Smoke
Ignore-Amus
Don't worry about it Yenling. It's just Rick's way of being contemporary. I guess contemporary is a realitive term if you still listen to Cheech and Chong 8-tracks.
Your trees will be fine...don't sweat it.
When it rains for a long time?
- Thread starter yenling83
- Start date
Don't worry about it Yenling. It's just Rick's way of being contemporary. I guess contemporary is a realitive term if you still listen to Cheech and Chong 8-tracks.
Your trees will be fine...don't sweat it.
FrankP999
Shohin
What's wrong with 8-tracks? 
Frank
Frank
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
Nothing wrong with Cheech and Chong. Tokes....thats a different matter. Kinda falls into the same catagory as....dude....
Can we strike from the lexicon....
far out, groovey, cool, toke, dude, reefer, roach, happening, basicly and gnarly.
Here all this time I thought that was the vernacular you cats used on the west coast around the Cheeck & Chong era, I watched too many movies man.
Cheech: That's the biggest joint I've ever seen..Chong: Yeah man, my dog got in my stash man and I found this one in the yard man..
keep it green,
Harry
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rockm
Spuds Moyogi
...Dave...?
Bob
Mame
class? CLAAAaaasssss!
Rick, don't be such a hoser, eh?
Rick, don't be such a hoser, eh?
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the3rdon
Mame
As Harry said. I have found that my trees look great and react really well to a good 2 day rain. Lots of minerals in the rain water.
treebeard55
Chumono
We had a particularly wet summer, with unusually frequent rain. Most of my trees seemed to love it; none suffered.
But there are wetter climates. The ABS Journal carried an article a few years ago featuring the rain shelter that one bonsaiist used to protect his trees during "torrential downpours." Sorry, but I can't remember where he lives.
But there are wetter climates. The ABS Journal carried an article a few years ago featuring the rain shelter that one bonsaiist used to protect his trees during "torrential downpours." Sorry, but I can't remember where he lives.
Rick Moquin
Omono
I think he might have been worried more of the "torrential" aspect vice the 'wetness" aspect, washing the soil away, which happens even in my neck of the woods on occasion.
... which leads us to the chief reason why there isn't a secret "soil recipe" out there, although many would like to have "the".
Substrates need to be created and varied for individual trees and climates. Once the balance is achieved, outside of torrential downpours washing away the soil, over watering whether caused by watering or rain becomes a moot point IMO
treebeard55
Chumono
I don't remember now which "aspect" was the problem, but from the article it sounded like he sometimes got rains to compare with the rainy-season gully-washers I knew in western Ecuador as a boy. One well-thought feature: his little roof was easy-off-easy-on.
I'm coming to think that even the personality of the gardener needs to be considered: e.g., are you naturally well-scheduled, or is time likely to get away from you if you're not careful, as it is from me?
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Rick Moquin
Omono
Good question Steve. I'm not sure personality fits into the equation, lifestyle might.
I was working shifts in '08 and although available time was somewhat limited, the trees were never neglected so to speak. Wrt well-scheduled well I guess spending 30+ years in the military might have something to do with it. On the other hand...
If an individual has composed his substrate according to his schedule, his lifestyle, climate and individual tree uptake, over watering should never be a problem, nor a worry. Many folks look for the magic recipe, as we know it causes all kinds of debate and heated discussion. The reason as you know why there is no such things is because of the aforementioned criteria our substrate has to meet, and I might add, with materials readily available from individual areas.
That is why in many cases folks will state what components they use vice %, as these % once again vary along the bonsai bench to individual trees pot size etc... Pot size is something that is overlooked far too often IMO, and could cause more havoc than improper substrate composition.
To get back to the roof aspect, because of our substrate "looseness" torrential downpours will inevitably wash away a good portion of our soil if not all that is above the root pad leaving the roots exposed, an undesirable side effect indeed.
Getting back to the original question, bonsai teaches us patience and scheduling. They are indeed a "chore" so to speak, as you know timing is everything, especially when certain maintenance tasks require to be carried out. Although a couple of days may go by (because of schedule) before certain tasks are applied, a couple of weeks could prove detrimental in their developmental phases, not to mention the chance of createing great havoc on established trees.
So although I was pulling 60-72 hr weeks in '08 and worked every WE, the trees were never neglected. What was neglected is projects (household) that never got started until after I retired once again. Projects that were too large got put aside whilst others that could be completed within a reasonable time frame were carried out. Mind you when it comes to scheduling tasks, when it rains I am inside and when the weather is nice I am outside. Having said that, there is a gap in my progression photos. I have no data for '08 as that was dismissed as a daunting chore that could be dismissed from my busy schedule.
(no offense intended) Not knowing where the question was coming from Steve, it was hard to reply. However, I often hear folks ask where do I find time to do this or that, and I simply state, you make the time. I will concede however that some folks have a schedule that do not permit even 30 seconds of spare time. In that case they need to re-prioritize their lives, whilst others simply procrastinate.
The hustle and bustle of today's society is alarming. You can either jump on the band wagon or control its madness, I prefer the latter.
Annecdote:
I do not remember where I read the following but it was an interesting read into how life can run away on self destruct.
A well off loving family with a couple of children involved in many extra curricular activities, all of which they really wanted to do, had the parents running ragged, shuttling the kids to activities etc... The kids weren't thrilled either as little free time was "really" available. Although they enjoyed their activities etc... they felt empty and unfulfilled. I'm not sure how they got to the following, but it did occur. The family sat down and when asked what they wanted the most and the reply was 1hr of the day just to spend time together. Needless to say, the long and the short of that story was the kids gave up most of their activities in pursuit of quality time and all where better off for it.
There is always a trade off.
