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irene_b

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I would just love to see here at Bnut an instruction book for all the trees and the other stuff that have been posted with a real Index.
To much information is just spread all over the place.
Mom
 
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Hmm, how would that work? Isn't the site pretty well indexed through forum names?
 

irene_b

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Hmm, how would that work? Isn't the site pretty well indexed through forum names?


Not talking about just the trees.
You know how a book index works why not for the information as well?
The search button leaves a lot to be desired.
Mom
 
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Not to be rude, but the old saying "garbage in, garbage out" applies to the search function on most sites. When you don't get what you were looking for, chances are you never put in the right parameters.




Will
 
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irene_b

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Not to be rude, but the old saying "garbage in, garbage out" applies to the search function on most sites. When you don't get what you were looking for, chances are you never put in the right parameters. Will




Try a search on elms.
You will find the thread but not all the information on them that we as Bonsaiist need and want.
I am talking in depth on the trees.
All the things we need in a one place area.
Mom
 
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Try a search on elms.
You will find the thread but not all the information on them that we as Bonsaiist need and want.
I am talking in depth on the trees.
All the things we need in a one place area.

I seriously doubt that all the information available on Elms is on this forum or that there will ever be a "one stop" source for all information on any subject, however the search using the term "elms" on this forum does turn up every thread that contains that word, that's about as comprehensive as one can get.

Personally, I don't limit my searches for information to any single forum, for example a search using the terms "elm care cultivation growth" on google produced many excellent resources on elms in general. Further refining my search parameters would narrow the results down to a manageable size.

The site is indexed well now and subjects are categorized nicely, coupled with the search function it is a hard system to improve on without trading complication in exchange for ease of use.

But hey, I could be wrong....



Will
 

irene_b

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I seriously doubt that all the information available on Elms is on this forum or that there will ever be a "one stop" source for all information on any subject, however the search using the term "elms" on this forum does turn up every thread that contains that word, that's about as comprehensive as one can get.

Personally, I don't limit my searches for information to any single forum, for example a search using the terms "elm care cultivation growth" on google produced many excellent resources on elms in general. Further refining my search parameters would narrow the results down to a manageable size.

The site is indexed well now and subjects are categorized nicely, coupled with the search function it is a hard system to improve on without trading complication in exchange for ease of use.

But hey, I could be wrong....
Will









I think it can be done and improved on.
And yes the search button will show the post but how much time is involved with wading thru the crap as well.
Comes back to KISS
Mom
 
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Are you suggesting new species-specific information be added? More in-depth than a "species care sheet?"
 

ovation22

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Chris, I think that would open another whole can of worms. The reason many books (and a lot of internet advice) falls short is that often it is forgotten that we have different climates. Care for a tree may differ from city to city, state to state, country to country.

I prefer specific threads dealing with specific trees in specific locations. I'm not against the idea Irene, but I think it would take a lot of work, much more than just a compilation of links.
 

irene_b

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What I would like to see:
Species: Elms....listing of all that fall into the category. List the Common name as well.
General Care: Does better with XX% of organic material.
Ferts: Does better with this ratio XN.XP.XO.
Notes:
Fast to bud back on old wood.
Leaf Reduces well to moderate in XX growing seasons
A very good choice of tree for the new bonsaiist.

Does this make sense?
KISS

Mom
 

Graydon

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What I would like to see:
Species: Elms....listing of all that fall into the category. List the Common name as well.
General Care: Does better with XX% of organic material.
Ferts: Does better with this ratio XN.XP.XO.
Notes:
Fast to bud back on old wood.
Leaf Reduces well to moderate in XX growing seasons
A very good choice of tree for the new bonsaiist.

Does this make sense?
KISS

Mom

How would gathering and adding all of that information be "Keeping It Simple Stupid" (as in KISS)? There are far too many variables on each and every species to give concrete information like you have outlined. Care changes from one growing zone to another. What is applicable to Will or Vance simply is not applicable to me or someone in California.
 

irene_b

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How would gathering and adding all of that information be "Keeping It Simple Stupid" (as in KISS)? There are far too many variables on each and every species to give concrete information like you have outlined. Care changes from one growing zone to another. What is applicable to Will or Vance simply is not applicable to me or someone in California.




