Dallas Bonsai Garden Contest

[milehigh_7]

LOL we are nearly done with our first growing season. In about a month we will be over 100 every day and some days even at night. Stuff will be dormant again.

 

[DallasBonsai]

Finalizing details on the contest, everyone should be ready to rock at this point. Stay tuned!

 

[monza]

What? What did I miss, I was out side shovelling snow?

 

[october]

Every Spring for close to the last decade or so. I checkout every garden center, nursery, Home Depot and Lowes within about a 40 mile radius in 2 different directions. This year, dare I say, it is worse than ever as far as any workable stock. I think the biggest challenge will be finding one workable tree among thousands and thousands of unworkable ones.

Rob

 

[coh]

Based on what I've seen at my local Lowes...in general, it looks like the size of the stock available (trees and shrubs) is much smaller this year, compared to last year. Has anyone else noticed this?

Last year I bought a Magnolia 'Jane' for $20, it had a single decent trunk (about 2" I think) and surface roots. This year all they have are pots with multiple small trunks, many pencil-sized. Still at $20. Similar for boxwoods, euonymus, etc.

Chris

 

[october]

Based on what I've seen at my local Lowes...in general, it looks like the size of the stock available (trees and shrubs) is much smaller this year, compared to last year. Has anyone else noticed this?

Last year I bought a Magnolia 'Jane' for $20, it had a single decent trunk (about 2" I think) and surface roots. This year all they have are pots with multiple small trunks, many pencil-sized. Still at $20. Similar for boxwoods, euonymus, etc.

Chris

Yup, it almost seems like it is worse than ever. In fact, over the last couple of years, I have been seeing less of trees that even do well in out area. I don't see any yew or hinoki cypress. At least not yet anyway. It almost seems like the trees are being mass produced at a factory..lol. Pencil thin, multiple trunks with no nebari. Some of the dwarf rhododendrons and larger ones had some decent bases a few years back. This year, no bases what so ever on any trees.

Rob

 

[Vance Wood]

That's the problem with big box stores, you get young stock. It is for that reason I prefer the Mom and Pop independent nurseries where it is likely they will keep some stock from additional seasons. It is from this bunch of stock you find your best nursery stock.

 

[Poink88]

I recently posted a 3.5" boxwood a 4" olive I purchased from Lowe's. I know there are more if we look harder.

The rest of the boxwood (3 each) are actually on clearance (50% off) last I visited but no longer have space for it. Maybe that is the reason they hardly carry the bigger ones ( = more expensive) ...hardly anyone buys them.

 

[rockm]

Hands down the best nurseries to look for stock that's worhtwhile are independent, long-established nurseries. They have older stock (and the older it is, the more the place wants to get rid of it for the most part).

Ask where the "sale" area is. That's where you can sometimes find mind-boggling deals. I got a $400 japanese maple for $50 once just because it was sun-scorched. I also got a large, six inch diameter bald cypress for $69 at another independent nursery just because it was still in the 10 gallon container it had been put in decade ago. It hadn't been moved in a very long time from its location in the nursery row. Its roots had escaped from the pot and into the ground when it was a youngster. The trunk grew so much that it split the container.

Sure, look at Home Depot. No harm. I still do that. Just don't expect alot. For every fair to middlin tree I find at the big box stores, I've found five times that at older nurseries.

 

[Poink88]

Hands down the best nurseries to look for stock that's worhtwhile are independent, long-established nurseries. They have older stock (and the older it is, the more the place wants to get rid of it for the most part).

....

For every fair to middlin tree I find at the big box stores, I've found five times that at older nurseries.

I am sure this is true. Problem for some of us is that there are hardly any of those around anymore. Either they never existed or died when the box stores came. I still go look at the outskirt nurseries when I find them but unlike your experience, they are much more expensive most of the time here.

 

[october]

Yes, there are quite a few of those nurseries within a 50 mile radius or so from me. They always have much older and better stock. Especially the stuff in the back. This year, there were some things at these nurseries that showed some promise. However, I am not really going to deal with anymore stock that is mediocre or going to take 7-8 years of my time to be a mediocre bonsai. In fact, just like years ago, when I sold my tropicals. I have now sold the trees in my collection that would not really be considered high quality material. I just sold a tree that I worked with for 7-8 years. It started as a stick in a pot and turned into an ok bonsai after all that time. If I had spent that much time on another tree, it could have had a show stopper.

Rob

 

[tmmason10]

Yes, there are quite a few of those nurseries within a 50 mile radius or so from me. They always have much older and better stock. Especially the stuff in the back. This year, there were some things at these nurseries that showed some promise. However, I am not really going to deal with anymore stock that is mediocre or going to take 7-8 years of my time to be a mediocre bonsai. In fact, just like years ago, when I sold my tropicals. I have now sold the trees in my collection that would not really be considered high quality material. I just sold a tree that I worked with for 7-8 years. It started as a stick in a pot and turned into an ok bonsai after all that time. If I had spent that much time on another tree, it could have had a show stopper.

