puravida
Seedling
Hi gang,
A random trip to the local nursery resulted in about a week of exuberant bonsai searching on the internet; I've seen more youtube videos and done more window shopping of bonsai trees than I care to admit...
I've decided two things: one, I would like to purchase an indoor bonsai for my future office, still several months away. For now, I've decided upon a Jaboticaba simply because I like the way it looks more than most of the typical indoor bonsai. I would love to try a Acer Rubrum, but from what I gather, the indoor/outdoor thing is probably a bit much for my first entry into bonsai.
Also, I have family land of around 80 acres near Charlotte, and can gather any wild tree I desire for bonsai. So my questions are as follows:
1. As a beginner, can anyone point to a good resource for gathering trees from the wild? I know a little about taper and the like in terms of form that are aesthetically pleasing to me, but I'm completely baffled by the process. For example, suppose I found a great little cedar or red maple trunk on a six foot tall tree. Can I simply dig it out and trim it back to a foot high?
2. Are there any regional trees (cedar, dogwood, sycamore, etc.) that lend themselves to bonsai better than others?
3. Is there anybody in my area that likes to collect trees from the wild that would be willing to show me the ropes when it comes to yamadori?
Thanks!
A random trip to the local nursery resulted in about a week of exuberant bonsai searching on the internet; I've seen more youtube videos and done more window shopping of bonsai trees than I care to admit...
I've decided two things: one, I would like to purchase an indoor bonsai for my future office, still several months away. For now, I've decided upon a Jaboticaba simply because I like the way it looks more than most of the typical indoor bonsai. I would love to try a Acer Rubrum, but from what I gather, the indoor/outdoor thing is probably a bit much for my first entry into bonsai.
Also, I have family land of around 80 acres near Charlotte, and can gather any wild tree I desire for bonsai. So my questions are as follows:
1. As a beginner, can anyone point to a good resource for gathering trees from the wild? I know a little about taper and the like in terms of form that are aesthetically pleasing to me, but I'm completely baffled by the process. For example, suppose I found a great little cedar or red maple trunk on a six foot tall tree. Can I simply dig it out and trim it back to a foot high?
2. Are there any regional trees (cedar, dogwood, sycamore, etc.) that lend themselves to bonsai better than others?
3. Is there anybody in my area that likes to collect trees from the wild that would be willing to show me the ropes when it comes to yamadori?
Thanks!