How does one start a Shito Bonsai?
- Thread starter drewtoby
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Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Chop lower...
quietobserver
Omono
jk_lewis
Masterpiece
Shito bonsai are ephemeral -- almost always little more than seedlings put into a pot for a specific show. They then are repotted and grown to grow up into mame, or shohin bonsai and a new crop of shito is begun for the coming years.
Herb Gustafson's "Miniature Bonsai" discusses them. If you can find Zeko Nakamura's "Bonsai Miniatures" (LONG out of print!), there are many there. And, Lisa Tajima's quirky "Pop Bonsai" is mostly about the tiniest trees.
Fun, but keeping them alive is a lot of work.
Herb Gustafson's "Miniature Bonsai" discusses them. If you can find Zeko Nakamura's "Bonsai Miniatures" (LONG out of print!), there are many there. And, Lisa Tajima's quirky "Pop Bonsai" is mostly about the tiniest trees.
Fun, but keeping them alive is a lot of work.
Not the best example but after 5 years, it's still alive! 
Eric
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?2749-super-mini
Eric
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?2749-super-mini
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jk_lewis
Masterpiece
Nice little guy!
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
What's it planted in? Almost looks like an acorn?
Not the best example but after 5 years, it's still alive!
Eric
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?2749-super-mini
Ah, little jades! I should have mentioned that I'm a bit better with succulents than ficus. I Just potted these year old leaf cuttings yesterday. The one on the right I have already gotten to stand straight up, while the one on the left I think looks a bit better with some curve. I just removed the lower leaves not too long ago, so it will take a while for a caudex to form.
Do you guys have desert roses as well? Although I'm growing seedlings in a south facing window their growth was way too long without branching out (cloudy Ohio winter). I cut the growth back, and although I lost a few the survivors will be growing new shoots soon. I'll keep them outside and they will hopefully look good in a few years time.
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Mad Tabby
Yamadori
Yes I realize this is a 10 year old post, but I have questions.
If the shito bonsais are basically seedlings how do they look mature? Do they look mature? I mean it may very well be that the internet lies to me, but a lot of the smaller ones seem to have well defined trunks. Not something you see in a seedling.
I've seen both. There's the shito thats basically a seedling and used for presentations and those that look mature. I forgot who, but someone on BNut has an awesome little Chinese Elm that may be shito.
Mad Tabby
Yamadori
I will look for it. If I want to go shito, what should I look for in the plant species? Fast/slow growth? Common potted plant? Smaller species to begin with?
Not sure how to link the thread, but it's from Marco B and called "I got a small one". Really tiny trees are not really my thing, but I would pick something that naturally has tiny leaves and petioles and tight internodes. Chinese and seiju elms seem like good options for broad leafed trees. Check out Marco's thread, I think you'll like it.
Mad Tabby
Yamadori
Thanks, will look it up. I’ve got big plans & little plans and a bunch of seeds with no plans. The biggest I’m planning will be around 6’ when done, but the goal is a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, so it will be pretty much folded in half. I think the ponderosa will be perfect for that. It follows their natural 90% nekkid with tufts of needles at the end.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Shito can require a lot of care and attention to detail. Since they're so small, their pots are tiny. They dry out quickly, have little room for error in soil, day-to-day care and pruning. They're not easy and they can be time consuming, requiring watering three four times a day. Some growers keep them in trays with sand and buy the pots to the rim to minimize evaporation from the pots. I say all this mostly from second hand observation, although I do have a 4 inch kingsville boxwood in a 4" by 1" deep pot. The other thing is that there is very little to work with design wise.
Yamabudoudanshi
Shohin
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His trees in development are mostly grown in coffee creamer cups.
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