Rob

I'm still having trouble with this concept. I have whittled my trees way down to just the stock I want to work with for the next few years, but it's a hard learning curve. I am 50-50 for participating because of lack of space and I wouldn't want to waste it on material that want worth my time.

 

[october]

I'm still having trouble with this concept. I have whittled my trees way down to just the stock I want to work with for the next few years, but it's a hard learning curve. I am 50-50 for participating because of lack of space and I wouldn't want to waste it on material that want worth my time.

Yes, what is making it more difficult is the seemingly less good stock available here in the northeast. It seems there is a a slow decline in the availablity of good material here. On the same note, growing prices of material that is good. I believe this is making bonsai a little more difficult to do as a hobby in general. If one decides to only work on good material or material with some promise, then this is going to leave out a large percentage of trees. Ergo, if you can never find trees, you can never improve your skill. Just say you find that one great prestock tree that is under $500. Now, that is the only one you find in that season or worse, in 2 seasons. Working on one new tree every year or 2, does little to improve ones skills in bonsai. Seems like there is a never ending circle here.

Rob

 

[Poink88]

he-he-he...by having 130+ mediocre trees I am getting lots of practice LOL.

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes, what is making it more difficult is the seemingly less good stock availble here in the northeast. It seems there is a a slow decline in the availablity of good material here. On the same note, growing prices of material that is good. I believe this is making bonsai a little more difficult to do as a hobby in general. If one decides to only work on good material or material with some promise, then this is going to leave out a large percentage of trees. Ergo, if you can never find trees, you can never improve your skill. Just say you find that one great prestock tree that is under $500. Now, that is the only one you find in that season or worse, in 2 seasons. Working on one new tree every year or 2, does little to improve ones skills in bonsai. Seems like there is a never ending circle here.

Rob

I am not saying that any of my trees are great, or even really good on a world or national scale, I am saying as they have grown; I have grown. My vision for a good bonsai has changed and many of my older trees are going through a transformation of improvement---I hope. The point is; I have never spent more that $75.00 dollars for a piece of stock from which to make bonsai.

Should you do things my way? Only you can decide. Only you can decide if spending hundreds or thousands of dollars for bonsai stock is justifiable in your economic situation or spending chicken feed is more along your line. But: Regardless of which path you choose don't let someone else make you feel guilty for not choosing the other. Just remember life is, for better or worse, a Poop sandwich. How palatable it is depends on how much bread you have.

 

[october]

Hi Vance, I agree. Some of my best trees were around $30 and some around $100. Like you, along the way, I have been restyling some trees which has been making for much better images. Even though money is sometimes an issue, I think the main issue is the material not being there in general. I remember going to nurseries, this include bonsai nurseries and finding that diamond in the rough, here and there. Now, these finds seem almost non existent anymore. I am pretty sure that the area is the biggest issue. I think that there is more quality material on the west coast and other places.

Rob

 

[nip]

Since the main concern seems to be the quality of starting material, perhaps the starting material could be given a rating before the contest. Such as 1 to 5, with 5 being the poorest material and 1 the best. Then the final tree could be rated 1 to 10, with 10 being top-notch. The two values could then be combined to decide the ultimate winner. That would alleviate some of the material concerns, but probably open a whole new can of worms at the same time. Has something like that ever been implemented?

 

[october]

Since the main concern seems to be the quality of starting material, perhaps the starting material could be given a rating before the contest. Such as 1 to 5, with 5 being the poorest material and 1 the best. Then the final tree could be rated 1 to 10, with 10 being top-notch. The two values could then be combined to decide the ultimate winner. That would alleviate some of the material concerns, but probably open a whole new can of worms at the same time. Has something like that ever been implemented?

That does sound like good system. However, I think they are just going for a very simple before and after photo. When I mentioned about the lack of good material. I was talking about it in general, not really in relation to this contest. I believe this contest is just for fun and to see some nice befores and afters or getting something from nothing.

Rob

 

[Poink88]

The point is; I have never spent more that $75.00 dollars for a piece of stock from which to make bonsai.

But when is this?

I think you have to factor what that money was worth then. Imagine what $5.00 can buy during the recession or during the war! LOL

(running and ducking for cover).

 

[nip]

That does sound like good system. However, I think they are just going for a very simple before and after photo. When I mentioned about the lack of good material. I was talking about it in general, not really in relation to this contest. I believe this contest is just for fun and to see some nice befores and afters or getting somethign from nothing.

Rob

Yeah, I figured it would be too difficult to gauge quality based on pictures. I agree on the lack of available material. Big box stores rarely have more than some scrappy junipers, boxwoods, and azaleas. Always a treat to see the before an after pics though.