Why not zone specific?
Mom
 
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How would gathering and adding all of that information be "Keeping It Simple Stupid" (as in KISS)? There are far too many variables on each and every species to give concrete information like you have outlined. Care changes from one growing zone to another. What is applicable to Will or Vance simply is not applicable to me or someone in California.

Bonsai Magazine (ABS) attempts to do this in every issue. Some of the information is valuable, but I think they miss the mark sometimes.

I could write about specifics of Japanese black pine from my own hot summer cold winter point of view. But many species are not so forgiving of different climates. Those who live in those climates need to be writing about it there. The difficulty is in the quality of information provided. An article was submitted to KnoB about JBP in Florida, by a bonsai artist with a great reputation. Yet his advice to grow JBP in akadama only led to the conclusion that you had to be careful how much to water so as not to drown your tree! A proper soil mix would have removed that caveat quickly!

So the question is: how is the information to be vetted?
 

Graydon

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Bonsai Magazine (ABS) attempts to do this in every issue. Some of the information is valuable, but I think they miss the mark sometimes.

I could write about specifics of Japanese black pine from my own hot summer cold winter point of view. But many species are not so forgiving of different climates. Those who live in those climates need to be writing about it there. The difficulty is in the quality of information provided. An article was submitted to KnoB about JBP in Florida, by a bonsai artist with a great reputation. Yet his advice to grow JBP in akadama only led to the conclusion that you had to be careful how much to water so as not to drown your tree! A proper soil mix would have removed that caveat quickly!

So the question is: how is the information to be vetted?

My point exactly Chris. Compiling all information is a near impossibility. Now apply zones or regions to the mix. Now check it for facts and opinions on care. Too many variables.

I suppose it could be a life long mission for someone with nothing to do.
 

Bill S

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Ahh, this is one of the many reasons to urge people to Bonsai clubs. Often when perusing different club sites they have care articles on line, and i'm sure most do some kind of hard copy handouts of different topics that other members have written to share.

Daunting task Irene, if for no other reason as to Who would write them, would you trust the info if it is done, and I guess from the little I know of the Wiki function, that might be the best possibility for this wish.
 
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I like Dave DeGroot's response to any bonsai question: it depends. The advice given is going to depend on the species, climate, specimen, stage of development, knowledge of the grower, health of the tree, and what has been done to it lately. As well as many things that I haven't thought of.
 

Smoke

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This sounds like a great job for some lady in Texas to tackle. How about it Irene, why don't you just do it. There are about four or five good forums with enough good information to make a book as thick as your wrist. All you need to do is sit at your computer for about five years, delete all the squabbles, and print it. You have my permission to use anything I have ever written.

Now just go for it! Al
 

AndyWilson

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While this may be redundant for the more advanced practitioners among you guys, it would still be invaluable to those of us starting out our journey... Take my example, here in Johannesburg (africa for geographically challenged) about 98% of all bonsai knowledge is based in local species, try and find a japanese maple, i did once, they were sitting in full sun and had no leaves on em. Hardly any locals had knowledge of some of the species you guys see all time, connifers are a rarity, as are anything chinese or japanese. Here Irene's idea wouldve helped a lot, it could have pointed me in the right direction with some species that are foreign to me, until i have learned enough about them to adapt my growing for my own climate...
 

Bonsai Nut

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This sounds like a great job for some lady in Texas to tackle.

Perhaps instead of trying to put together a comprehensive species guide, we put together a species guide for beginners? I think we could destroy ourselves, for example, trying to put together a guide just for Japanese Maple Cultivars, which may share some commonalities, but can often have very different care requirements. I would think we would be better off focusing on one target audience and putting together a guide for "the 10 best beginner bonsai" or "the 10 bonsai to avoid as a beginner".
 
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Perhaps instead of trying to put together a comprehensive species guide, we put together a species guide for beginners? I think we could destroy ourselves, for example, trying to put together a guide just for Japanese Maple Cultivars, which may share some commonalities, but can often have very different care requirements. I would think we would be better off focusing on one target audience and putting together a guide for "the 10 best beginner bonsai" or "the 10 bonsai to avoid as a beginner".

This idea may have merit. Brainstorming is a good way to get some things done.
 
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