I can't help it.....

Fangorn

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I know you shouldn't be envious of your neighbors, but I'm sorry, I am. Where I live, there only a few species of bonsai material that will thrive. Some will survive, but barely. There are so many trees I would love to have, but I've wasted a lot of money trying to buck the odds. I can grow JBP's, junipers and ponderosa. "D" trees look like crap here starting in July, and not worth the effort. So if you're one of those lucky people that you can grow just about anything, consider yourself lucky.

keep it green,
Harry

Living in New England, I do consider myself lucky for the trees I can grow. That can also be that I've lived here all my life. The trees that first brought me to Bonsai were images of the trees that I grew up with, like Beech and Maples and if I came from a different climate that might change . My collection is now pretty even between Deciduous and conifer, with a couple of tropical trees that give me something to do during the winter.
I do admit that when the wife starts talking about where we are going to live when we retire, one of the first things that comes to mind is "What kind of trees can I grow there?"
 

rockm

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Native decidous trees don't flinch in native conditions--ever tried Texas live oak? Cedar elm is also pretty heat tolerant in containers, but I think you've had a few of those...
 

greerhw

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Native decidous trees don't flinch in native conditions--ever tried Texas live oak? Cedar elm is also pretty heat tolerant in containers, but I think you've had a few of those...

Yeah, I tried the ones you mentioned, but they do have some problems in August, plus I find them boring. Just my personal taste, I like to see movement, jin and shari to give the tree the look of great age against the elements.

keep it green
Harry
 

greerhw

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Living in New England, I do consider myself lucky for the trees I can grow. That can also be that I've lived here all my life. The trees that first brought me to Bonsai were images of the trees that I grew up with, like Beech and Maples and if I came from a different climate that might change . My collection is now pretty even between Deciduous and conifer, with a couple of tropical trees that give me something to do during the winter.
I do admit that when the wife starts talking about where we are going to live when we retire, one of the first things that comes to mind is "What kind of trees can I grow there?"

Just for the record, I live in the south midwest and I never heard anyone say, I think I'll move North when I retire.......:D

Keep it green,
Harry
 

Attila Soos

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I know you shouldn't be envious of your neighbors, but I'm sorry, I am. Where I live, there only a few species of bonsai material that will thrive. Some will survive, but barely. There are so many trees I would love to have, but I've wasted a lot of money trying to buck the odds. I can grow JBP's, junipers and ponderosa. "D" trees look like crap here starting in July, and not worth the effort. So if you're one of those lucky people that you can grow just about anything, consider yourself lucky.

keep it green,
Harry

I have a hard time believing that you cannot grow any kind of elm, over there. You should try them.

How cold it gets in the winter?
 

Attila Soos

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.... plus I find them boring. Just my personal taste, I like to see movement, jin and shari to give the tree the look of great age against the elements.

keep it green
Harry

They get boring only if they are made boring. Movement and deadwood is part of deciduous bonsai as well. And there are all kinds of variations with hollow trunk. Those are anything but boring.
But you want something that is mostly finished, and there may be very few people who can make interesting bonsai using species suitable to your area. So, I can understand why you consider them boring. You are in a tough spot.

The problem is that you are bored because you need variety.
Pine bonsai is like a good stake (if you like stake). Juniper is another kind of stake.
No matter how much you love stake, you cannot have it every single day, because you will get sick of it after a month of eating them every day. If, however, you have a vegetable soup or a salad once in a while, or even do some fasting once a month, the stake will taste so much better next time. Deciduous bonsai could be your salad. I doesn't have to be your favorite, but it makes everything else taste better.

So, in order to appreciate conifers at their best, you need to mix it up with something else. There is no way around it.
Japanese bonsaists discovered that ages ago. You should learn from them....but you've already said that you do have a liking for their taste.
 
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rockm

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My cedar elm has quite a bit of movement in the trunk. It zigzags better than a lot of good pines. My live oak has both deadwood and tremendous trunk movement--it's trunk (8 inches at the base tapering to three inches within its height of 24 inches) does two complete corkscrew turns in that space...

The deadwood is in trunk hollows and in the trunk. It does not rot. I do nothing to preserve it.

It all depends on what you start with...
 

jquast

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My cedar elm has quite a bit of movement in the trunk. It zigzags better than a lot of good pines. My live oak has both deadwood and tremendous trunk movement--it's trunk (8 inches at the base tapering to three inches within its height of 24 inches) does two complete corkscrew turns in that space...

The deadwood is in trunk hollows and in the trunk. It does not rot. I do nothing to preserve it.

It all depends on what you start with...

Hey Rock,

got any pics of these to show?

jeff
 

greerhw

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I have a hard time believing that you cannot grow any kind of elm, over there. You should try them.

How cold it gets in the winter?

I can grow certain elms, but they still suffer, plus they're boring.

keep it green,
Harry
 

greerhw

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Nice trees Rock but it appears you like blonds and I prefer redheads, which when you think about it, that's a good thing, right.

keep it green in the summer and I'll keep mine green all year,
Harry
 
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rockm

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This photo shows the live oak's trunk better. The branches have been shortened and become more ramified since this was taken.
 

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Bill S

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It;s OK Harry, I think many of us are jelous of your collection so we are all pretty even. BTW Jerry Mislek grows tropicals in Montana so anything is possible, just depends how overboard you want to go to recreate Ma Nature inside I guess. But I don't blame you for not wanting to go down that road.
 

greerhw

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It;s OK Harry, I think many of us are jelous of your collection so we are all pretty even. BTW Jerry Mislek grows tropicals in Montana so anything is possible, just depends how overboard you want to go to recreate Ma Nature inside I guess. But I don't blame you for not wanting to go down that road.

I'm just happy I can grow anything.

keep it green,
Harry
 

greerhw

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This photo shows the live oak's trunk better. The branches have been shortened and become more ramified since this was taken.

Nice D tree.

keep it green,
Harry
 

greerhw

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Just so you D tree guys know, I tried to buy one on ebay and was outbid the the last few minutes. I've posted it before, but I thought you might like to see again. I guess it was a good thing I didn't win it, it would probably be dead by now...........:(

keep it green,
Harry
 

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mcpesq817

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Just so you D tree guys know, I tried to buy one on ebay and was outbid the the last few minutes. I've posted it before, but I thought you might like to see again. I guess it was a good thing I didn't win it, it would probably be dead by now...........:(

keep it green,
Harry

Wow, that's a nice tree. What species? It's a bit hard for me to tell the leaf shape on my screen.
 

greerhw

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Wow, that's a nice tree. What species? It's a bit hard for me to tell the leaf shape on my screen.

I forgot, somekind of Oak I think. It sold for 1500 bucks.

keep it green,
Harry
 
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