My bonsai reality

Cajunrider

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In 3-4 years, I am moving from Louisiana to Pennsylvania. I am also likely going to a place without a yard and limited space for bonsai. The plan is starting to have a strong sense of urgency. So here are some candidate bonsai that will come with me.
1. Two live oaks. They are in grow boxes now. I feel confident about getting them into pots in 3 years.
2. One ilex vomitoria and one ilex crenata. No problem with getting them into pots.
3. Three Bald cypress (tough selection since I have two dozen in development - I see a fire sale for pre-bonsai before I move)
4. One contorted camellia that Mellow Mullet gave me. This one may be tough since it grows slowly but it is such a gorgeous species.
5. Two tamarindus indica. I will have to push growth on these since they will have to grow quick and get their fruiting capability before I cut them back and put them in pots. Developing them for fruits in bonsai pots take a very long time. In the ground tamarindus indica can have fruit in 5 years. In bonsai pot from the beginning, you are looking at 10+ years
6. One Guava. I will get it in pot and it will have fruit. The only challenge is leaf reduction.
7. Three JBPs. These are all babies now. I don't know if they will be ready to be in pot in 3 years
8. One bougainvillea. I think I can get this one in bonsai pot in 3 years.
9. Two wisterias. I don't know if they will be big enough to look good in bonsai pot.
10. One Shantung maple. I give up on JM in Louisiana. I will start new in PA.
11. One or two Indian hawthorn. These should be no problem as shohin.
12. One delonix regia. This one will be a Omono for sure. I hope I get flower by then.
13. One rainbow eucalyptus. This one will be Omono or Chumono. I have to have the trunk big enough to show colors.
All in all less than 25 trees. About half will be Omono or Chumono, the rest will be Shohin size.

With those limits in mind, there is less and less interest in propagation. There is a feeling of a push to get all the growth in before moving them all out of grow boxes and into pots. Next spring is a big growth target year.
 
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Cajunrider

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I pray for your safe move and proper tree accommodations.

God.

What part of PA? Some of those don't strike me as low-maintenance for a PA climate.
Philadelphia. Some of these trees will have to be moved indoors in the winter in PA. That's why I am keen on pushing them to be smaller and smaller.
 

AcerAddict

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3. Three Bald cypress (tough selection since I have two dozen in development - I see a fire sale for pre-bonsai before I move)
Hit me up when you're ready to offload these. Wife and I just moved into our house early last year and don't plan to go anywhere for a LONG time. Your orphan BC will find a good home here.
 

Brad in GR

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Good luck to you and your trees. At least you have a good handle on the timeframe and years to prepare!
 

Cajunrider

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Good luck to you and your trees. At least you have a good handle on the timeframe and years to prepare!
Of course mother nature still have a say. I was in much better shape in early 2020 until hurricanes Laura and Delta hit me in a span of 6 weeks and a once in a century winter storm a few months later. I lost quite a few trees. So this time around I remain cautious.

Life is like a cage full of dogs in the dog pound. You don't know if they are going to lick your hand or bite your ass.
 

Shogun610

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Philly suburbs or what?? Good luck , Bonsai world in PA is thriving you’ll be welcomed here fren.There are some good clubs, visit , I got plans ! hit me up, I’ll give you the dime tour of what’s good!
 
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rockm

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Philadelphia. Some of these trees will have to be moved indoors in the winter in PA. That's why I am keen on pushing them to be smaller and smaller.
FWIW, I have overwintered a La.-collected BC here in No.Va. outdoors, under mulch only for 25 years. It's done fine. Although the last few years we've had deep freezes come late March early April, that killed one BC of mine. I watch the forecast very closely now and bring my other BC inside until the danger passes. I wouldn't be so quick to give your BC up, if I were you...same for the Yaupon holly, and wisteria...
 

Cajunrider

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FWIW, I have overwintered a La.-collected BC here in No.Va. outdoors, under mulch only for 25 years. It's done fine. Although the last few years we've had deep freezes come late March early April, that killed one BC of mine. I watch the forecast very closely now and bring my other BC inside until the danger passes. I wouldn't be so quick to give your BC up, if I were you...same for the Yaupon holly, and wisteria...
That's why you see them in the list of my bonsai to keep. I got many others that I am giving away to local bonsai people in my town when I move.
 

Dzhokar

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3-4 years gives you plenty of time to select carefully and downsize at least!
Best of luck.
 

Cajunrider

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All I can say is that I'm pretty much a man of nature. I enjoy what nature offers and give back as much as I can. I leave creatures alone when I can, harvest when I need, maintain and improve the environment as much as I can. Like all bonsainutters here, I have left a trail of hundreds if not thousands (wait... it really is thousands) of trees behind me in all the places across the globe I've been in my life.
Sniff... when I leave my place in LA, I will leave behind bald cypress, green ash, pecan, pear, pomegranate, live oak, gac, palm, rose, wisteria, jujube, cactus, gardenia, camellia.. Oh man I can't remember them all. Gotta be a couple hundreds.
PS: If you want to be able to claim thousands of trees, the easiest way is to join a conservation group. A few weekends of planting seedlings on reclaimed lands and you will leave behind thousands. Coming back to see them in about 10 years and you will be amazed. At least I was any way.
 
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I’ll come for some of those BC, put me on your list too!
 

Lorax7

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The JBPs will be fine outdoors in your new northern climate. The BC also, although I don’t personally have any, I know that people do keep them outdoors this far north. Bougainvillea will have to come indoors during winter, but they don’t seem to mind the low humidity inside a house.

A lot of the rest, I would sell if I was in your shoes and use the money to trade up for a nice cold hardy specimen tree, like a JWP, Shimpaku juniper, JM, etc. that you can keep outside on your patio/balcony year round without worrying about it. Basically, my inclination would be to solve both the space problem and the climate problem by trading up for a smaller quantity of higher quality trees that are suitable for the climate.
 

Cajunrider

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I am one year closer to the move and my collection of bonsai has doubled. I now have some huge BCs and other trees. Help!!! :D
I figured I can't change my bonsai nuttiness so I change my housing reality. I'm going to be in a house with a yard!
 
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I am one year closer to the move and my collection of bonsai has doubled. I now have some huge BCs and other trees. Help!!! :D
I figured I can't change my bonsai nuttiness so I change my housing reality. I'm going to be in a house with a yard!
On your way to Penn, take I-10 east to I-95 then head north. I'll meet you out by the highway and you can unload some of your trees there. :)
 

Shogun610

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I am one year closer to the move and my collection of bonsai has doubled. I now have some huge BCs and other trees. Help!!! :D
I figured I can't change my bonsai nuttiness so I change my housing reality. I'm going to be in a house with a yard!
Nice , now join some clubs in the area .. strong history here in PA
 
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