Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Not my fault tee hee hee. I try to put meaningful posts where I am doing something that I think it might be useful for others to know, but I often can't resist making fun posts.
Nothing teaches you quicker than
- Thread starter dancing with butterflies
- Start date
Viggoman
Seedling
I learnt pretty quick that more fertilizer isn't always better...
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I've seen this too over the last few years.
It's unfortunate. All are less active for different reasons. Some have left this earth.
Most of my trees have been in a holding pattern the last few years for a few reasons I would rather not divulge. Nothing to update on most of them. Some have been downright neglected and it shows. I'm trying to get them back on track and hopefully be able to contribute more again but it will take time.
I am also guilty of making fun comments here and there given the community and camaraderie we have here
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Of course, we all do. However I see a shift in the general quality of posts. A little sad. I was active on other fora before I found bonsainut, and all these were just the blind leading the blind. I am concerned bonsainut is slowly sinking in that direction too.
BonsaiManic
Shohin
All the more reason for experts like yourself to post educational, helpful, and productive content. You have one of the most helpful and informative channels on YT, but this format allows almost direct interaction with artists like @Bonsai Nut, @Paradox, @Shibui, and so many others. So please don't give up on us noobs. We're learning the art, and at the same time, learning to navigate the site and the community that thrives here.
eugenev2
Shohin
A couple of things here tho on your and @leatherback comments, yes true it is partially a internet joke of sorts and never i mean NEVER a nice feeling...it breaks my heart even to see seedlings die even if they just popped up, but there is also truth to it, its one of those things...at some point or another, you will have killed a tree it's just a matter of when, you cannot apply techniques without failing once in a while, but learning bonsai is essentially not letting that happen again. Case in point, my first stint of bonsai i had about 15 trees, did it for about 5 years...killed all of them, i was completely disheartened with bonsai and stopped completely. Covid came and provided me with the opportunity to try again, but my mission this time round was to not let a single tree die... a mission which has been so successful that i'm starting to think i'm not aggressive enough in my approaches...mostly because a number of people in the below are like i will only cut 30 to 50% of the roots off...and then commences by cutting what looks like 80 to 90% of the roots off.
Remember that we can look at YT videos of all day long and see how Jelle, Xavier, Peter chan, Eric, Ryan, Bjorn, Tony (RIP) hack at trees (cannot really say nigel...he's generally more conservative to his trees in comparison) but without attempting it ourselves, we don't know how much roots we can cut, we don't know that cutting everything off the top of some trees are a bad thing, we don't know the after care required and all of this is so much dependent on climate...
Also...you will always have a influx of beginners vs experts, as in all things it takes over 10 000 hours to become a expert, ie much harder to become an expert. Unfortunately beginners will bring down the average quality of posts, but it's the job of the experts to pick up the slack until we...who stay can catch up
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namnhi
Masterpiece
Uncle, Don't forget to add 250 more when you selling that tree. If multiple trees then just divide it up.A fawkin' speeding ticket from being in a rush after digging up a tree! I have known that speed trap for years. Just plumb forgot about it while in a rush.
Back to the question: Immediate substantial loss after a stupid act.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Hm. I think I take offense there, thank you very much.
Pretty much all that I show is with consideration & forethought.
No hacking involved.
eugenev2
Shohin
eugenev2
Shohin
Looks like some hacking happened here
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Popo surcharge huh? That tree is a keeper, however.Uncle, Don't forget to add 250 more when you selling that tree. If multiple trees then just divide it up.
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
It 100 % is. The old heads with decades of experience and nice trees are long gone or hardly posting. Some are just busy doing other things as well. There is a lack of good content here in my eyes with the exception of a few members posting progressions, providing info and working nice material. I don't come here for celebrating sticks in pots and piss poor garden center material. That combined with noobs who want an attaboy instead of good advice have lead to me engaging less and less. I'm far far far from an expert but i've been at it long enough to know some things.
When i was first starting out i posted a trident maple i was overjoyed to have got my hands on. Smoke quickly told me why it wasn't good material. Was he wrong, no! Did it sting a little bit? sure did! Did i learn from it? absolutely! I find folks here don't wanna hear the truth to make better trees and just want feel good comments and likes.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Guess you have no clue how to handle roots and how to build rootballs. Sadly, because in that video you can actually see how this is done. Not a single root older than 2 years was cut in that repotting. No hacking taking place. Just so you can straight away jump to your concerns;Looks like some hacking happened here
Your argumentation here is actually confirming my earlier voiced concerns that the site is disbalanced, slowly starting to lack a little knowledge.
I do understand why you have troubles at club meetings now.