I agree with Rick (WRT) that personality has very little to do with tree maintenance and care. It has a great deal to do with the availability of time to deal with the "chores" necessary to produce a quality tree.
When I had my boat business I subscribed to amending the soil to buy me more time or to, if you will, make short cuts reducing the work load because of time constraints. What I found is that while my trees grew and were healthy, that the way they grew was less than ideal. Since I amended the soil to my needs instead of the trees needs, I lost some vigor and the tree did not grow optimally.
This was again proven out when I started my bonsai business and I switched back to the trees needs first and mine second. Meaning that I put the trees in a soil mix that was conducive to the tree's optimal growth. In turn my trees started growing at a faster rate and a new level of vigor.
Solution? There is a solution to life style choices as it pertains to making time. Unwavering commitment to your trees is a good starting spot. By this I mean , having the time to deal with the trees you have. If you can only offer care for a half hour each day, then you need to cut your collection to the number of trees that can be properly cared for in that time frame. Proper care being more than ferting and watering, its the attention to detail that makes a good bonsai and detail takes time.
When going through the 3 year Hoyoku coarse offered by Colin Lewis. His criteria for that coarse was that we were to only have 6 trees that we wanted to have as finished bonsai over that 3 year period. This he based on the amount of time an average person had to devote to a tree. Meaning he was stressing the trees needs before our own.
If you truly are honest with yourself and think about all the things it takes to produce a quality bonsai his method rings true. Is the time allowed in your day to day schedule true to your trees or self serving fulfilling your needs to grow plants. So the question is what is your commitment to produce a quality bonsai? Is quantity more important than quality? My feeling is that if you reward the tree with what it needs it will in turn reward you.
Ramblings of a caffeine deficient member.
I agree with Rick (WRT) that personality has very little to do with tree maintenance and care. It has a great deal to do with the availability of time to deal with the "chores" necessary to produce a quality tree.
When I had my boat business I subscribed to amending the soil to buy me more time or to, if you will, make short cuts reducing the work load because of time constraints. What I found is that while my trees grew and were healthy, that the way they grew was less than ideal. Since I amended the soil to my needs instead of the trees needs, I lost some vigor and the tree did not grow optimally.
This was again proven out when I started my bonsai business and I switched back to the trees needs first and mine second. Meaning that I put the trees in a soil mix that was conducive to the tree's optimal growth. In turn my trees started growing at a faster rate and a new level of vigor.
Solution? There is a solution to life style choices as it pertains to making time. Unwavering commitment to your trees is a good starting spot. By this I mean , having the time to deal with the trees you have. If you can only offer care for a half hour each day, then you need to cut your collection to the number of trees that can be properly cared for in that time frame. Proper care being more than ferting and watering, its the attention to detail that makes a good bonsai and detail takes time.
When going through the 3 year Hoyoku coarse offered by Colin Lewis. His criteria for that coarse was that we were to only have 6 trees that we wanted to have as finished bonsai over that 3 year period. This he based on the amount of time an average person had to devote to a tree. Meaning he was stressing the trees needs before our own.
If you truly are honest with yourself and think about all the things it takes to produce a quality bonsai his method rings true. Is the time allowed in your day to day schedule true to your trees or self serving fulfilling your needs to grow plants. So the question is what is your commitment to produce a quality bonsai? Is quantity more important than quality? My feeling is that if you reward the tree with what it needs it will in turn reward you.
Ramblings of a caffeine deficient member.
Rick Moquin
Omono
Your right on the money Tom and I'm glad you added to my reply. Albeit that I constructed my substrate commensurate with my climate and schedule, treee health was always at the forefront of its development. After five years it has come together quite nicely and only require the odd tweak here and there.
The other point you touched upon is the size of the collection and that is a time factor as well. Once the light comes on the collection gets weaned to manageable levels. In maintaining proper management, weaning encompasses tree varieties that do not strive in one's locale. Wasting time on trees that are not conducive to becoming bonsai draws your skills and attention away from trees that should be getting it.
The other point you touched upon is the size of the collection and that is a time factor as well. Once the light comes on the collection gets weaned to manageable levels. In maintaining proper management, weaning encompasses tree varieties that do not strive in one's locale. Wasting time on trees that are not conducive to becoming bonsai draws your skills and attention away from trees that should be getting it.
treebeard55
Chumono
Excellent observations, gentlemen.
I spoke of personality because it does affect lifestyle; just going back one step deeper. I think we're essentially in agreement on that.
Very good points about making time, and working realistically within the constraints one cannot change, Tom. Wish someone had pointed this all out to me 15 years ago!
This thread is getting meaty!
I spoke of personality because it does affect lifestyle; just going back one step deeper. I think we're essentially in agreement on that.
Very good points about making time, and working realistically within the constraints one cannot change, Tom. Wish someone had pointed this all out to me 15 years ago!
This thread is getting meaty!
Excellent observations, gentlemen.
I spoke of personality because it does affect lifestyle; just going back one step deeper. I think we're essentially in agreement on that.
Very good points about making time, and working realistically within the constraints one cannot change, Tom. Wish someone had pointed this all out to me 15 years ago!
This thread is getting meaty!
If you're retired, you can keep up with 40 or 50 conifers...................
keep it green,
Harry
Rick Moquin
Omono
Surprisingly enough Harry, Cs are more time consuming than Ds 
That being said, a 40-50 tree collection is indeed a collection that is quite manageable.
That being said, a 40-50 tree collection is indeed a collection that is quite manageable.
Surprisingly enough Harry, Cs are more time consuming than Ds
That being said, a 40-50 tree collection is indeed a collection that is quite manageable.
I don't have that big of a collection, mainly because of the cost of the trees I like. I have anywhere between 18 and 22 most of the time, but not enough to keep me busy, that's why I'm here a lot
keep it green,
Harry
