Ideas / Suggestions welcome :) - blueberry

[M. Frary]

I like a good Blueberry pie.

 

[Bavarian Raven]

I like a good Blueberry pie.

Gotta have blue berry pie

 

[eferguson1974]

I like a good Blueberry pie.

With berries from bonsais.

 

[Solange]

Cheers to leo for laying down the knowledge. wow!

 

[sorce]

@Bavarian Raven

I've followed.

What I gather......

Somewhere, at some time....
This particular bush became the one you chose to "bonsai".

I've read in this thread....that you have access to more....
And that they transplant well....

So.....

I wonder why we are talking about styling this one!

IMO....it doesn't have to be THAT one you style.

I believe you can and should find a better one!

Sorce

 

[ghues]

Hey BR, welcome to the addiction from a fellow PNW'er. I have many vacciniums but they are small and used as accents. We have many native species that make fine Bonsai, so I'd recommend that you join a local club and start sourcing shore pines, mountain hemlocks etc
Cheers Graham

 

[Bavarian Raven]

Hey BR, welcome to the addiction from a fellow PNW'er. I have many vacciniums but they are small and used as accents. We have many native species that make fine Bonsai, so I'd recommend that you join a local club and start sourcing shore pines, mountain hemlocks etc
Cheers Graham

There are no local clubs "close" to where I live (the nearest being south surrey or victoria).

That being said I have my eyes on some nice mtn hemlocks not too far from where I live (waiting for the snow to melt though lol), but I am trying to figure out how to get a permit to collect plants legally off of crown land. Having talked to others I know that you do need a permit and that they do exist, but the ministry begs to differ and just says you aren't allowed to collect. Period. :S Oh the joys of bureaucracy... :/

 

[MrJesseStrong]

There are no local clubs "close" to where I live (the nearest being south surrey or victoria).

That being said I have my eyes on some nice mtn hemlocks not too far from where I live (waiting for the snow to melt though lol), but I am trying to figure out how to get a permit to collect plants legally off of crown land. Having talked to others I know that you do need a permit and that they do exist, but the ministry begs to differ and just says you aren't allowed to collect. Period. :S Oh the joys of bureaucracy... :/

Obviously it's been a while since you posted this. Just curious to know if you ever settled into a club? I've been involved with the BC Bonsai Society for a while now. We meet in the White Rock area but have members from all over the lower mainland. I hope you've found something by now, but if not I'd consider making the drive once a month to our meetings. It's a fairly large, diverse group of people with a solid core of experienced practitioners along with people of all levels of experience.

 

[Lazylightningny]

I've had a few pre-bonsai blueberries. In my experience, the trunks thicken up very slowly, so choose one that has a thick trunk already. The canes are annoying, but I just keep them trimmed. I remove flowers in the spring to keep energy in leaf and branch production. I have killed one by overzealous pruning, and one newly bare rooted in too-hot sun. I have one at this point that was bare rooted this August and is doing quite well. It will get pruned this spring as the buds begin to elongate. I have it in half pine bark/half lava and pumice. I'm trying to find a substance that I can leave on the surface of the soil that will slightly acidify it each time I water.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I've had a few pre-bonsai blueberries. In my experience, the trunks thicken up very slowly, so choose one that has a thick trunk already.

True, they do thicken slowly.

The canes are annoying, but I just keep them trimmed. I remove flowers in the spring to keep energy in leaf and branch production.

I assume by canes you mean the new shoots coming up from the roots, it is good to get rid of these.

Personally the whole point of using blueberries for bonsai is the flowers and fruit. Unless a plant was on the brink of death I would never prune all the flowers off, keep at least a few, and even let a few berries develop. Otherwise you might as well raise boxwood.

I have it in half pine bark/half lava and pumice. I'm trying to find a substance that I can leave on the surface of the soil that will slightly acidify it each time I water.

Top dress your potting mix with "Elemental Sulfur" also sold as "Sulfur", You will find it in larger Feed & Seed shops, Farm Stores, more complete nurseries or garden centers where they cater to home vegetable growers and home organic growers. Sulfur is sold for two purposes. One is to be used as a spray fungicide, this product is ground very fine, flour like powder. The second is as a soil amendment to acidify your soil, the soil amendment form is ground a bit more coarse, like fine sand size grains. THe soil amendment form will dissolve slowly over the course of a year. Roughly one tablespoon (15 ml by volume) per gallon of potting media (roughly 4 liters of potting media). Top dress once a year for the soil amendment grind of sulfur.

If you can't find the soil amendment grind of sulfur, you can use the finer flour like grind of sulfur, but it will only last about 4 months. You need to reapply. Use one teaspoon of fine grind sulfur per gallon of media 3 times per year for the finer grind. (5 ml/4 liters)

 

[Lazylightningny]

True, they do thicken slowly.

I assume by canes you mean the new shoots coming up from the roots, it is good to get rid of these.

Personally the whole point of using blueberries for bonsai is the flowers and fruit. Unless a plant was on the brink of death I would never prune all the flowers off, keep at least a few, and even let a few berries develop. Otherwise you might as well raise boxwood.

Top dress your potting mix with "Elemental Sulfur" also sold as "Sulfur", You will find it in larger Feed & Seed shops, Farm Stores, more complete nurseries or garden centers where they cater to home vegetable growers and home organic growers. Sulfur is sold for two purposes. One is to be used as a spray fungicide, this product is ground very fine, flour like powder. The second is as a soil amendment to acidify your soil, the soil amendment form is ground a bit more coarse, like fine sand size grains. THe soil amendment form will dissolve slowly over the course of a year. Roughly one tablespoon (15 ml by volume) per gallon of potting media (roughly 4 liters of potting media). Top dress once a year for the soil amendment grind of sulfur.

If you can't find the soil amendment grind of sulfur, you can use the finer flour like grind of sulfur, but it will only last about 4 months. You need to reapply. Use one teaspoon of fine grind sulfur per gallon of media 3 times per year for the finer grind. (5 ml/4 liters)

Hi Leo, thanks for your input. Canes, yes, the shoots from the base. Since my blueberry is still developing, I'm removing the flowers. Once it gets more developed, I'm looking forward to flowers and fruit.

Thanks for the tip on the elemental sulfur. I'm sure I'll be able to find it on the internet. Good tip!