50+ years ... still at it.

Newbietoredwood

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I killed my first bonsai over 50 years ago. I am now 75, a grandmother, and live near Oxford in the UK. Bonsai are still an obsession although there have been breaks over the years. I feel I may be putting together my 'last' collection so I am being pretty picky. To this end, a few weeks ago I purchased (at what we call a 'bonsai car boot' in which you turn up at a designated field, open the 'trunk' and sell anything you want to dispose of to do with bonsai) a coast redwood. I have had a long fascination with these giants of the forest although not native to the UK. The redwoods are not a numerous species kept as bonsai here but are quite popular and recommended as an easy tree to grow because of their vigour. The 'dawns' are the most numerous as they are fully hardy in our temperate climate (never too hot and never extremely cold) and can stay outside all year, losing their foliage as they are deciduous.
Discovering that I had purchased a coast redwood, meant I had to 'read up' on the fine tuning for this species. My tree is already a bonsai with a base measuring roughly that of the human wrist and stands about 45cm with very well developed and placed primary branches. In the few weeks I have had it with warm days and plenty of water it has thrown out an impressive amount of new growth. Information specific on coast redwood is scarce in the UK so I had a search on my hands. There is limited written advice here on how to treat (and keep alive) coasts. I found help from you in the US via this forum but it is specific to your many climate zones, not here on our relatively small island off the north west coast of Europe. In short (!) over our approaching winter, I Intend to protect it from cold wind via a coldframe and at all costs prevent the pot and roots from all but slight frost. I very much hope I will be able to keep its foliage intact but only time will tell. Wish me luck!!
 

Colorado

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I killed my first bonsai over 50 years ago. I am now 75, a grandmother, and live near Oxford in the UK. Bonsai are still an obsession although there have been breaks over the years. I feel I may be putting together my 'last' collection so I am being pretty picky. To this end, a few weeks ago I purchased (at what we call a 'bonsai car boot' in which you turn up at a designated field, open the 'trunk' and sell anything you want to dispose of to do with bonsai) a coast redwood. I have had a long fascination with these giants of the forest although not native to the UK. The redwoods are not a numerous species kept as bonsai here but are quite popular and recommended as an easy tree to grow because of their vigour. The 'dawns' are the most numerous as they are fully hardy in our temperate climate (never too hot and never extremely cold) and can stay outside all year, losing their foliage as they are deciduous.
Discovering that I had purchased a coast redwood, meant I had to 'read up' on the fine tuning for this species. My tree is already a bonsai with a base measuring roughly that of the human wrist and stands about 45cm with very well developed and placed primary branches. In the few weeks I have had it with warm days and plenty of water it has thrown out an impressive amount of new growth. Information specific on coast redwood is scarce in the UK so I had a search on my hands. There is limited written advice here on how to treat (and keep alive) coasts. I found help from you in the US via this forum but it is specific to your many climate zones, not here on our relatively small island off the north west coast of Europe. In short (!) over our approaching winter, I Intend to protect it from cold wind via a coldframe and at all costs prevent the pot and roots from all but slight frost. I very much hope I will be able to keep its foliage intact but only time will tell. Wish me luck!!

That is quite an inspiring story! Thank you for sharing. 50 years is quite an impressive commitment. I can only hope that some day I will be able to say that I’ve been practicing this wonderful art form for 50 years! :)

I would recommend looking into the Mirai content on coast redwoods. Lots of great information there. Much of it should translate to the UK climate. I’m no expert on coast redwood - never had one - but I would think UK would be a great climate for it.

I definitely wouldn’t let it freeze….just my 2 cents.

Good luck!
 

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Shohin
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That is an amazing lifetime of Bonsai.

I found this guide helpful for the basics.

Bonsai Tonight has had several good articles as well.
 

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Shohin
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More specific to wintering, I learned last year that the leaves will bronze over the winter when it gets cold. Not sure if that happens to more mature trees but I thought my coast redwood sapling was dead at the end of the winter. But it was just fine.

I'm in the Seattle area and I think we are probably similar climate wise. I just placed the pot on the ground. No could frame.
 

Newbietoredwood

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More specific to wintering, I learned last year that the leaves will bronze over the winter when it gets cold. Not sure if that happens to more mature trees but I thought my coast redwood sapling was dead at the end of the winter. But it was just fine.

