# Bonsai Growing



## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Hi All

Anyone else on here into Bonsai. After murdering many of these poor little trees I've finally managed to keep a few alive for a few years. Even managed to repot one last years and trim the roots. My collection at the minute consists of 2 x Ficcus (1 fourteen and 1 eighteen year old) and a Chinese Elm called Dirty Den as it died but made a miraculous recovery. Looking about for some more this year and hope to branch out :tongue2: .

Also grow chillies & peppers.

So any other Alan Tit?marshes. :lol:

Alasdair


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## minkle (Mar 17, 2008)

Always fancied a Bonsai but i'll stick with my Fern for now! :lol:


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Aly grew some chillies a few years ago and they were fierce little buggers!


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Big M bought me one for my christmas a but unless I'm missing something it grows faster than a hedge  I'd like a few more at some point.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I grow tomatoes every year, not been great harvests for a few years though. That long hot summer we had a few years back was the best. Was taking 25 litre drums to fill up at work as the water butts ran out of water h34r:

Oh for a summer like that again!

Last year we tried beans, peas, cucumbers, strawberries + chillies with little success.

I worked out that by the time I'd bought the containers, compost and plants the strawberries cost me 42 pence EACH! :lol: Sommerfield were selling punnets of about 20 buy 1 get 1 free for Â£1.95!


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

When we lived in Singapore we used to spend the odd Sunday at the Chinese Gardens and their Bonsi Garden was fantastic, very serene, a great way to while an hour or two away on a sunny afternoon. Some of the Bonsi's were hundreds of years old.


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## Filterlab (Nov 13, 2008)

I'd love to grow a Bonsai tree but I'm no green fingered wizard. Even my Peace Lily died, and they're pretty well indestructible! I can arrange flowers very well indeed though as my girlfriend will attest to, but being a pro photographer helps there - composition and all that.


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Love the Bonsai Garden in Singapore :yes:

Must admit my Peace Lily is out of control. seems to happpen with most of my house plants. Can't kill them and they just keep on growing. Usually end up giving them away when they get too big. Hence Bonsais.

This Peace Lily is about 10 years old :blink:

Alasdair


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## Filterlab (Nov 13, 2008)

That's how my Peace Lily looked until I put it outside to get some rain. It just fell to pieces after that.


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

Love a bit of gardening me,

I got a Ginkgo bonsai for my last birthday and it's ok sofar, we've a ton of other plants. the highlight of last year was a crop of bananas! not bad for a sunny lounge.

I've only a terrace but hopefully should we get a crop this year I hope to be curing my own olives in September.

Andy


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

My bonsi is a modest one but at least it's still alive, Big M is a bit of a Buddist, I think she watchesd to many Steven Seagal movies :lol: :lol:


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Ohh chillies and olives... much more my thing than tiny trees, but I do get that they cam make you happy 

I grew a chilli plant from a seed when in the UK... it took about 2 years and netted..... wait for it.... a grand total off..... 2 chillis! lol. I couldnt bringmyself to eat them as they were like my off spring and finally dried them LOL


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

BondandBigM said:


> My bonsi is a modest one but at least it's still alive,* Big M is a bit of a Buddist,* I think she watchesd to many Steven Seagal movies :lol: :lol:


how can you a a *bit of a buddist :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: *


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

mrteatime said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> > My bonsi is a modest one but at least it's still alive,* Big M is a bit of a Buddist,* I think she watchesd to many Steven Seagal movies :lol: :lol:
> ...


That's what she tells me so who am I to argue

:lol: :lol:


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## Deathboy (Sep 7, 2008)

Last year I was all about bonsai.

I bought one, wanted to buy some seeds, downloaded some ebooks and videos on how to grow them.

Then as usual my desk became a mess, and I decided to put the bonsai on the window to give it some natural life. It was all downhill from there. Leaves started to go brown, until it finally was left with no one. ThatÂ´s how my bonsai phase died.

I now grow sone basil, mint, lemon basil, ginger, chillis, coriander, oregano, and a couple more like that at home.

On the house at the beach I have a ficus, lemon tree, peaches, and I canÂ´t remember what else is there.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

mrteatime said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> > My bonsi is a modest one but at least it's still alive,* Big M is a bit of a Buddist,* I think she watchesd to many Steven Seagal movies :lol: :lol:
> ...


