Considering Quitting Bonsai...

[bonsaibandit]

I've actually considered switching more towards confinerous trees as (at least with my limited knowledge and general feel) they seem to not have the sensitivities that seemingly all the deciduous species I have, have? Is this a bad assumption to make?

I also am kind of thinking I'll like the evergreen look year round more. I initially jumped towards maples because of their spring and fall colors, but I'm sure a lot people who are new do this. Now that I'm 2 years in, I think my tastes have changed a bit.

I actually only have a dwarf alberta spruce and a bald cypress for conifers. And the bald cypress is a mix essentially so I really have just 1 conifer.

I want to get some junipers, pines and hinoki cypress. Any other recommendations for conifers?

Junipers are generally an easy and forgiving tree. I find Japanese black pine also to be fairly straightforward and forgiving. Hinoki cypress are definitely not a beginner tree so I would stick with juniper or Japanese black pine.

Jonas Duprich blog on bonsai tonight has some good info about developing shohin black pine from seedlings in his developing bonsai section, it’s not well organized so you will have to look threw a few different posts but it is good stuff and has been a fun and easy project for me thus far

BDS Archives - Bonsai Tonight

bonsaitonight.com

Best of luck!

 

[99 Mile Creek]

I love Fitzgerald's quote: "Vitality shows not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over again."

As with anything that requires a certain degree of aptitude and skill and study, it's the difficult times that can make or break us. Adapt and overcome, I say.

The direction given so far has been great. I gave up for years due to losing my first trees and wish I hadn't. I really hope you stick with it.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

When you were applying, was it monthly though?

I struggled with fungus issues on Malus and Prunus for years, can confirm Bonide Infuse works, I apply to soil surface just before bud break and again before post hardening off pruning if applicable.

It also seems to really help prevent needle cast on Pinus if applied before the spring growth begins.

 

[chuckyblack09]

I've been brainstorming some changes to make to my setup the past few days.

1) I've decided to move the trees away from where they were against the house. They were close to the central AC unit outside and with the fan running I noticed a constant breeze blowing on the trees. I think this could have been speeding up transpiration. After identifying this, how worried should I be about wind in general? I don't have many options for keeping the trees up against my house. Should I be worried about wind as much as I am?

2) I purchased two 55 gallon barrels for cheap nearby yesterday. The ideal spot for them is next to a gutter that only drains about a 50 square foot piece of my sunroom's roof. I worry this may not be enough surface area to collect rain fast enough. I can set them up further away on the side of the house where they will get more sun and be further away from where I have the trees currently, but in that spot they would get an entire half of my house's roof. Probably 500 square feet. Not entirely in a rush to get this figured out though as I will probably try to decide on this by next spring and like I said before, I plan to try the Bonide Infuse the rest of the summer.

3) I was considering building some post style benches for out in the middle of the yard, but again, I'm worried about how much wind they'll be exposed to. Anyone have a solution/suggestion for wind shelter? Or do you think it's even necessary? I don't think my yard is overly windy. It can get windy, I live on a hill at the base of the Appalachian mountains, but it's not constantly windy. Usually gentle breezes. Enough to move the leaves around.

 

[leatherback]

Should I be worried about wind as much as I am?

Wind is generally not an issue, except for when especially hot and dry and you have delicate foliage species such as japanede maples.

two 55 gallon barrels for cheap nearby yesterday. The ideal spot for them is next to a gutter that only drains about a 50 square foot piece

55 gallon = 200 litres
50sqr ft = 8,5 m2

200 litre over 8,5 m2 makes about 12 litres per square metre, so about 12mm precipitation which is 5 inches. so 5 inches of precipitation would fill a barrel.

Anyone have a solution

Tie the pots down

 

[rockm]

I've been brainstorming some changes to make to my setup the past few days.

1) I've decided to move the trees away from where they were against the house. They were close to the central AC unit outside and with the fan running I noticed a constant breeze blowing on the trees. I think this could have been speeding up transpiration. After identifying this, how worried should I be about wind in general? I don't have many options for keeping the trees up against my house. Should I be worried about wind as much as I am?

2) I purchased two 55 gallon barrels for cheap nearby yesterday. The ideal spot for them is next to a gutter that only drains about a 50 square foot piece of my sunroom's roof. I worry this may not be enough surface area to collect rain fast enough. I can set them up further away on the side of the house where they will get more sun and be further away from where I have the trees currently, but in that spot they would get an entire half of my house's roof. Probably 500 square feet. Not entirely in a rush to get this figured out though as I will probably try to decide on this by next spring and like I said before, I plan to try the Bonide Infuse the rest of the summer.

3) I was considering building some post style benches for out in the middle of the yard, but again, I'm worried about how much wind they'll be exposed to. Anyone have a solution/suggestion for wind shelter? Or do you think it's even necessary? I don't think my yard is overly windy. It can get windy, I live on a hill at the base of the Appalachian mountains, but it's not constantly windy. Usually gentle breezes. Enough to move the leaves around.

I wouldn’t worry about the wind. Lack of sufficientair movement is part of your problem. Unless you get a hurricane, tornado or string thunderstorm wind won’t be an issue. It’s less of an issue if you larger trees. If you have mama and shohin strap the trees down to the monkey poles ( which is what you’re contemplating) with wire or with bungee cords strapped over the tops of the pots and secured underneath the supporting platform

 

[chuckyblack09]

Wind is generally not an issue, except for when especially hot and dry and you have delicate foliage species such as japanede maples.

I don't live in the desert and for the most part we have 80f (26c) - 86f (30c) temps in the summer here. Some days get a little higher. The air is usually humid. In the winter it can get dry, but I have a nice corner spot on the north side of my house that I put all my trees that gives them decent wind protection and out of the direct sun.

