Help with Azalea styling

[noissee]

Yeah, I went over there Monday. It's about an hour from my house. He had some really great stuff as well as some overpriced stuff. I was very impressed with the nebari development on much of his pre-bonsai, however.
I selected a green maple with an excellent base that I will pick up in a couple weeks.
Maybe I have been spoiled in the past, but I thought almost all of his elms were way over priced. Did his prices reflect what you have seen in your area?

 

[Roberts]

Yeah, I went over there Monday. It's about an hour from my house. He had some really great stuff as well as some overpriced stuff. I was very impressed with the nebari development on much of his pre-bonsai, however.
I selected a green maple with an excellent base that I will pick up in a couple weeks.
Maybe I have been spoiled in the past, but I thought almost all of his elms were way over priced. Did his prices reflect what you have seen in your area?

Hi
That's the problem, there is no bonsai in my area. The closest thing to a bonsai dealer around here is that traveling van from Texas that sets up in the gas stations parking lots on weekends,ha ha

To tell ya the truth, I was like a kid in a candy store when I found that place. The nearest place where I can get bonsai stock is the bonsai show in Chicago (200 mi.). I thought his prices were ok compared to Chicago prices. I did trade and buy several trees (9 pre-bonsai) so prices were cheaper than what he was asking. Buying in bulk I guess.

I'm not much of a wheeler-dealer type. If its worth it to me I buy if not I don't buy. One of the Maples I got from Tom was a air-layer from a Trident Maple growing in the back. I think he said that's where most his Maples came from, was told it was 20 yrs. old (that may be a completely different discussion,ha) but if he's asking $150 for it, that $7.50 a year for watering,fertilizing,re-potting,shaping,just general caring for, that seems like a real bargain to me. But then again I don't really have ANYTHING around here to compare it to. Not kidding, if I go to a local nursery and ask if they have a concave cutter, they walk me over to the hedge cutting tools.

Robert

 

[noissee]

Yeah I saw that big Boxwood you traded him.

When you put it that way (7.50/year) that does seem like a good deal, so maybe I have been spoiled until now. I think his Maples are really nice material, and probably are worth the money (I'm buying one ). It's just the Elms that I was skeptical about.

 

[roelex14]

Hi
That's the problem, there is no bonsai in my area. The closest thing to a bonsai dealer around here is that traveling van from Texas that sets up in the gas stations parking lots on weekends,ha ha

To tell ya the truth, I was like a kid in a candy store when I found that place. The nearest place where I can get bonsai stock is the bonsai show in Chicago (200 mi.). I thought his prices were ok compared to Chicago prices. I did trade and buy several trees (9 pre-bonsai) so prices were cheaper than what he was asking. Buying in bulk I guess.

I'm not much of a wheeler-dealer type. If its worth it to me I buy if not I don't buy. One of the Maples I got from Tom was a air-layer from a Trident Maple growing in the back. I think he said that's where most his Maples came from, was told it was 20 yrs. old (that may be a completely different discussion,ha) but if he's asking $150 for it, that $7.50 a year for watering,fertilizing,re-potting,shaping,just general caring for, that seems like a real bargain to me. But then again I don't really have ANYTHING around here to compare it to. Not kidding, if I go to a local nursery and ask if they have a concave cutter, they walk me over to the hedge cutting tools.

Robert

yeah... im pretty sure we're in the worst place for bonsai...
I work at Meyer Landscape in Moline, so fortunately i can get my hands on some plants every now and then. i go to school in bloomington/normal and there is a small shop down there (Ed's Twincities Bonsai) he hasn't got any of his outdoor stock in yet, so im curious to see what he'll have... otherwise the next closest thing is chicago or st. lous (cass bonsai nursery)

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

You might try Wallace's on Devil's Glen in B'dorf? They're not a bonsai nursery, but might have a small section.

Also, DaSu Bonsai, just south of Ames, IA is worth the drive, just be sure Dave is going to be around before you go. (www.bonsaitrees.com). He is a great potter, and a good-sized selection of trees, but it's one of those places you really have to dig through.

I think QC has a bonsai club, but you might have to call the QC Botanical center to get a contact.

Born and raised in Waterloo and QC, and you're right...not much bonsai!

 

[Roberts]

Yeah I saw that big Boxwood you traded him. [/QUOTE

Actually it was a Ilex Shillings. Have you been to Dori's Bonsai in Cottondale? Its about 60 mi. north of Panama City. They were interested in the Shillings but liked Toms stuff and prices. Dori's got some interesting trees.

You might try Wallace's on Devil's Glen in B'dorf? They're not a bonsai nursery, but might have a small section.

Also, DaSu Bonsai, just south of Ames, IA is worth the drive, just be sure Dave is going to be around before you go. (www.bonsaitrees.com). He is a great potter, and a good-sized selection of trees, but it's one of those places you really have to dig through.