Well we all know which bits we want to come back! :lol: :tongue2: :lol:


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## AbingtonLad (Sep 8, 2008)

Filterlab said:


> I'd love to grow a Bonsai tree but I'm no green fingered wizard. Even my Peace Lily died, and they're pretty well indestructible! I can arrange flowers very well indeed though as my girlfriend will attest to, but being a pro photographer helps there - composition and all that.


Hah! Aspidistra, that's what you need mate. The 'Cast Iron' plant - makes the Peace Lilly look like a right pansy. We left ours outside over the winter and 2 days after bringing them back indoors little shoots appeared. Ahhhh....

As for Bonsai, tried several times and failed miserably. I think it's the watering that's the trickiest bit - I forget to 'mist' them, and end up popping them in a bucket of water every couple of weeks in the vain hope of pulling them through :cry2:

Some of those ancient ones are truly amazing.


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Here are mine just starting to shoot after a cold winter in the porch. In front are 3 seedling from this years seeds in the chilli stakes - a Prairie fire/scotch Bonnet and a Fiesta. They's stay indoors till about June.

the Chinese Elm is the one that was repotted last year and took 6 months to recover but I'll be able to really start to shape it again this year.

Alasdair


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Used a crappy pic and missed the edit :lol:

Hers a better one.

Used last years chilli crop to make chilli oil and dried the rest and powdered them. also froze a small bag for use in the con carne. :tongue2:

Alasdair


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Love the view from your window Alas.

I had a chilli plant last year and it grew massive. Kept me in chilli's all summer. It was outside when the first frost hit. It never stood a chance. I'll try again but make sure I know what i'm doing this time.


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

mjolnir said:


> Love the view from your window Alas.


It is a bit nice :tongue2: this pic was taken before Xmas and shows it up well. We're surrounded by trees so the garden in really sheltered and great for the plants.

Alasdair


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## Filterlab (Nov 13, 2008)

AbingtonLad said:


> Filterlab said:
> 
> 
> > I'd love to grow a Bonsai tree but I'm no green fingered wizard. Even my Peace Lily died, and they're pretty well indestructible! I can arrange flowers very well indeed though as my girlfriend will attest to, but being a pro photographer helps there - composition and all that.
> ...


Aspidistra eh? Good for a headache too I guess.  I'd probably kill one of those too!


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

My bonsi is a modest one but at least it's still alive, Big M is a bit of a Buddist, I think she watchesd to many Steven Seagal movies

Someone I opnce worked with had one of those cats...it had a AA battery inside and waved its arm up and down in a disturbing mannner!!

Roger


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## Andy Tims (Apr 13, 2008)

I did flirt with Bonsai as a hobby but most of them died.

I'm really no gardener - far better with cars, motorbikes & watches.


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## jaslfc5 (Jan 2, 2007)

i fancy the idea of a bonzai but in reality its going to die so im staying away. i do have a massive cactus and a huge (no jokes) mother in laws tongue now those two have to be the s.a.s of the plant world .


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

I'm surprised at you guys having a problem with Bonsi's, mine grows like wildfire, soak the whole pot every now and then for 10 minutes in a basin of water and off it goes. It's in the back room without much light and no heating to speak of. On the opposite side the ones in the Chinese garden get 10 hours of 35*C+ sunshine everyday and a mid day torrential downpour thrown in as well. Sort of hard to see how you could do one in.

B.


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## Zephod (Nov 15, 2006)

I love the look of them but they just die on me , Bye the way Bond thats a very nice looking sideboard did it come back from Singapore with you


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Zephod said:


> I love the look of them but they just die on me , Bye the way Bond thats a very nice looking sideboard did it come back from Singapore with you


It's a TV cabinet but I bought it here in the UK, furniture is expensive to personally ship home from these far east countries mostly due to the size rather than weight. Just as "M" is a part time Buddhist I'm sort of into oriental things. We probably have more Buddha's sitting around the house than watches :blink:


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## Zephod (Nov 15, 2006)

Thats cool we have a few Buddha's about the house they remind me to chill out and go with the flow


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Roger said:


