If you like tiny trees...

ShadyStump

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I think someone shared this same video some time ago in another thread, asking if anyone had any experience or info on making trees that small.

Entirely too high maintenance for my climate. I'd have to water every couple of hours in the summer.
 
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I think someone shared this same video some time ago in another thread, asking if anyone had any experience or info on making trees that small.

Entirely too high maintenance for my climate. I'd have to water every couple of hours in the summer.
This is what I do. Cheater pot and shade. Also a good way to cultivate moss😍
Ive only been doing bonsai a couple years so its nice to have stuff to play with while larger trees are developing. Another trick is to put them on the soil surface of larger trees in grow boxes. They get shaded by the larger tree and hold moisture longer.
 

ShadyStump

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This is what I do. Cheater pot and shade. Also a good way to cultivate moss😍
Ive only been doing bonsai a couple years so its nice to have stuff to play with while larger trees are developing. Another trick is to put them on the soil surface of larger trees in grow boxes. They get shaded by the larger tree and hold moisture longer.
This video actually popped up on my feed the other day. Haven't gotten to it yet, but now I think I have to.
Thanks.
 

Lorax7

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I have one azalea mame that I bought last year. I made it through the end of the summer by watering twice a day and placing its pot on top of the soil surface of a larger bonsai. I’ve since repotted it into a slightly larger pot. When I did the repot, I used the smallest particle size mix that I have. It’s still sifted so there isn’t dust in it, but all the particles are smaller than the smallest hole size of my Joshua Roth soil sifter set. I purchased another sifter with an even finer mesh so I could remove the dust but keep very small particles.

When I repotted, I also used a piece of synthetic fabric that is absorbent but non-biodegradable and threaded it through the drainage hole to make an absorbent pad at the bottom of the pot with a little “tail” that hangs down outside the pot a bit. When summer comes, I’ll place it on a humidity tray. The “tail” part will be beneath the pot, in contact with the layer of water in the humidity tray. Water will wick up the fabric into the pot and supply moisture to the soil above it.
 

ShadyStump

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This video actually popped up on my feed the other day. Haven't gotten to it yet, but now I think I have to.
Thanks.
Got to this video this morning, and it really was a, "big red duh," moment for me 😂 It's all basic I don't know how it never occurred to me.
Thanks for proving I'm still an idiot. LOADS of pressure of my shoulders 🤣🤣🤣

I have one azalea mame that I bought last year. I made it through the end of the summer by watering twice a day and placing its pot on top of the soil surface of a larger bonsai. I’ve since repotted it into a slightly larger pot. When I did the repot, I used the smallest particle size mix that I have. It’s still sifted so there isn’t dust in it, but all the particles are smaller than the smallest hole size of my Joshua Roth soil sifter set. I purchased another sifter with an even finer mesh so I could remove the dust but keep very small particles.

When I repotted, I also used a piece of synthetic fabric that is absorbent but non-biodegradable and threaded it through the drainage hole to make an absorbent pad at the bottom of the pot with a little “tail” that hangs down outside the pot a bit. When summer comes, I’ll place it on a humidity tray. The “tail” part will be beneath the pot, in contact with the layer of water in the humidity tray. Water will wick up the fabric into the pot and supply moisture to the soil above it.
This too! That idea with the wick is brilliant!

I've never seriously considered mame before because they seemed to high maintenance, but I think I might give it a shot with some of the cuttings I have going.
Thanks for the tips!
 
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Got to this video this morning, and it really was a, "big red duh," moment for me 😂 It's all basic I don't know how it never occurred to me.
Thanks for proving I'm still an idiot. LOADS of pressure of my shoulders 🤣🤣🤣


This too! That idea with the wick is brilliant!

I've never seriously considered mame before because they seemed to high maintenance, but I think I might give it a shot with some of the cuttings I have going.
Thanks for the tips!
I’m super excited for you, I can’t wait to see what you make! Please share😎
 

ShadyStump

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I’m super excited for you, I can’t wait to see what you make! Please share😎
Need to trim back my hibiscus, so may wind up going that route. They aren't the best for bonsai in general, but I imagine that few seasons of cut-and-grow might actually make a decent mame if you can get the leaves to reduce.
Otherwise, there's more Siberian elm around here than you can shake a stick at, and jade and portulacaria of course.
 

leatherback

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I guess that’s reason #539 why joining your local bonsai club is worthwhile. I got that idea from another club member. She uses old nylons for wicks for small bonsai.
lol, hint: It also works for tropicals inside that dry out quickly. Or during longer absences where you would like to provide a little extra water
 

ShadyStump

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I was even thinking of something like a pan of water and some rags as wicks to provide more humidity around my plants indoors for the winter, but it hadn't occurred to me to use the concept on mame.
I just never really considered mame seriously before, so never explored options.
 
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