In the previous article, How to Find the Source for Creating Bonsai has been described starting bonsai from seeds, cutting, and air-layering. This part, will be explained how to find the source of bonsai from:
The quickest and in many ways the best way to get started in bonsai is with nursery stock. As already implied in the previous article, most beginner are very interested in working on their bonsai – pinching, pruning, and wiring – and beginning with nursery stock provides that opportunity.
Most bonsai people eventually become involved in various methods of propagation. You will probably find that there is always something you would like to have, that often seeds are available, or a friend is willing to give you a cutting. Browsing in garden centers and greenhouse becomes part of the lifestyle of many bonsai aficionados. By browsing and buying when you see desired material, you end up always having pots of plant material waiting to be worked on. This stockpile provides a fine opportunity to broaden your knowledge by observing plant material in various stages.
Today there are many bonsai nurseries and retailers offering quality trees and supplies. Sales personnel at a good bonsai nursery will inform you about the environmental and care needs of your trees, especially the matters of light, water and winter storage. They will give you the proper name of the tree you choose to ensure that you can seek additional information from others, as well as do your own research.
Unfortunately some trees come with wrong or misleading information. One common example is a phrase like “keep it moist”, which means almost nothing and too often misleads people into over-watering. When you are given vague information like this, you must ask questions until you completely understand how to take care of the plant you are talking about.
The day you buy a tree, you have to pay some attention to the weather. In winter, be sure the tree is wrapped for protection against the cold. A tree cannot be left in an unheated car while you continue your shopping. In very warm weather, trees left in cars can cook.
When purchasing a tree, look for good color and freshness in needles or leaves. Also, the size of the tree should be right for the pot. Many trees are planted in pots that are too large, resulting in watering problems.
Before you leave the retailer, you should know what kind of light the tree requires. Outdoor placement in the right light should be no problem because of the many choices of location you have. An indoor tree should be placed by window that receives the proper light for that species. Bonsai are living, growing trees and cannot be placed permanently on bookshelves or coffee table. They are objects of artistic design, but their horticultural needs come first.
BONSAI BY MAIL
Beware of ordering a bonsai or kit from a catalog house that is not a nursery. Photograph of plants are often misleading, and too often trees are not the size of age indicated on advertisements. Chances of survival are slim. Avoiding this type of purchase saves you not just money but the disappointment of losing a bonsai. This warning does not apply to established nurseries that publish catalogs, advertise in bonsai periodicals, and stand behind the trees they sell.
NURSERY STOCK
The quickest and in many ways the best way to get started in bonsai is with nursery stock. As already implied in the previous article, most beginner are very interested in working on their bonsai – pinching, pruning, and wiring – and beginning with nursery stock provides that opportunity.
BUYING BONSAI
Today there are many bonsai nurseries and retailers offering quality trees and supplies. Sales personnel at a good bonsai nursery will inform you about the environmental and care needs of your trees, especially the matters of light, water and winter storage. They will give you the proper name of the tree you choose to ensure that you can seek additional information from others, as well as do your own research.
Unfortunately some trees come with wrong or misleading information. One common example is a phrase like “keep it moist”, which means almost nothing and too often misleads people into over-watering. When you are given vague information like this, you must ask questions until you completely understand how to take care of the plant you are talking about.
The day you buy a tree, you have to pay some attention to the weather. In winter, be sure the tree is wrapped for protection against the cold. A tree cannot be left in an unheated car while you continue your shopping. In very warm weather, trees left in cars can cook.
When purchasing a tree, look for good color and freshness in needles or leaves. Also, the size of the tree should be right for the pot. Many trees are planted in pots that are too large, resulting in watering problems.
Before you leave the retailer, you should know what kind of light the tree requires. Outdoor placement in the right light should be no problem because of the many choices of location you have. An indoor tree should be placed by window that receives the proper light for that species. Bonsai are living, growing trees and cannot be placed permanently on bookshelves or coffee table. They are objects of artistic design, but their horticultural needs come first.
BONSAI BY MAIL
Beware of ordering a bonsai or kit from a catalog house that is not a nursery. Photograph of plants are often misleading, and too often trees are not the size of age indicated on advertisements. Chances of survival are slim. Avoiding this type of purchase saves you not just money but the disappointment of losing a bonsai. This warning does not apply to established nurseries that publish catalogs, advertise in bonsai periodicals, and stand behind the trees they sell.
Comments
Post a Comment