My Tiniest tree, What are you trying that's new??
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Ruben Bouwmeester
Chumono
love those little ones.
BunjaeKorea
Omono
Nice one....Shimpaku?
On a side note are you Dutch?
Ruben Bouwmeester
Chumono
Double yes. should i say Hi too Guus Hiddink?
BunjaeKorea
Omono
Nee, Nee. Hij wil niets met mij te maken hebben. HehehheDouble yes. should i say Hi too Guus Hiddink?
Ruben Bouwmeester
Chumono
Hahahahhaahaaa, now i see. (It ain't much if it ain't Dutch.) Where are you in Korea?
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Sjieke plantjes heren!
What kind of soil mixes do you use for plants this size? The same as in larger pots or something different?
What kind of soil mixes do you use for plants this size? The same as in larger pots or something different?
JoeR
Masterpiece
You know, I wonder about the longevity of mame. I never see any posted here and I can’t recall someone ever posting one they’ve had for years, so I’m curious about keeping mame in perpetuity.
Regardless I have quite a few little projects going. Here’s a nice Vitex mame I just potted today.
Regardless I have quite a few little projects going. Here’s a nice Vitex mame I just potted today.
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0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
I've got a Douglas fir mame, 4 years now - I made a thread about these babies.
I've also contribute pix of multi-year old horse chestnut and Norway maple mame to other BNut threads that are still going strong.
Through out my bonsai adventure I've collected seedling volunteers found in the landscape around my house. Early on I wanted to grow everything into big trees. I had a disdain for little sissy trees. But, within the last 5 years have I 'discovered' that many species have some interesting horticultural characteristics when kept small from seed that don't seem to exist when cut down from big. Repotting is just like the process for bigger trees, just on a small scale.
I live in what is generally a rainy climate. Through the years, the #1 killer of my sticks in pots, has been neglecting to water on those occasional strings of a few dry sunny days during the winter. The same is true for my little guys.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Very nice Vitex. Well done
About longevity, mame, at least in theory could live as long as any of the larger bonsai trees.
BUT
trees in tiny pots often get killed by the owner being just an hour or two late in getting the trees watered. Stuff happens, tiny trees in tiny pots have no reserves to bring them through accidents. This increased sensitivity means that it is a much lower probability event to have a tiny tree get to great age. Somebody will goof up and not get water to it in time. Extremely small bonsai bonsai are an order of magnitude more demanding of consistent care than larger trees. But if you can do it, you are good. I wager 3 day weekend trips for the owners have killed many a mame sized bonsai.
Also there is the problem that revolves around the tree needing to grow in order to stay healthy. Eventually the trunk and the branches will get too thick to keep it as mame. Eventually it will slowly become shohin, and then possibly larger sizes.
However, if one avoids the accidents, and is skilled at allowing the tree to grow just enough to keep it healthy, there is no limit to how long a mame bonsai will last.
JosephCooper
Shohin
So how do you keep a tree smaller than a seedling would be??
CamdenJim
Shohin
Oh, my. "Palm-sized" indeed!So how do you keep a tree smaller than a seedling would be??
BunjaeKorea
Omono
Suwon here near Seoul.
To answer rhe others questions....based on horticultural rules I just use the same as I use for my other larger trees.....but you need to water like crazy....
For summer I recommend a humidity tray.....you can half bury the pot too especially in summer......
A humidity tray is a must for mame in hot climates.....in cooler European countries a slightly shadier spot may suffice
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I have a theory where humidity trays kill Mame.
In that the roots we are trying to build in the pot, small feeders, same as everything else, to make these sustainable, and once a day waterees like everything else....
Those roots never grow in the pot.
If allowed to grow elsewhere, especially outside of waterlogged smaller particles, they will.
That leaves us with a tree in a pot with no roots which if doesn't lead to death, it surely is not sustainable to display outside of the tray.
Further....I'm no Scientist...but the water table exists...
Yet 90% of mame we see are in pots either in a tall old cascade style ...
Or a pot with equal width and height.
Is that not essentially cutting the evenly moist sweet zone of the pot in half or more?
Seems for something so lacking for root space already, this giant problem for large trees....is severely exacerbated with MAME.
I feel as if we have been looking at tiny trees jammed into shitty pots, like we have had our tiny heads jammed up our shitty asses.
A lot of people use automatic watering systems cuz they MUST.
A MAME guy just has to make sure his system can run a couple more cycles in a day.
Done.
Small, perfectly round Pumice....
Sorce
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
I have some very tiny pots that I'm gonna play with this year...
P. Afra is probably a good candidate for the super tiny pots...
P. Afra is probably a good candidate for the super tiny pots...
JoeR
Masterpiece
Hmm. Sounds like you should be making some perfectly engineered mame pots to me! Show em’ how it’s done.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
These make more sense to me.
And though it is not full on top or bottom to more quickly dry out the pot..this Summer hacked and potted box never needed more than before and after work hand watering. In a great shaped tiny IKer...
Resorce.
It is Highly important to note Moss as a tool, and a very necessary part if this equation.
Not only does it keep water in the pot....
But it also draws water up with capillary action and life for evaporation.
With a thousand it depends'...
I haven't figured it out fully, but its a balance between pot shape and construction, soil, and appropriate mossing that leads to humidity trayless success....
...ie, smaller drain holes, a little dip around the inside edge like my Lubos pot that holds extra water...soil as close to perfectly round small pumice as possible..and the appropriate moss to wick water thru the soil evenly through a hot day....
Sorce
atlarsenal
Omono
My latest.
BunjaeKorea
Omono
You are correct ....that is why the pot should not be buried too deeply. Also I add holes to drain access liquids and keep a low water table. The main idea is to stop the pot drying out too quickly.....and make a more humid atmosphere....
I also keep them under reed shades which allows partial full day sun but helps to trap moisture.
I agree with the pot shape.....it seems important and I have been using the moss concept too......take it off for winter though
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