> Someone I opnce worked with had one of those cats...it had a AA battery inside and waved its arm up and down in a disturbing mannner!!
> 
> Roger


Yep, that's the ones. I have been known to sit on the couch and wave back to them after a few Vodka's

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Zephod said:


> Thats cool we have a few Buddha's about the house they remind me to chill out and go with the flow


When I first met "M" I thought she was having a bit of a laugh about it, but I sort of got round to the chilling out bit, not a bad thing either


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

Yep, that's the ones. I have been known to sit on the couch and wave back to them after a few Vodka's

Someone in our dept. fitted it with a large p*nis...when it was in motion, itlooked quite convincing!! :lol:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Roger said:


> Yep, that's the ones. I have been known to sit on the couch and wave back to them after a few Vodka's
> 
> Someone in our dept. fitted it with a large p*nis...when it was in motion, itlooked quite convincing!! :lol:


 :lol: :lol:

Only the small one works now, Big M's grand daughter knocked f#ck out of the big one and it has never waved since

:lol: :lol:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

A shot of the Bonsi Garden to get the thread back on topic so as it doesn't edited


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## catch21 (Feb 9, 2009)

Funnily enough my son and I have just bought a couple of trays, pots and seeds to try this. Its quite complex to germinate the seeds. In the freezer for a while then out. Better start reading! I'll let you know how we get on.


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## Deathboy (Sep 7, 2008)

that bonsai garden is just out of this world.

I gotta say the bonsai bug is starting to kick in again, IÂ´ll see what I do about it, I havenÂ´t seen any tree I really like in shape.

Anyway, bout the waving cat, itÂ´s supposed that they wave one hand for good fortune, or the other for welcoming.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Deathboy said:


> that bonsai garden is just out of this world.


It really was a nice place to spend a few hours chilling out, I don't have pictures but there was a small pond with Koi Carp that would literally eat out of your hand from the waterside.

At the risk of falling into the trap of boring you guys with "holiday slides" here's another couple of pictures, if you ever find yourself in that part of the world it's well worth a visit.


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## minkle (Mar 17, 2008)

Alas said:


>


That is amazing, where abouts is it?


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

minkle said:


> Alas said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


Its on the west coast of Scotland near Helensburgh. Behind the hill in the picture is Loch Lomond. Nice place to live I must admit. :yes:

Alasdair


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## minkle (Mar 17, 2008)

If im ever on that hill, i'll give you a wave :lol:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Alas said:


> minkle said:
> 
> 
> > Alas said:
> ...


God's country


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## provlada (Feb 16, 2009)

This is interesting! I buy in Amsterdam seed for Bonsai tree, but I didn't have laky..... After couple a mounth it is still a seed....in the ground....


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

AbingtonLad said:


> As for Bonsai, tried several times and failed miserably.


Same here 

I've got a couple of books to read - vowed not to kill any more until I've read up on the subject.

Various fruit trees in the garden do fine but without much input from me other than a prune once a year. Actually, need to treat the peach trees for curl before they start growing this year - forgot last year.


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Hmmmm...

How did i miss this thread???

i love bonsai, been into them since the late 90's...

some of mine....

Acer palmatum 'Deshojo'...










Juniperus 'chinensis'...










Pinus parviflora (japanese white pine)










Pinus parviflora (japanese white pine)










Acer palmatum 'Seigen'...










regards, john


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Superb Acer and Juniper - maybe have to try them soon. Still have my same three and have repotted the other 2 without problems this year.

My pride and joy at the minute is my Scotch Bonnet Chilli plant. Will be taking them off soon and making a Pepper sauce for the winter. Mmmmmm. :man_in_love:


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## Markrlondon (Feb 20, 2009)

johnbaz said:


> Hmmmm...
> 
> How did i miss this thread???
> 
> ...


Those bonsais are beautiful. How much time does it take to look after them?


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Markrlondon said:


> johnbaz said:
> 
> 
> > Hmmmm...
> ...


Hi Mark

they don't get the pampering that they require as i work long shifts 

i have around 30-ish and a heck of a lot of potensai (sticks with the potential to become bonsai!)

the two shohin white pines were a mess so i had a couple of hours getting rid of old long needles, removing old wire then applying new wire, if the wire is left on too long the tree puts on girth and the wire cuts in...

othere than doing the actual styling it doesn't take long to water and feed them and do a bit of pinching to keep them in shape...

a couple more...

juniper chinensis...










