What’s your latest Bonsai related purchase?

[Cadillactaste]

I have already said that I have seen lovely examples. That means it can be done.

I said they are difficult subjects. They grow very fast, just like all perennials do. Think about that for a moment.

I said they are short-lived by bonsai standards, I stand by that, too. We shall see.

The dwarfs are difficult to over-winter in Michigan's zone 6 because they need cool, but can't stand the length or depth of my winter. Montauk Daisy is an escaped plant with an established hardiness of USDA 5 - 9 along the east coast.

I said they are basically clip & grow (because they grow very fast), and that they wire poorly (because they grow very fast), and grow out of shape vary fast (because they grow very fast), and you will have to stay with them constantly (because they grow very fast).

I forgot to mention that the flower stems are very long, as in, measured in feet. I have had other kinds of daisies and had the same really long flower stem which made them somewhat unrewarding for all the trouble they are. Doing a lot of pinching for sizing and ramification will also deliver fewer and later flowers. I won't bother speaking to the strap-like leaves which will also force a style other than formal or informal upright. There are lots of other styles.

You would be better off just taking my observations for what they are: input; just one of a series of inputs by a variety of people on a thread. I didn't say you can't do it, or that I wouldn't do it, or that they would look ugly, or use one of my favorite predictions, "a fool's errand" ( which I don't shy away from using when I think appropriate (you may have noticed)). Instead, use what I have said along with others' comments and do your thang. Bona fortuna!

You are allowed your views. My Nippon daisy if you will. I find it charming. I find characteristics charming.

 

[Forsoothe!]

You are allowed your views. My Nippon daisy if you will. I find it charming. I find characteristics charming.
View attachment 366447

And so do I.

 

[Shogun610]

Last Bonsai purchase of the season. I went right on the nose for my year budget in a matter of 2 Months...So that’s it besides collecting. I’ll be too busy w my own stuff and at the studio to notice.

ball and burlap Ponderosa’s Golden Arrow I bid on these a minute over the start time. I have the pots they’re going in.. just going to use 60%Pumice, 15% Akadama and 15% Lava, tie them into position and don’t touch for atleast till next year to let them recover.
Does anyone have better suggested mixes? I have substrate of pumice , lava and akadama .. and bags of conifer blend from Superfly.

 

[Shogun610]

New experimental over-wintering set up... simplicity and effectiveness (and durability) to be determined!

View attachment 332388

Did you build this? Or is that a kit.. that’s perfectly what I want. Can you share schematics?

 

[Carol 83]

Little gardenia came today.

 

[Ruddigger]

I picked up this grafted Shimpaku from Roy Nagatoshi at Fuji Bonsai.

 

[barbard]

The Bonsai Gardeners Log Book to help keep track of my projects, latest being this crab apple I just recorded using it

 

[Clorgan]

This lovely pot from Erin Pottery - can't wait for it to arrive! 7.25" x 3" so pretty deep. Hoping it'll be ideal for my largeish potentilla

 

[butlern]

Did you build this? Or is that a kit.. that’s perfectly what I want. Can you share schematics?

The experiment was a success! All of my trees came out strong this spring.

I purchased a 15’ L x 8’ W x 8.5’ H "economy" cold frame kit from Grower’s supply. Base price for materials was under $500, but I added numerous options that include the extra poly and some hardware to close off the end walls and extra hardware for roll-up sides (a must, in my opinion).

Total price was about $750, which includes the lumber, screws, bolts, door hinges, staples, batten tape, etc. that I sourced from my local Lowe’s or from Growers Supply.

https://www.growerssupply.com/farm/supplies/ProductDisplay?mfPartNumber=103083

The link shows a 24’ L model, but you really should just call them you can specify the overall dimensions that you require and they’ll put a quote together for you. Smaller units will have rafters that come spaced as 5’ sections. I have 4 rafters total, 2 end wall rafters and 2 inner rafters (= 15’ L).