[out]
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Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I gotta agree with Jelle here. While I myself am a hack, Jelle is not. He is methodical in his approach. I learn quite a bit from Jelle’s posts and videos.
eugenev2
Shohin
100% correct, exactly why i watched videos such as the above and why i'm on this site to learn how to do it properly. I know "hack at roots" was a strong word, sorry that i offended you, but your comments can also be seen as offensive to this poor guy who just wanted to have a bit of fun (even if it's a troll for likes) the issue is, if people who have done this for years, forget how it was to be a beginner and how it would appear to a novice. But there is also no point in scaring off new people...as by people's own recognitions, the old guard is slowly disappearing and if you don't nurture the future how will the hobby grow? and if bonsai thought me one thing, its that anything that doesn't grow...eventually dies off
BonsaiManic
Shohin
I don't disagree with you, although it is a blanket statement. It is people like you who we need here. People with experience and patience - with trees as well as with unlearned and zealous beginners. I haven't received what I consider harsh advice, but I've been told in an honest and blunt way how my ignorant mistakes killed a tree with great potential. Sure, the likes don't hurt my feelings, but neither does the truth. I take exception to this part, and hope I am around long enough that I am able to one day give my own sound advice in order to grow this art in the same way you have aspired.
pandacular
Masterpiece
I think perhaps the distinction however--and it's a place where I am very lucky--is that I am surrounded by high caliber teachers I can work with in person. These people can point out how my trees, goals, or material conditions are different than those examples. I don't need to know how many roots to cut off, because there are a few dozen people in the club who can walk me through it, not to mention half a dozen professional teachers I can consult with. There is truth to the need for experiment, but I reject absolutely that that experimentation must be entirely individual. Learn from others, save a tree.
BonsaiManic
Shohin
Agreed. And as I live in an extremely isolated (large-ish) town, this forum is personally my best way to interact with bonsai folk who know A LOT more than I do. The nearest club to me is a 300 mile drive through the desert. In my current situation, being that far away from certain relatives is not a valid option for more than a few hours most of the time. So, for now at least, you all are my bonsai club. Maybe once I become proficient in the science and figure out how to merge the science and the art, I can start generating some local interest to start a club. Then maybe we can invite some professionals to do workshops.
potatofarmer
Mame
well i came here because reddit is a shithole.
despise that garbage site.
despise that garbage site.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I can understand where @leatherback and @Nybonsai12 are coming from.
From the perspective of people just wanting attaboys and likes, unfortunately social media and the practice of everyone gets a participation prize has made people unable to accept criticism gracefully.
If you want to learn, you have to be able to accept criticism. However I do agree that there have been people in the past that have been rather blunt but its not meant to be mean and its not personal.
We are all mostly adults here and should be able handle it.
I feel that the ones that want just a pat on the back and to be told "Good Job" are the exception and not the rule. I think most of the newer folks here that stick around more than a few posts are genuinely here to learn and advance in the hobby.
Its a shame that some of the more experienced folks have become less active.
I totally want to help newer people as I do believe that to continue to see this hobby flourish, we need new people.
I totally agree that all of us were new at one point and we all had sticks in pots and sub-par material.
However when most of the posts are "what do I do with this stick in a pot", it can get a little discouraging for us more advanced folks.
I have more than 10 years under my belt growing bonsai BUT I am far from being an expert. I still have more to learn as well.
The loss of those more advanced folks means there is not much substance here for more advanced folks to learn from at times and that can cause people to lose interest and begin to wonder why they spend so much time here. I know it might sound selfish to say that, but its true. We are all here to learn and advance in the hobby whether we are a beginner or someone with years of experience.
The thing is you never know what you might learn. I might learn something about a species I haven't tried from a newer person or they might have seen or heard about something I haven't simply because they might have read something or been to a bonsai show I didnt get to.
From the perspective of people just wanting attaboys and likes, unfortunately social media and the practice of everyone gets a participation prize has made people unable to accept criticism gracefully.
If you want to learn, you have to be able to accept criticism. However I do agree that there have been people in the past that have been rather blunt but its not meant to be mean and its not personal.
We are all mostly adults here and should be able handle it.
I feel that the ones that want just a pat on the back and to be told "Good Job" are the exception and not the rule. I think most of the newer folks here that stick around more than a few posts are genuinely here to learn and advance in the hobby.
Its a shame that some of the more experienced folks have become less active.
I totally want to help newer people as I do believe that to continue to see this hobby flourish, we need new people.
I totally agree that all of us were new at one point and we all had sticks in pots and sub-par material.
However when most of the posts are "what do I do with this stick in a pot", it can get a little discouraging for us more advanced folks.
I have more than 10 years under my belt growing bonsai BUT I am far from being an expert. I still have more to learn as well.
The loss of those more advanced folks means there is not much substance here for more advanced folks to learn from at times and that can cause people to lose interest and begin to wonder why they spend so much time here. I know it might sound selfish to say that, but its true. We are all here to learn and advance in the hobby whether we are a beginner or someone with years of experience.
The thing is you never know what you might learn. I might learn something about a species I haven't tried from a newer person or they might have seen or heard about something I haven't simply because they might have read something or been to a bonsai show I didnt get to.
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