New to Bonsai in the USA

meshica7 · Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 6:22 am Post subject: New to Bonsai in the USA

Hello everyone!

I am new to the art of Bonsai. A friend of mine gifted me a 5 yr old Bougainvillea Bonsai. It's very nice.Windswept style. I just re-potted it today (with lots of help form pages printed off the web!!!) and it went well (so far).I got some good Bonsai soil from a local Bonsai artist and some good advice as well.It's in a small pot and not very tall.About 6-8 inches.
My boss at work gave me 2 junipers a couple of days ago. I would like to start training these to be bonsai someday. I also have a couple of Bougainvillea in my hedge which I was not aware of. My wife noticed them as they were a gift from a friend of ours.She gave them to us in a pot and we just left them outside and let nature have her way. It displays beautiful red bracts often (we have long summers here in Florida) and the trunk on the larger of the 2 has a beautiful shape. I transplanted them to a new pot this afternoon.I will have to wait and see if they stay alive (crossed fingers!).I will not transfer either the junipers or the Bougainvillea to Bonsai pots until they start to take on the traditional Bonsai characteristics. I understand this will take time and patience and am willing to wait.After all,the process of art is as invigorating as the "product" itself. I dare say that in some cases it is more desirable.
Are there any preferred styles for juniper or Bougainvillea which I should strive for? Any easier than others?
Thanx for lending a hand where you can!
Any advice on how to care for my new friends would be greatly appreciated. I have been doing a lot of reading as of late but would like to supplement my knowledge with the experience of others.

Stymie · Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 12:29 pm Post subject: Re: New to Bonsai in the USA

Nice to hear from you meshica. I would let your trees settle into the new compost well before subjecting them to any serious training. It is fairly late for re-potting and some discomfort will have to be put behind them first.
On the question of style, this is difficult to advise on sight unseen. If you subscribe and take out full membership, you will be able to show us their present shapes, which will dictate the way forward. Many other advantages of full membership would be forthcoming and I can recommend it without reservation.
The Bougainvillea need a period of dormancy in cool conditions below 18C during Winter to encourage good flowering. What colour are yours? Looking forward to hearing more from you, come back.

Tuppence2 · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 12:23 pm Post subject: Re: New to Bonsai in the USA

Very good to meet you meschica. Welcome from me and my trees. Smile

Have fun and hope to see you around the site.

Bye,
Penny.

meshica7 · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:14 pm Post subject: Re: New to Bonsai in the USA

Thank you to both of you!
I believe that my Bougainvillea are pink ( a darker shade) and the little one that my Friend gifted me is a lighter pink.. The 2 large Bougainvillea I will be keeping in their large pot for now. One has a nice nabari (?) structure and the other is smaller with a lot of character.
I have been studying some of the finer points of achieving a good trunk caliper. I believe that the key word in the art of Bonsai is "Patience"!Well,it is a virtue,after all...
The 2 junipers are very healthy and lush in their nursery pots. I believe I will keep them there and set them on earth to encourage some trunk caliper. I read that at times allowing your nursery stock to root through the plastic pots and into mother earth will help achieve this. I hope I have not been miss-informed.
Again thank you for your advice and encouragement![/i]

steve · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:28 pm Post subject: Re: New to Bonsai in the USA

Allowing it to root through a nursery pot still restricts the growth. Since you have a patch of earth laid out for them why not just plant them directly in the ground? You can root prune them with a shovel once a year and style them as the trunk thickens. Believe me there is no faster way to add caliper to trunks than planting them in the ground. You could plant them in a huge pot but at some point they are going to outgrow that pot unless it is so big you'll never be able to move it and it takes up way too much room.

Tuppence2 · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 5:42 pm Post subject: Re: New to Bonsai in the USA

I've taken the advice given here and planted out my Thunderhead pine, along with two others from a garden centre. They are all producing candles and seem to be doing well, though the Thunderhead had to be treated for some sort of infestation. Must check it to see whether it's all right.

I read the other day that bonsai are planting in collanders so that the roots grow through them and the plant is easy to lift. Was it here at while back that an article was posted about planting young trees into pond plant containers so that the roots grow out through the holes and not round and round the root ball?

Penny Smile

meshica7 · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:18 pm Post subject: Thanx for the advice...

I appreciate the advice given and will surely heed it's wise counsel!

Dick · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:22 am Post subject: Re: New to Bonsai in the USA

Welcome to the forum. This is a great place to share questions and answers.

With respect to your boug, be careful not to over water it, They sometimes have a trendency from root rot. But when they flower, they are glorious to behold. Very Happy

meshica7 · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:35 pm Post subject: Thank you

I have been getting the same advice on watering from many experienced bonsai artists. I do appreciate all of the help.
i have a pic of my lil Boug here. This is a post to a stateside forum.Let me know what you think/suggestions/comments. About 9.5 inches high in a 7 X 5 inch pot.5-6 yrs old.
Thanx again for all the kind advice and support!
Juan

Dick · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 1:19 pm Post subject: Re: New to Bonsai in the USA

Hi Juan,

Bougs like a lot of sunlight and if they are gradually introduced to it,