I think QC has a bonsai club, but you might have to call the QC Botanical center to get a contact.

Born and raised in Waterloo and QC, and you're right...not much bonsai!

Ha, was wondering how you knew of Wallace's. They don't have much now, some 6" six dollar pots and some twenty dollar tropical bonsai is about it. Never been to DaSu's but have bought some of his eggshell type pots from them at the Chicago show, nice pots. Did go to a QC Bonsai Club tree auction meeting a few years ago that they advertised in the paper, don't want to say anything negative, could have just been "that" meeting but never cared to go to another.

Roelex14 ;
Hey, I stop at Meyer's now and then and scrounge around looking for good "trunks"

Robert

 

[roelex14]

You go to sales yard in Moline right?
Next time you're there ask for Aaron

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Ha, was wondering how you knew of Wallace's.

Because it's next to Whitey's...the best malts on the PLANET!

 

[Bill S]

Because it's next to Whitey's...the best malts on the PLANET!

Malt?? I have heard of em but never had the pleasure. Is this a southern thing????

It's ok Harry, I've tried that kind.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Malt?? I have heard of em but never had the pleasure. Is this a southern thing????

It's ok Harry, I've tried that kind.

Whitey's is a local Ice Cream Shop...malts, shakes...etc...fat-kid snacks! Not bonsai-related, unless you count it as nutrition to keep you digging, cutting, wiring!!

 

[jk_lewis]

Malt = malted milkshake. You used to get them all over America at the "soda counter" at the local 5 and 10 cent store. They (soda counters, 5 and dimes, and malts) are allmost extinct now that most of us refuse to wait while our drinks are prepared. At least they're an endangered species.

 

[Roberts]

update on the alzaea

Hi, just thought I'd post on how the Azalea doing.

As suggested I re-potted into a swallow pot using Kamuma soil. Seems like the tree is doing well in it. Did not do much root trimming (just a couple that were dangling long) and my soil mix was about 70% Kamuma 30% truface with a little white sphagnum. Next re-pot think will just use 100% Kamuma. I left a couple flower buds on just to see what they were and did very little trimming mostly just to reduce the stems from 5 down to two.

Thanks for everyones help, sure appreciated it.

Robert

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Well-done Robert, it's looking very healthy!

Nice looking bark on that pine off to the left...how about a look at that guy?

 

[noissee]

I like the shape that the Azalea is in right now. I think if you just keep refining the foliage a bonsai will just jump right out of it.
That pine does look nice. This post makes me miss some of my trees. I just moved to Birmingham, and I had to leave some of them at my mom's place in FL. My pines and azalea were among the left.
Brian, do you attend the bonsai club that meets at the botanical gardens?

 

[Concorde]

Very nice

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Brian, do you attend the bonsai club that meets at the botanical gardens?

I do. Welcome to B'ham! PM me if you want info on the club, would be great to have you join.

 

[Roberts]

Well-done Robert, it's looking very healthy!

Nice looking bark on that pine off to the left...how about a look at that guy?

Thanks Brian, I have one other Azalea I potted up with the Kamuma and it is doing very well too, so guess I'm sold on the Kamuma.

The Black Pine I just pick up this year. I'm also new to pines. I have a couple nursery pines (five needle white and a Scot's) that I got couple years ago to learn (practice) on. I did order Boon's Black Pine video's, but only had time to watch one segment so far. Looks like nice video's with easy to understand techniques and how to's.

The story I got on the Pine is it's an imported tree from Japan, collected in the mountains about
12 yrs. ago.

Thanks, Robert

PS: had a Chocolate / marshmallow malt from Whitey's the other night

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice!!!!! LOVE that bark. Thanks for sharing!


Sure do miss those Whitey's malts...Butterfinger was always my choice there!

 

[davetree]

Nice pine ! I have one that looks a lot like it. Can I ask what you paid for it ?

 

[shohin kid]

Hi, just thought I'd post on how the Azalea doing.

As suggested I re-potted into a swallow pot using Kamuma soil. Seems like the tree is doing well in it. Did not do much root trimming (just a couple that were dangling long) and my soil mix was about 70% Kamuma 30% truface with a little white sphagnum. Next re-pot think will just use 100% Kamuma. I left a couple flower buds on just to see what they were and did very little trimming mostly just to reduce the stems from 5 down to two.

Thanks for everyones help, sure appreciated it.

Robert

I would suggest next repot to put it into a deeper training pot. The height of the current pot looks good if it was going into a show, but to develop the tree faster I suggest a deeper pot. (I have made this mistake many times). Also satsuki's appreciate the extra leg room! And I think 100% kanuma would also be a good choice.