I'm in the Seattle area and I think we are probably similar climate wise. I just placed the pot on the ground. No could frame.
As this is my first winter with this tree, I am going to err on the side of caution (because I can). I will be less alarmed now if my foliage bronzes. Thank you!
 

Deep Sea Diver

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Welcome Aboard Bonsai Nut!!!

What a wonderful story.

I have kept 3 Coast Redwoods and a Dawn in pots for the past three winters. We are up north and east of Seattle

All I do is bark the pots in and pile a layer of sifted medium bark on top. Got down to 17F last year for an extended time. Also had two September frosts the year be before. The Redwoods just seem to shrug off the low temperatures.

We do have a cold frame and two greenhouses, yet do not prefer either for the Redwoods. There are too many other Bonsai with greater needs anyways.

I’m very conservative when it comes to winter and I can totally understand your concern. So go for it! 😉

Wonder where you are located and the USDA zone (we usually post the approximate area. USDA Zones are worldwide.) Almost sounds like Guernsey or Jersey from your write up.

Cheers
DSD sends
 

Potawatomi13

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These hardy zones USDA 7-9. Here we get down to at least -13 degrees F so your Winter fears of freezing unfounded.
 

Newbietoredwood

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Welcome to the forum! With all of your years of experience, just curious what other trees you have.
Thank yo u for
Welcome Aboard Bonsai Nut!!!

What a wonderful story.

I have kept 3 Coast Redwoods and a Dawn in pots for the past three winters. We are up north and east of Seattle

All I do is bark the pots in and pile a layer of sifted medium bark on top. Got down to 17F last year for an extended time. Also had two September frosts the year be before. The Redwoods just seem to shrug off the low temperatures.

We do have a cold frame and two greenhouses, yet do not prefer either for the Redwoods. There are too many other Bonsai with greater needs anyways.

I’m very conservative when it comes to winter and I can totally understand your concern. So go for it! 😉

Wonder where you are located and the USDA zone (we usually post the approximate area. USDA Zones are worldwide.) Almost sounds like Guernsey or Jersey from your write up.

Cheers
DSD sends
 

Newbietoredwood

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Thank you for your warm welcome! Here in the central/south of England, I think we are about your Zone 8/9. Say 8.5!! We are far enough from our own west coast to avoid the dumping of Atlantic gathered rain and too far from the east coast to only get an occasional blast of Arctic air at worst. So, I think I stand a more than even chance with my coast redwood. The only other trees I have that are genuinely tender are bougainvilla and maybe an olive which I will bring into the house before it gets too cold.
 

Newbietoredwood

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Welcome to the forum! With all of your years of experience, just curious what other trees you have.
A mixed bunch! Wisteria, cornus, amur maple, deshojo maple, tibetan cherry, wild willow, oak, virginia creeper (Boston ivy) and many too numerous to mention over the length of my bonsai life!
 

Newbietoredwood

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Can anyone recommend the best (i.e. safest) time of year to repot my coast redwood. Most trees here are repotted in the early spring just before the trees wake up but I've noticed the redwoods being moved at almost any time.
 

Fulan

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An inspirational story for me to hear. I am a young woman and I fear I may have just killed my first bonsai.
 

Newbietoredwood

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An inspirational story for me to hear. I am a young woman and I fear I may have just killed my first bonsai.
Welcome to the club!! I respond to things that appear difficult and this started my bonsai journey. I sincerely hope you don't give up. You are fortunate to be in a world of instant information, help and advice. Keeping little trees is absorbing and challenging but not impossible. I hope you go on to enjoy a long life in bonsai, as I have. 😘
 

eugenev2

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An inspirational story for me to hear. I am a young woman and I fear I may have just killed my first bonsai.
It happens to most of us sadly, my first attempt at bonsai about 15 years ago, i killed all 10 my trees, so i was very disheartened. But these days YouTube is no longer in its infancy and there is amazing resources such as bonsainut that makes getting information much easier. The key thing is not what people often say that "you learn from killing trees", it is very possible to continue with the same mistakes and get the same results. It is more that you should try to learn from each mistake regardless if it ends in a tree's death
 

M. Frary

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Welcome to the forum
That is the amazing thing about bonsai.

You can practice it for decades but there is always something else to learn
You can practice it and it makes you feel like you just started last spring.
Oh wait.... that's just me.
 
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