Hope I don't offend, but here's a pet peeve

bonsai barry

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I hope I don't offend anyone who has used this term recently, but I squirm everytime I read that someone "Rescued" a tree from some large box store because I think what they really mean to say is that they bought a tree really cheaply and that it might not live or might not ever make a good bonsai but they bought it anyway because it was really cheap so don't hold them responsible for the end results, that's why the term "rescue" bothers me so.



PS I don't really like run-on sentence, either.
 

Rick Moquin

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Your truculent posting may well lead to offensive responses, but in this case, since I never feel the need to rescue trees, I am not offended in the least :)
 

emk

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Big box stores are nice for "experimentation material" on the cheap. As a bonsai newb, getting several trees of the same species so I can see how they respond to different soils, lighting conditions, styling techniques, etc. is invaluable...even if the material is sub-par. Paying over $50 for a nice tree that I don't really know how to care for or train is kind of a waste.

Then again, I wouldn't call these trees my "rescuees"...I'd call them my victims! (Mwa-ha-ha-ha!)
 

Dav4

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I'm not offended by this post, and I agree with what you're saying when people use the phrase "rescued from a big box store" verses what they really mean, and I'm also put off by run on sentences and even though I tried, your run on sentence is way better then my run on sentence so I'm not going to try any more.

Dave
 

Tachigi

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Hi Barry, I kind of agree with you here

A rescued tree is a tree that is plucket from in front of a bulldozer as it sits there idling while the driver is on coffee break.

A tree from a big box store is not rescued, but set free to find its potential whether it be in a landscape or pot.

:D
 

Behr

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Hi Barry, I kind of agree with you here

A rescued tree is a tree that is plucket from in front of a bulldozer as it sits there idling while the driver is on coffee break.

A tree from a big box store is not rescued, but set free to find its potential whether it be in a landscape or pot.

:D

I must compliment Mr. Tom on this post...Very well stated...Thank you Mr. Tom, I truly believe we all needed that...

Regards
Behr

:) :) :)
 

Bunjinent

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Sometimes I think my trees need to be rescued from me...lol:p
 
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If you happen to see how some of these trees are treated at BigBoxStores, then maybe they are rescued.
 

Vance Wood

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When it comes to big box/nursery stores you may use the term rescue but in fact I seriously don't think anyone is rescuing anything, you are liberating them. Liberating them from possible death because of lack of care, liberating them from spending the rest of their lives in a boring landscape and liberating their form into something remarkable and inspiring, imparting some meaning into their existence.
 

Pete-Regina

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But wait a minute. Aren't you rescuing a tree if it's being neglected and uncared for? I know I've used this phrase in the past, but I genuinely believe that if I'm purchasing a tree from a shelf where it's not getting enough light, replacing the soil that it's in, trimming roots because they are so root bound they have nowhere to go but out, removing wire that has cut so deeply into the tree as to cause an animal to scream (or a person for that matter!) that I am, in fact, rescuing a tree from a slow, agonizing death.

Ok so the fukien tea that I rescued is scared beyond belief, but as a mother plant it will be able to provide me with cuttings that will have great potential.

The juniper I rescued has doubled in size since it started getting full sun and good water and soil. It may even become a good cascade.

The ficus that was a stick in a pot, burried half way in a piece of foam with no leaves and dry soil...well whadaya know, it's coming back to life as well....

I agree that sometimes the term can imply a cheaply bought plant; sadly, most of the time the plants I've got were cheap because the staff at the big box store wasn't capable of caring for the plants they're paid to take care of. So if getting a cheap plant that can be brought back to life with potential in it can't be seen as rescuing, would you tell me what it can be classified as?

Talent? :)
 

David Fairbanks

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I am not allowed to rescue or buy any more plants, per the Missess, but she didn't say anything about planting seeds.:D

My wife said that to me once, about 3 years ago.

I said, please dont make me make the most difficult decision i can think off, cus you might just lose out.

Shes ok with it now

:)
 

Glider

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I hope I don't offend anyone who has used this term recently, but I squirm everytime I read that someone "Rescued" a tree from some large box store because I think what they really mean to say is that they bought a tree really cheaply and that it might not live or might not ever make a good bonsai but they bought it anyway because it was really cheap so don't hold them responsible for the end results, that's why the term "rescue" bothers me so.
Yeah, I kind of agree with this although I think the condtions that define a 'true' rescue might not be clear cut and black and white.

Hi Barry, I kind of agree with you here

A rescued tree is a tree that is plucket from in front of a bulldozer as it sits there idling while the driver is on coffee break.

A tree from a big box store is not rescued, but set free to find its potential whether it be in a landscape or pot.

:D
Yep, that's a true rescue, but the extreme end of a continuum I think.

What about the following though: Back in early June I went to Heron's looking for a satsuki nikko (I found a nice one :) ), but while I was there, I noticed a little satsuki (yata no kagami) had been kicked under a bench. I had a closer look and found it was a sweet little starter tree with a very nice trunk movement, but was in a tiny (4"x2") plastic pot. It had come out of it's pot and the kanuma had dried and eroded from one side of the tiny rootball (you should be tearing up by now).

It was laying on its side, under the bench, living on overspill that dribbled through when the other trees got watered. It had obviously been there for some time as it was water dripping through the bench day after day that had eroded half the rootball soil away and it was surviving on what it could suck up from the gravel under the bench.

I bought it (at the labelled price of £29.00) and it's just starting to put out new growth now. I had to cut off the top third of the trunk as that was looking very weak and dodgy and held way more foliage than it could support. It was a complete pity-purchase, but I don't regret it because it has a nice trunk line and will make a very nice shohin eventually. Does that count as a rescue?
 
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Considering the number of tree that a beginner will lose over time, maybe they should not be doing the rescuing? ;)
 

riprap

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Don't see why it should be necessary to anthropomorphize plants to begin with. I do it now and again for fun and when the tone is understood ("Yeah, this kaede decided it didn't need that branch anymore"), but not to frame a debate, as about "rescue". In archaeology and paleontology, quickly getting artifacts or fossils out of the way of developers' bulldozers is commonly referred to as "salvage archaeology." And "salvage" of trees, rather than "rescue" seems like a better term.
 

Glider

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Yes, salvage. I like that term. It feels more accurate.

Considering the number of tree that a beginner will lose over time, maybe they should not be doing the rescuing? ;)
Or perhaps salvaging such trees (especially if at reduced cost) might be a good way to get beginners to focus on the horticultural side of things first as they restore the tree to health?

Many beginners seem to jump straight into heavy cutting, wiring and advanced styling techniques, before they have a sound grasp of the horticultural basics, which would be why so many trees die in the beginning.
 
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