Hi from Alberta

[PierreR]

Thought I would get me feet wet and say hi!
Been trying off and on for many years to keep a collection of bonsai. Some collected from the wild, some trees from nursery's, others from small shops selling young trees in bonsai pots. Between moving, dogs, hot summers, and working on the road, moving etc, its been difficult, near impossible to keep healthy trees.

I have bought many books, read a ton on line, the more I read, the more things aren't clear...

I hope to be able to look towards the membership for help and guidance in the future. I need advice forsure! Haha!

Look forward to the journey.

 

[Alain]

Hi there!
Hot summers but harsh winters, you'll have to choose your species wisely if you want to keep them outside
Btw you should fill your profile location,
Welcome anyway!

 

[PierreR]

Thanks for the welcome Alain. Location added!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Don't worry, a lot of folks have thrown in the towel so you can grab one to dry your feet!

Speaking of feet.

Keeping anything alive up there must be a feat.

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

Keeping anything alive up there must be a feat.

Just about the same weather I have. Not hot in the summer here most times though.
I was just watching a show on Saskstchewan. There is a 4000 square mile bog up there I saw that was simply loaded with old stunted tamaracks.
Welcome Pierre. I love the avatar. I want a pet bear but the wife keeps saying no! I don't understand why.

 

[twarawa]

Hi Pierre,

I assume your location is Lloydminister? Not many of us out this way. I am in Wainwright. Clubs and bonsai nurseries are a little hard to find but on the upside there is some great material in the bush not far north. Tamaracks, jack pine, birch, etc... Welcome to the site.

Tyler

 

[PierreR]

Just about the same weather I have. Not hot in the summer here most times though.
I was just watching a show on Saskstchewan. There is a 4000 square mile bog up there I saw that was simply loaded with old stunted tamaracks.
Welcome Pierre. I love the avatar. I want a pet bear but the wife keeps saying no! I don't understand why.

Glad you like the avatar! I'm a father of 3 girls, and my friends call me bear... I liked this from the first time i saw it. I live in agricultural country. I need to go north an hour to get into the boreal forest, there are smaller bogs with black spruce and tamarack and black spruce, all spindly and growing on floating peat carpets! Did some surveying there a few years ago. found some areas 23 meters deep of sloppy peat! could never get a collected tree to make the transition from bog to pot/container.

 

[PierreR]

Hi Pierre,

I assume your location is Lloydminister? Not many of us out this way. I am in Wainwright. Clubs and bonsai nurseries are a little hard to find but on the upside there is some great material in the bush not far north. Tamaracks, jack pine, birch, etc... Welcome to the site.

Tyler

Thanks Tyler!

 

[PierreR]

Tyler, sorry, been a long day! Yes Lloydminster is correct!

 

[wireme]

Welcome, I'm near the Alberta border too but on the BC side. Relatively similar climate and challenges, dogs, cats, working out of town till this last year, made a lifestyle change, scratching a living locally now, way more broke but better able to take care of trees!
I have a few of those Albertan bog spruce, came home with me after a job in ft mac. I'll show some pics later.

 

[wireme]

Here's my Albertan spruce, from the northern muskeg bogs. A bit thin I guess but some age there for sure and nice bark. These came from a quick roadside pull over and dig, collected 10 in 1 hr. Millions and millions of trees like this up there. Great forest material I think. It would be interesting to spend more time looking I'm sure there's some good stuff up there.
Mine are going into third season post collection and just showing strong growth now for the first time. They are still growing in straight muskeg, sphagnum, lingan berry and Labrador tea mostly.

 

[PierreR]

Ah! Nice!! Damn black spruce! I slashed through God knows how many miles of that stuff when I was a surveyor!! They are starting to show signs of vigorous life. I liked tamarack and tried to get a few to like containers, with little luck. Had no clue how much water, or how often to water, fertilizer either for that matter. Ah well, your doing well with those.

 

[M. Frary]

Ah! Nice!! Damn black spruce! I slashed through God knows how many miles of that stuff when I was a surveyor!! They are starting to show signs of vigorous life. I liked tamarack and tried to get a few to like containers, with little luck. Had no clue how much water, or how often to water, fertilizer either for that matter. Ah well, your doing well with those.

. I would try tamarack again if I were you. They make great bonsai.

 

[twarawa]

I work around Cold Lake a lot and when I get a chance I see what I can find in the area. I find the best spots to look around powerline right aways as you can find some beat up trees from the mulcher if you're lucky.

Muskeg is great for the tamaracks too. Lots of trampled and moose pruned ones there. I didn't believe it when I read Nick Lenz's book Bonsai from the Wild but they really do just pull out of the muskeg. I collected a couple 2 weeks ago and only needed a pair of bypass pruners for the larger roots.

Nice seeing a few bonsai folks out this way as we aren't many. I guess our 3 month growing season doesn't help.

Tyler