New to Bonsai - Looking for a Bonsai Mentor/Buddy - SE-PA

[Angrycat09]

Hello BonsaiNut Forums!

Hopefully this is not against any rules of posting. I am super new to bonsai, but i am super eager to learn!

I have searched many different forums and other informative bonsai sources, however I keep struggling with the variability that both geographical locations along with specific tree type changes the outcome of the potential answer. I have many questions beginner questions that can probably be answered in ~10 minutes by someone who knows what they are doing!

I am located in the Greater Philadelphia Suburbs (Zone 7A) with 3 Pre-Bonsai trees; 2 deciduous and 1 conifer.

The main questions I am interested in getting answered are mostly around the following:

• All trees:
  • winter storage for all 3 trees,
• 2 Newly acquired Seedlings (obtained in the past 2 weeks)
  • best growth substrate options
  • best potting options

Thank you in advanced for your help and time!

Angrycat09

 

[August44]

Hello BonsaiNut Forums!

Hopefully this is not against any rules of posting. I am super new to bonsai, but i am super eager to learn!

I have searched many different forums and other informative bonsai sources, however I keep struggling with the variability that both geographical locations along with specific tree type changes the outcome of the potential answer. I have many questions beginner questions that can probably be answered in ~10 minutes by someone who knows what they are doing!

I am located in the Greater Philadelphia Suburbs (Zone 7A) with 3 Pre-Bonsai trees; 2 deciduous and 1 conifer.

The main questions I am interested in getting answered are mostly around the following:

• All trees:
  • winter storage for all 3 trees,
• 2 Newly acquired Seedlings (obtained in the past 2 weeks)
  • best growth substrate options
  • best potting options

Thank you in advanced for your help and time!

Angrycat09

Start out with what kind of tree and in what type of pot. Same with seedlings. Welcome to a good bunch of people IMO.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Photos... you are USDA 7b.

What species?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Awesome!

Welcome Aboard to Boansi Nut! There are lots of great folks here working to help others get better at bonsai and discuss all kinds of techniques… all across the world. The is a worldwide forum, our members ca be spread out. Dont know any Philly folks off had, yet that doesn’t mean there aren’t any.

But here’s some info to help answer your questions.

Winter storage. It helps to post images and tell species, age of trees, type of recent work done the will be wintered over. There’s a big difference between a Spruce and a Chilean Myrtle in winter technique.

Here’s a link to go to the page where one downloads the ‘Wintering over bonsai’ resource - doen’t be put that the title mentions azalea as a focus. Winter over concepts are the same for all species. Level of protection is the difference and this depends on health, species, age, amount of work done etc etc etc… check out the Case studies which show different storage methods.

Buddying up? The very best bet is to get in a local club.

A link connect with the Philadelphia Bonsai Society. Go to workshops and meetings and get to know their members. Often a good wat to meet friends to buddy up with. (Pro tip: asking more knowledgeable members if they need help and doing so is a great way to learn and network.)

Also there is a shop called Kifu Bonsai in East Greenville,PA. Might want to go and meet Bob Mahler or give him and call and see if he will connect you up. Likely as bonsai folks are pretty friendly

Use the search function (upper right hand corner of the page: to find threads of interest to you.

Hope this helps get you started!

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Angrycat09]

Start out with what kind of tree and in what type of pot. Same with seedlings. Welcome to a good bunch of people IMO.

Thanks for the reply!

Current Tree selection:

• ~1.5/2 year JBP in a 4” plastic nursery pot, standard potting soil. This tree basically arrived as bare root, so no good root structure established yet.
• ~1.5/2 year Japanese Cherry Blossom in a 4” plastic nursery pot, standard potting soil.
• ~4 year old Trident Maple Bunch (6 trees total) in a 1 gallon pot with Bonsai Substrate.

I know none of these are ready to move into a bonsai training pot, but I would assume the next move would be into a bigger gallon pot with standard substrate in the spring?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Great!

Please briefly describe the space you would have to store the trees…. Yard, balcony, garage, commons etc…

cheers
DSD sends

 

[brentwood]

Looking for local knowledge? If you're se Pennsylvania, I would track down Jim Doyle and/or Chase Rosade - both relatively close, very knowledgeable. Chase is probably scaling back, been practicing since the 70s, Jim still going strong.
I believe Jim's garden is called nature's way, forget Chase's.

Good luck!
B

 

[Angrycat09]

Great!

Please briefly describe the space you would have to store the trees…. Yard, balcony, garage, commons etc…

cheers
DSD sends

So, I have few options for winter storage.

1. Non-heated attached garage
2. Non-insulated closet in my basement with a standard basement 1/4 window against the concrete foundation. Gets cold, but not sure if cold enough.
3. Outside deck in backyard. ~3 feet off ground.
4. Eastern facing back yard. Good morning and noon sun… as good as winter can get

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

So, I have few options for winter storage.

1. Non-heated attached garage
2. Non-insulated closet in my basement with a standard basement 1/4 window against the concrete foundation. Gets cold, but not sure if cold enough.
3. Outside deck in backyard. ~3 feet off ground.
4. Eastern facing back yard. Good morning and noon sun… as good as winter can get

Nice! All the trees are hardy, except the trident doesnt like freeze thaw freeze on its roots. But all need a bit of protection due to: age, bare root for one, bonsai soil for another and plastic pots all around.

Digging these in the ground on the north side of the house, in a landscape bed near the house if possible. Only if drainage is good, and mulching on top,

……alternatively simply mulching these in all around ought to work well for root protection and slow the freeze thaw cycles.

Ensure the trees are shielded from wind and critters. Monitor need for moisture. Water before freezing weather.

Under the deck also might be a great place, given other items are followed. ( Might not need north side then if sun shield by deck.)

Hope this is clear?

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Cmd5235]

Welcome! I am also from SE PA, so it's good to see others in the area coming on board.

I would second joining a club- I joined Brandywine Bonsai this past year, and will be putting in my application for the PA Bonsai Society soon.

In the meantime, pore over this forum. Search your species, search the guides (especially for beginners and understanding how to overcome the frustrations of this art), search the style you have planned out. Look, read, and read some more- there is so much good info on here that will help you to get through the first few years and really enjoy bonsai.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Potting soil as a standard mix will be water retentive.... I would watch for periods of endless rain.. maybe put some form of water protection to prevent overly saturated soil and root rot. Unheated garage sounds promising if the temps stay regulated between 35 and 40 degrees, for example. This would be ideal, really. You would need to occasionally water. I am in central NJ which is pretty much the same as you. My winter setup is trees on the ground under my benches and surrounded with mulch for hardy species. Tridents, JBP... I would probably take care to bring those into the garage in situations where temps are going to dive below 30deg for multiple days. Not sure about the cherry... I have regular native cherry's and they do fine outside with little protection but if I had a particularly sensitive specimen or compromised specimen, I would probably not let it get below freezing or above 40Deg.

I second visiting Natures Way and Kifu. Bob Mahler is great.