A small larch that i styled, larch is deciduous and here last spring (or spring '07) the buds were just bursting open..










this was the same tree before i 'altered' it 










mountain maple in fall colours..










acer palmatum 'deshojo' (another maple!)










john


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## Markrlondon (Feb 20, 2009)

johnbaz said:


> they don't get the pampering that they require as i work long shifts


Ah, but a long shift to a human is but a fleeting moment in time for a bonsai. ;-)



johnbaz said:


> i have around 30-ish and a heck of a lot of potensai (sticks with the potential to become bonsai!)
> 
> the two shohin white pines were a mess so i had a couple of hours getting rid of old long needles, removing old wire then applying new wire, if the wire is left on too long the tree puts on girth and the wire cuts in...
> 
> ...


They are truly beautiful. It must all require a lot of patience.


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Hmmmm

I created folders in my photobucket as i got fed up with hunting through over 40 pages to find a pic...

it gives them a new URL and the pics vanish :thumbsdown:

I'll pop a few more pics in here now...

Acer campestre (field maple) potensai, this tree is somewhere around 28" tall and probably a 4" girth, it's in a washing up bowl as i don't have a dish large enough yet :cry2:










Acer palmatum 'Seigen', a true red leaf maple, i've photoshopped the crown out as it's too tall and this year it will be chopped to the same as the pic..










Larix kaempferi, Japanese larch...










Juniperus chinensis (Chinese Juniper)










Pinus Parvilora (Japanese white pine), a Shohin five needle pine..










Pinus Sylvestris (Scots Pine), this is a two needle pine that i've only had time to wire the bottom half...










John


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Some more...

Pinus parviflora (Japanese white pine)Shohin size..










Taxus baccata (Yew)..










Zelkova Serrata (commonly called Japanese elm)..










Ligustrum (common privet) in need of much refinement!!!










Pinus Sylvestris (Scots pine) in semi cascade style...










Some bonsai on one of my benches (the flippin' grass needed mowing there!)










John


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## The Canon Man (Apr 9, 2010)

You've got some really lovely trees there.

I'll have to take a photo of my bonsai twig.

Though it's nothing like your fine examples.


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## The Canon Man (Apr 9, 2010)

As promised, here is my olive twig.










It'll be a long time before it's anything like any of Johns fine trees.


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## malus65 (Dec 23, 2009)

Tjeez, this is a nice topic. I'm busy with bonsai for more than twelve years now. I have about 15 trees, they all are outdoor. Japanese white pine, a couple of Japanese Maples and some Juniperusses. I'm busy with preparations for a bonsai show, tomorrow over here in Holland. I'm a member of a club and there is a exhibition this weekend. The tree wich I will show is this one:










This a Chamaecyparis Obtusa "Nana". Estimated age is 40-50 years old. Size is 86cm heigh.

A few others:

Japanese Crab tree:










Trident Maple sho-hin:










(with a Omega Seamaster 176.007 :grin: the Omega is still alive, the tree died last winter :down:

Greetings,

Stef


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## malus65 (Dec 23, 2009)

Btw it looks better with the Oris from my wife:


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Hi Stef

That's a beaut of a Chamaecyparis B) B)

I've suffered some losses this winter, we had a rather severe cold spell and i should have insulated the posts with bubblewrap or buried them deeply in compost 

Here are some trees belonging to members of our club (South Yorkshire Bonsai Club)























































Sorry for the quality, if i recall correctly, i took the photos with my iphone, it only takes half decent pics in strong daylight...

Regards, John


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Some amazing trees there John,.....


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## malus65 (Dec 23, 2009)

Hello John,

those are beautiful trees, the upper with the driftwood, is that a boxwood? (buxus).

I took many pictures of the exhibition, I will post a few later on.

greetings,

Stef


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

malus65 said:


> Hello John,
> 
> those are beautiful trees, the upper with the driftwood, is that a boxwood? (buxus).
> 
> ...


Hi Stef

I'm not sure what ype it is, it could be Buxus though it looks like Lonicera to me, i didn't make notes of what they were 

Can't wait to see your pics B) B)

Cheers, John


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