leave the weaker. Make any sense?
I purchased some incense cedar (calocedrus) seeds online thinking I'd like to try bonsai. Of course, had no idea what was involved - just like me to look before I leap! The directions on the packet say pre-chill seeds in the fridge for 21 days (they've been in there since beginning of September), then plant 1/2" in potting soil ... germinate in 4-24 weeks, consult good bonsai guide. Not that they were expensive but I sort of wish I hadn't bought them. I don't think I have this kind of patience!
Does anyone know anything about Ming Aralia? (Polyscias Frutcosa) My old one literally exploded and died last year. I have managed to start most of it again through oasis block cultivation. So, -I have all these young ones doing pretty well, -but the question is, what did I do wrong?
(My old plant was 26 years old when it, well, just up and died!) I don't want to go through this again.
Polyscias fruticosa http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~apkweb/folnotes/aralia.htm
Janet, i hope this url help http://gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~jeffstep/bonsai/nbpm/propagation.html http://gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~jeffstep/bonsai/nbpm/growing_bonsai.html ... ma vie
I have some Japanese Maple seeds that someone gave me. Would these be good to start a bonsai from seed? I don't know what genus they are.
Ruth
My husband's mother used to had one very short time and died because she did not have time to take care of this and need always take care of this always trimming all the time. Her husband bought her for anniversary and she got diappointed. Only good for who have time with those Bonsai.
RedRose,
A bonsai tree will NOT die from lack of trimming, most likely it wasn't care for properly. Some people try to grow outside trees indoor, especially junipers and pines, and that is not the buyers fault, they were told when they purchased the trees. Sometime the trees were dead or near death when purchased.
I have several trees outside, haven't trimmed them in almost 2 years, and are still alive. They are overgrown, but not dead.
I have the bougainvillia and portulaca and figure I will have to bring those inside Tim, but didn't plan to bring in the juniper that I bonsai myself with tiG
I recently purchased about 8 or so different varieties of tree seeds used for bonsai. I have no idea of how to make bonsai except for the little bit I've gleaned of the net so I'm basicly just going to try and have some fun with this. I think I've got the basic idea though. My plan is probably way to simple, but I'm just going to plant mine in very small thimble pots and see how small I can keep them. I'll move them up only if they desperately need it and hopefully by the time they need some pruning I will have found a good book or some such. I rented Karate Kid 1 last night as I remembered seeing the old guy on that show pruning some bonsai...lol, hoping to get some tips from the show I guess, but it wasn't too helpful.
I have found a very good source for info on growing and careing for bonsai at bonsaimonk.com .There at The Holy Spirit Monastry in Conyers Ga. Beautiful bonsai and very helpful.
Eric, if you keep them in tiny pots, they won't ever get big. I saw a picture of a crepe myrtle that a guy had kept in a small pot for 30 years, and the trunk was the size of a pencil. It's better to grow them big, then trim back. What kind of seeds did you get?