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I'm thinking about getting back into bonsai after a break. It's a long story. I have crepe myrtles in my front yard that are probably a foot thick in some places. The trunks have movement and a twisted look to the bark. I know it's possible to air layer them in a thick spot. So if the plan is...

Hi Sorce, I hope you're well. I'm still playing with aquaponics. I have 2 tanks and 4 growbeds. And a bunch of organic veggies in soil. And a hydroponic tower garden. One aquaponics bed is too full of strawberries, I have to thin them out soon. I had some ficus (of course) but they didn't...

Hello again, it's been a long time since I posted last. I haven't had time or money for bonsai. But last fall my neighbor pulled out some boxwoods from his yard. I didn't know until they were half dug, half pulled out with a truck. I tried to save 2 but only one survived the winter. It's in a...

My mother just bought me an English laurel from clearance. It is kinda skinny, but has a curve down low. Are they ok for bonsai? Or better off as a yard tree? It's leaves are kinda big, will they reduce size someday? And when is the right time to trim, repot, or otherwise torture it? And will it...

I had an idea for using colander that was working, til a "friend" pulled apart and screwed it up. I put a bouganvilla in a colander, filled with gravel (all I could get where I was). I filled a 5 gallon bucket (with holes) with potting soil and put the colander on top of the soil. In 2 weeks the...

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! I think I'll have a much easier time here, with species people know about and because bonsai stuff is close. Oh, and NAPA is a mile or so away. So my soil problems are over.. Thanks again, it's great to be back!

Thanks Sorce, maybe my new LG phone will take better pics than the $50 phones from down there. We'll see today, because there are a bunch of bushes and trees I can have from here, out in the yard. I was not into bonsai when I went to CR, but I just figured with all the species there, I'd have...

So now I'm back from my self imposed exile in Costa Rica, after nearly 9 years, and living in North Carolina, 7a. I've never lived so far north. I'd rather be with my son in the tropics, but that's coming. Anyway, what do Bnuts do around here now? I brought some pots, and had a basic bonsai tool...

My little bro felt it in Fl and Mom felt it in NC too, tho much softer. I'm very happy to hear that people are mostly staying civilized and helpful. Fl has better plans for hurricanes than La. I guess. And that is good, we have learned and keep anarchy from becoming the rule. Instead people of...

You always show nice trees!

I need to go take pics! There is an absolutely huge kapock tree not too far from me. It doesn't have a branch til 100' or more in the air. Some of y'all would love it for sure, a miniature one would be awesome. And there are guyaba (guava to most, but guava is another thing. The ones with yellow...

Since global warming came up, let me share an idea that I have. I think the orbit of the earth changing may cause some of the heating because I've heard about a 20,000 year cycle. Supposedly 10,000 years ago it was cold. Now it's moving towards the sun on the hot part of the cycle. I doubt we...

I like the term "liberated" or maybe "relocated"...

I'm from Sarasota and my brother is still there. The predictions seem to be showing it headed east of there for now. But I grew up there and know that computer predictions may not be right. So I'm worried about family and friends there. Sarasota has not had a direct hit since the 1930's, but...

Get a room! . None of us can even come close to explaining god(s), so can we talk about tortuerd little trees that we sort of play god with again (I'm half teasing, half not) and not who's Santa is redder or whatever? Bacause herr Paul didn't ask about which way you pray. Das machs nichts here...

So, you think you have mosquitos? A month or two? I'm moving to your place! I grew up in Fl.... Fishin' every chance I could. And now, down here in CR there are a whole bunch of species to chew on me. I wish it were just one species. We have flies that leave with a bit of your skin and leave a...

I like your shelter, arches are the way to go! How big are your jaboticabas that are fruiting? I have a couple in a long pot, and a couple in the ground. One I planted over my dog when I burried her. It doesn't need fertalizing for a long time but it's 2' tall. The other gets attacked by leaf...

Before I ever started trying to learn bonsai, I found a strangler fig in an old stump that had a hole. All the roots popped out easily. My wife (at the time) pointed out how roots clung to pieces of wood, and it was growing in 100% organic wood. So I put a bunch of old half rotted pieces of...

I've killed the most by loosing them behind the others and them drying out. Neglect. Pure and simple.

Thanks for the ideas! The roots are quite flexible. I was worried I might hurt the roots binding them, like wire does to branches but some pieces of wood could work with zipties. I can get those easy enough. Raffa? Never seen it in person. No books either. One day soon (I hope) I will get to...

This shefflera was growing in another tree, playing strangler fig. It's the only one I've ever seen growing that way. It was like 3' or a meter off the ground in the crotch of a foemina tree. The roots went to the ground. I just gently pulled the roots from the ground then untangled it from the...

The roots my trees in AP are perfect. Shallow and fine with no taproot. The things I have transplanted to soil from AP didn't ever even look sad. I think a year or two growing in AP would be good for most trees, to get radial feeder roots faster than a colander. The flood and drain time...

Looks like a good start to me! In time they may fuse and turn out to be one great tree someday. Or stay a forest. Either way it's a cool start that I'd like to see it in the future.

I think everyone would benefit if we all learn to "agree to disagree". In all aspects of life. And I totally agree and relate to Sorce, why be negative? Younger people should be taught to respect age and experience also. Some people are happy watching "comedy" or drama on tv. I wouldn't know...