Mine is simply sitting on a concrete patio slab, so the rafters curve along the radius and then end blindly at the base, slipped into heavier gauge pipe that serves as an anchor. The kit comes with anchors that are designed to be pounded into the earth, but I just cut off the ends of the anchors and secured anchor posts to my baseboards (baseboards are just lengths of composite decking material).

Baseboards were then secured to patio using four 90 degree “L” brackets and four concrete anchor screws, secured it at the four corners. I was worried wind would lift the hoop house and shear the anchors away, but it held up through several punishing storms.

The end walls (and door) were made using 2” x 2” pine. Very simple.

Best part is I can disassemble and store it away this summer… just need to remove top poly film (which can be re-installed in the fall) and then each set of rafters will unbolt from the baseboard. The 2 x 2 pine supports, door and poly can remain on the end walls, as the poly is stapled down with the batten tape (better to leave is all in place rather than destroy the poly trying to remove it from the end walls).

I am happy to snap some pictures of details that they might be helpful.

I will say that because mine is on a patio that is also under a deck, it was protected from heavy snow… heavy snow could be a problem for these lighter-duty units. You would do well to be vigilant about pushing snow off the top, if yours were set up out in the open.

Noah

 

[butlern]

Also... 90% shade cloth... even in the cold of winter, the sun will heat it up too much unless it’s shaded. That heat is not retained at night, though

 

[LittleDingus]

I normally wouldn't have bought this but my daughter is working her first summer job at our local nursery...I spend even more time there now than I used too!



Ulmus parvifolia 'Hokkaido' in a @sorce pot.

They had seiju too so I'm sure I'll have one of them soon...it's going to be a long summer filled with nursery trips for me, I'm afraid...

 

[sorce]

@LittleDingus I was just thinking about those pots this morning! I didn't know you had one!

Sorce

 

[LittleDingus]

@LittleDingus I was just thinking about those pots this morning! I didn't know you had one!

Sorce

@sorce I have this one too! Bought at the same time.



I wasn't @LittleDingus back then...but my real name has always been the same

I had a ficus in that other blue one for a while...but took it out to grow out so I can split it into multiple trees in a couple of years.

This one I haven't found anything I like for it yet. Now that my daughter works at my favorite mon & pop nursery, and they have baby seiju in stock (though not very attractive ones...sigh...), I'll probably end up with one of those in it just to keep it warm. Maybe pair it with the hokkaido: two blue pots, two Chinese elms

 

[badatusernames]

I bought a chipped pot.



I think I might be a pot addict

 

[TinyArt]

I bought a chipped pot.

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I think I might be a pot addict

You’re a candidate for the bonsai humor thread too!

 

[Pitoon]

I picked up this azalea the other day.

 

[badatusernames]

I finally gave in and bought the big tool roll from American Bonsai Co before my fiancee kills me for leaving piles of tools around

I will also use this logic to justify buying a wire caddy of some sort one day

Logic is good

 

[TinyArt]

a wire caddy

For what it’s worth, old dishwasher utensil baskets are pretty useful for corralling smaller tools, and they turn up in thrift shops & yard sales, or free.

 

[Carol 83]

"Red Ruby Gem" azalea.

 

[Cadillactaste]

A long time coming...ordered this January 2020. I knew they get an order ready then place it. I was fine with the wait time. Then...covid hit. End of the year their order was filled...minus a few things. This tool was one of them. I was offered two options...a refund, or wait for the tool and they would try and see about getting me one. As they addressed the missing items.

Got a call the other day he was holding it in his hand. Confirmation it shipped in my email. Super stoked!!!

Search Toriki in the search engine. You will see many love what it brings to air layers. Had a friend willing to mail me his to use, then return. But if it was so good...I wanted my own.

I also bought the book last year. As many forums spoke of the indepth instruction of proper use of the tool and step by step instructions with photos. So I am prepared to tackle my first aid layer...super stoked!!!


I believe @River's Edge / Frank made something like this tool even. For his own use...and liked what the concept brought to the table for natural looking roots.