Which Trident maples to purchase from International Bonsai for ground growing?

BigAbs321

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
20
Location
NJ
USDA Zone
6B
Hey I was planning to grow some trident maples in the ground to thicken the trunks starting this spring and was looking at purchasing some seedlings from International Bonsai. There are multiple options, including bareroot seedlings and 12-15" trees that I assume are slightly older. (link: http://www.internationalbonsai.com/seedling list). Would I get a big head start by purchasing the older ones or does it not make much of a difference if I'm growing them in the ground for a few years? Thanks!
 

Paradox

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
9,414
Reaction score
11,593
Location
Long Island, NY
USDA Zone
7a
The 12-15 inch trees in a community pot are in a smaller forest tray.
You either want the 10 seedling bundle for more bang for your buck imo or if you want to spend more money get the one sin the 4 inch pots.
The thing with the bare root ones is that you better be prepared to pot or plant them fairly quickly after you get them. Depending on where you are and when they are shipped, it might be a tad early to plant them in the ground. He ships in March iirc.
 

Shibui

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,631
Reaction score
15,401
Location
Yackandandah, Australia
USDA Zone
9?
There is no need to plant bare root maples quickly. I handle thousands of these every winter. Just dig a hole on the garden and bury the roots. They can stay like that until you are ready to do something with them or until the new shoots start to show in spring.
Someone here just sent me the link to this offer as well. I know Bill is well respected over there but prices seem a bit high to me?
There seems to be very little difference between the bare root bundled tridents, the 4" potted ones and the 5 groups. I'd go for the pack of 10 for the best value. They should grow as quick as any of the others if you are putting them in the ground.
 
Messages
584
Reaction score
3,245
Location
Rochester, NY USA
USDA Zone
5-6
My bare-root seedlings will require a year to develop a fibrous root system and have a large tap root, with some small roots. During the second year they will begin to develop and grow vigorously.
All my potted seedlings have been established in the small pots for one to three years, only have fibrous roots and no tap roots.
You get what you pay for. All my seedlings include FREE shipping and no other charges.
 

BigAbs321

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
20
Location
NJ
USDA Zone
6B
Thanks a bunch for all the advice! This was really helpful!
 

MrWunderful

Omono
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
1,953
Location
SF Bay area
USDA Zone
10b
If you are ground growing, you might as well ditch the original roots and tourniquet/layer for a better radial nebari.
 

BigAbs321

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
20
Location
NJ
USDA Zone
6B
Awesome, thank you!
 
Messages
415
Reaction score
1,631
Location
Portland, OR
USDA Zone
8b
There is no need to plant bare root maples quickly. I handle thousands of these every winter. Just dig a hole on the garden and bury the roots. They can stay like that until you are ready to do something with them or until the new shoots start to show in spring.
Someone here just sent me the link to this offer as well. I know Bill is well respected over there but prices seem a bit high to me?
There seems to be very little difference between the bare root bundled tridents, the 4" potted ones and the 5 groups. I'd go for the pack of 10 for the best value. They should grow as quick as any of the others if you are putting them in the ground.
I've paid less in the past from fellow club members, but I also purchased some of these bare-root seedlings from Bill so I can use them for grafting, also for filling in a forest. I could wait a year for my cuttings to grow, but I'm impatient. There used to be a local nursery that supplied seedlings, but sadly they are out of business, not many people in the US supply nice bonsai-grade tridents as far as I know.
 

PA_Penjing

Chumono
Messages
762
Reaction score
1,209
Location
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
USDA Zone
6b
We are lucky to have guys like Bill, Brent, Matt O and Mark Comstock. I can tell you from experience that selling, packing and shipping seedlings to make a buck, is pretty futile. There's not much room for profit for the time invested. Especially when you consider the propagation, watering, fertilizer and the time the seedling sat around taking up space for. Not to mention those that die. Sometimes you can find seedlings cheaper at regular nurseries (SOMETIMES) but paying a few extra dollars to make it worth their time is 100% worth it. I'd rather have a few trusted sources for starter material, year after year, than a one time deal on a seedling. Just throwing it out there, I have never purchased from Bill but my close friend has and was very satisfied. I'm sure I will in the future
 
Messages
415
Reaction score
1,631
Location
Portland, OR
USDA Zone
8b
We are lucky to have guys like Bill, Brent, Matt O and Mark Comstock. I can tell you from experience that selling, packing and shipping seedlings to make a buck, is pretty futile. There's not much room for profit for the time invested. Especially when you consider the propagation, watering, fertilizer and the time the seedling sat around taking up space for. Not to mention those that die. Sometimes you can find seedlings cheaper at regular nurseries (SOMETIMES) but paying a few extra dollars to make it worth their time is 100% worth it. I'd rather have a few trusted sources for starter material, year after year, than a one time deal on a seedling. Just throwing it out there, I have never purchased from Bill but my close friend has and was very satisfied. I'm sure I will in the future
Absolutely! Finding trees with good characteristics for bonsai is not that easy either.
 
Top Bottom