ceriano
Shohin
I couldn’t have said it any better! just the shipping alone can cost more than some of these nursery material.
Big box store Acer Palmatum
- Thread starter ceriano
- Start date
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Everyone will have different ideas on what's good and what's worth paying for.
Those with plenty of disposable funds may opt to spend more to get quicker results.
Those with less funds or an ethos of DIY will opt to start with less developed, less expensive material and spend time instead.
Both paths are OK. Those following the second DIY development just need to understand how long that path will be. Real timeline will depend on many factors: where you start - seed or half grown tree; care and growing technique; what standard you expect at the end; etc.
With every step along the way there's chances of something not working as planned. Sometimes that just delays the final product, sometimes the problems are just not worth continuing so starting with just one or 2 trees and expecting to produce show quality bonsai at the end of 5 or 10 years is overly optimistic.
Each person needs to work out what years of work and possible failure is worth.
Starting with good bones will definitely save time - in the bonsai timeline that may mean 5 years or more depending where you've elected to start.
I start almost all maples here from seed because that gives me total control over the initial trunk development. Believe it or not I can grow a trunk suited to bonsai quicker than I can overcome the innate problems of commercial produced maples and convert one to quality bonsai stock.
I understand that most newbies won't take that seriously and you are welcome to ignore advice and try your big box bargains. You will undoubtedly learn a lot of things as you work with the trees that can then be used to speed up subsequent attempts and avoid some of the problems encountered first time round.
As for absurd prices on Ebay - Caveat Emptor. As already mentioned there are plenty of sellers looking for suckers to help in their get rich schemes. Just because you see a tree advertised at an exorbitant price does not mean it is worth that money.
As for where you can find good starting material at reasonable prices I can't help you in USA. Usually smaller growers seem to put in more effort to grow good stock so they probably don't advertise widely because of limited stock that sells quick among the small group of people who know. I can only advise to keep searching. Maybe word of mouth will be the best avenue to track down the few who are producing good stock and not charging an arm and leg.
In the meantime Big Box trees can provide some low cost opportunities to learn and to make mistakes before investing more on advanced stock.
BTW, Japanese maples of all sorts are harder to develop good bonsai than trident maple. There's a reason that there are far fewer JM at shows and on sale than trident maples, even in Japan where there are many experts growing and developing.
Those with plenty of disposable funds may opt to spend more to get quicker results.
Those with less funds or an ethos of DIY will opt to start with less developed, less expensive material and spend time instead.
Both paths are OK. Those following the second DIY development just need to understand how long that path will be. Real timeline will depend on many factors: where you start - seed or half grown tree; care and growing technique; what standard you expect at the end; etc.
With every step along the way there's chances of something not working as planned. Sometimes that just delays the final product, sometimes the problems are just not worth continuing so starting with just one or 2 trees and expecting to produce show quality bonsai at the end of 5 or 10 years is overly optimistic.
Each person needs to work out what years of work and possible failure is worth.
Starting with good bones will definitely save time - in the bonsai timeline that may mean 5 years or more depending where you've elected to start.
I start almost all maples here from seed because that gives me total control over the initial trunk development. Believe it or not I can grow a trunk suited to bonsai quicker than I can overcome the innate problems of commercial produced maples and convert one to quality bonsai stock.
I understand that most newbies won't take that seriously and you are welcome to ignore advice and try your big box bargains. You will undoubtedly learn a lot of things as you work with the trees that can then be used to speed up subsequent attempts and avoid some of the problems encountered first time round.
As for absurd prices on Ebay - Caveat Emptor. As already mentioned there are plenty of sellers looking for suckers to help in their get rich schemes. Just because you see a tree advertised at an exorbitant price does not mean it is worth that money.
As for where you can find good starting material at reasonable prices I can't help you in USA. Usually smaller growers seem to put in more effort to grow good stock so they probably don't advertise widely because of limited stock that sells quick among the small group of people who know. I can only advise to keep searching. Maybe word of mouth will be the best avenue to track down the few who are producing good stock and not charging an arm and leg.
In the meantime Big Box trees can provide some low cost opportunities to learn and to make mistakes before investing more on advanced stock.
BTW, Japanese maples of all sorts are harder to develop good bonsai than trident maple. There's a reason that there are far fewer JM at shows and on sale than trident maples, even in Japan where there are many experts growing and developing.
ceriano
Shohin
Other than starter plants there are not many options available online at least not in $200-$300 price range. what is the alternative really?
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
ceriano
Shohin
They have some nice specimens, unfortunately the ones I like a are $1000+
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
hmmmmm ...Just get the goddamn generic green acer palmatum. Maybe get more than one. You won't regret it.
With that done, you can continue ruminating about what to next add to your collection.
ceriano
Shohin
Tell me 4-5 beginner trees that’s worth ordering from them I’ll go ahead put in the order
Just get the goddamn generic green acer palmatum. Maybe get more than one. You won't regret it.
With that done, you can continue ruminating about what to next add to your collection.
I’d rather combine shipping.I ordered 2 JPMs from Mr maple today and each time I got hit with $20 shipping!
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
You got hit with shipping for each? Did you order them together? If you did order together and still got hit with $20 for each I would contact customer service. That ain’t right.Tell me 4-5 beginner trees that’s worth ordering from them I’ll go ahead put in the order
I ordered 2 JPMs from Mr maple today and each time I got hit with $20 shipping!
ceriano
Shohin
No unfortunately they didn’t release them at the same time. I ordered the Arakawa and Aureum both sold out pretty quick.
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
Damn, I hate I missed the arakawa!
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
I can’t stand 7- eleven
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
Let's back up just a bit. The thread title is Big Box Store Acer Palmatum. It is to that which I saidTell me 4-5 beginner trees that’s worth ordering from them I’ll go ahead put in the order
I ordered 2 JPMs from Mr maple today and each time I got hit with $20 shipping!
I meant, buy the big box store generic green acer palmatum.
I happen to have 19 species-varieties of Japanese maple (and yet more maple species) most of which are landscape plantings. This is just my maple fetish.
The bare/leafless tree image is generally what is prized for bonsai. A few dwarf species make excellent bonsai, but the generally, the problem is their growth rates are too slow to 'get there' in a reasonable portion of one's lifetime. So, you'll wind up paying big bucks for these as pre-bonsai.
Last edited:
ajm55555
Chumono
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These do not seem to be Acer Palmatum but rather in the group of Acer Amoenum.
ceriano
Shohin
rodeolthr
Shohin
These are ALL acer palmatum. These are the different leaf variants that occur.
ceriano
Shohin
I took it out of the pot and this is how the roots look like. Should I cut the ones at the top?
Attachments
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I wouldn't.
I have become quite entranced with the benefits of anything that airprunes roots and focusing on never spray, including inorganic fertilizer, excluding proper compost tea as defined by Dr. Elaine Ingham.
Sorce
I have become quite entranced with the benefits of anything that airprunes roots and focusing on never spray, including inorganic fertilizer, excluding proper compost tea as defined by Dr. Elaine Ingham.
Sorce
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