200 litre over 8,5 m2 makes about 12 litres per square metre, so about 12mm precipitation which is 5 inches. so 5 inches of precipitation would fill a barrel.

Yeah this seems not ideal.

Tie the pots down

I'm not concerned about them blowing over. More so the drying out aspect. Didn't know if anyone has any cool "screens" or wind breaker type of structures they've built to cut the wind. I have a fence around my yard, but unfortunately it's chain-link and not wood so it doesn't block any wind.

 

[rockm]

I don't live in the desert and for the most part we have 80f (26c) - 86f (30c) temps in the summer here. Some days get a little higher. The air is usually humid. In the winter it can get dry, but I have a nice corner spot on the north side of my house that I put all my trees that gives them decent wind protection and out of the direct sun.

Yeah this seems not ideal.

I'm not concerned about them blowing over. More so the drying out aspect. Didn't know if anyone has any cool "screens" or wind breaker type of structures they've built to cut the wind. I have a fence around my yard, but unfortunately it's chain-link and not wood so it doesn't block any wind.

What’s the average wind speed at your place?.

 

[chuckyblack09]

What’s the average wind speed at your place?.

I looked up the average wind speed for my town. According to some site 4.6mph (7.4km/h) to 8.1mph (13km/h) is the average.

If I were to estimate it before I looked it up I was going to say 10mph (16.09km/h) - 15mph (24.14km/h) adjusting for the fact that I'm on a hill.

 

[rockm]

I looked up the average wind speed for my town. According to some site 4.6mph (7.4km/h) to 8.1mph (13km/h) is the average.

If I were to estimate it before I looked it up I was going to say 10mph (16.09km/h) - 15mph (24.14km/h) adjusting for the fact that I'm on a hill.

So unless you have very small trees wind isn’t going to be much of a constant issue. Wind CAN be an issue at certain times of the year when trees are soaking up a lot of water but that is primarily in the spring

As summer moves ahead and fall approaches trees are using less water. That’s particularly true in very hot weather. The wind will help with the fungal stuff as will more sunlight. I think part of your problem is overcare for the trees. They don’t need the coddling up against a protecting wall. They need air circulation. This is an under appreciated factor keeping bonsai. Stagnant still air (or blocking wind) is not a great thing to do. It allows insect like mites and aphids as well asfungal spores peace to setttle in and grow more easily.

 

[Russ1]

Where I live we get 10-15 knt winds all the time and even 20 a lot, that's never been a problem.
Last month we got freak storm that had 65+ winds and I only had 2 trees blown off the bench, a blueberry about 12" tall, the pot 5x7x1.5 inch got broken and a Hinoki, top heavy and in a plastic training pot. I had just pulled in my drive being chased by the storm, opened the truck door and got it ripped right out of my hand, thought I was going to lose the door. A huge elm on the property broke in half.
Wind is only a big issue after repotting and when very hot or very cold or extreme like maybe 40+ knts.

 

[cmeg1]

If its a bigger roof can use a diverter…….is their gutters on the bigger roof of your house?

I have these on a mobile home and an 1/4” of rain will give me like nearly 200 gallons….guessing.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/good-ideas-inc-rain-wizard-diverter-flex-kit-1252169?cid=Google-Shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&BU=TSCO&adtype=pla&campaignid=22858345352&device=m&product_channel=local&product_id=1252169&store_code=2098&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22862191825&gbraid=0AAAAADnTm23MlXlOXFxzFWgu400AmBrs-&gclid=CjwKCAjw-svEBhB6EiwAEzSdrq5XKWOi_uGtAe0UyQ5Kusp9XMQQ19-N1_3fpM-bj4BlqT_eNZX27xoC_e8QAvD_BwE

 

[Jrmcmich]

So I came up with ~1.76 inch of rain to fill 55 gallons. 50 sq ft = 7200 square inches. 55 gallons = 12,705 cubic inch. 12,705/7200 gives the approximate 1.76” of rain assuming 100% efficiency. I have a 250 gallon ibc tote on a gutter and will fill up really quick with a decent rain but my roof area pretty large split over 2 down spouts.

 

[leatherback]

55 gallon = 200 litres
50sqr ft = 8,5 m2

200 litre over 8,5 m2 makes about 12 litres per square metre, so about 12mm precipitation which is 5 inches. so 5 inches of precipitation would fill a barrel.

ehm...
55g = 208 l
50 sq ft = 4.65 sq m

208/4.65 =44,76 mm prec = 1.76 inch

not sure how much beer was in my head when I did that..

 

[leatherback]

12mm precipitation which is 5 inches

funny nobody spotted this whopper!

 

[Jrmcmich]

funny nobody spotted this whopper!

Well I was wondering but thought jelle is a smart guy sure that’s right as I see your videos on you tube but then ran the numbers myself. Being an engineer thought I should calculate although I will say I prefer practical engineering over theory based. Glad numbers at least aligned

 

[leatherback]

Well I was wondering but thought jelle is a smart guy sure that’s right

Guess what the first lessons was my PhD supervisor taught me? Never assume the other is right because of who you have in front of you.
Did that by having a bunch of hs students analayse an anonymous paper on strong and weak points; We pulled the paper to shreds. Then he told us it was his paper..

 

[Jrmcmich]

Guess what the first lessons was my PhD supervisor taught me? Never assume the other is right because of who you have in front of you.
Did that by having a bunch of hs students analayse an anonymous paper on strong and weak points; We pulled the paper to shreds. Then he told us it was his paper..

Well that’s actually pretty cool of professor to do that as had he said it was his no one might have done a real critique

 

[leatherback]

Well that’s actually pretty cool of professor to do that as had he said it was his no one might have done a real critique

It is exactly what I have included in our MSc re-design, where I am helping to build the academic skills line, sectoion on critical thinking and logics.