I'm new to bonsai and this forum use with experience could you recommend me a website nursery

aphid

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That use have had good experience with I'm looking to buy two maples A Murasaki kiyohime and a Koto Hime also are these two trees good for Bonsai looking to spend 40 to 55 see some sellers on eBay with the stock photos actually don't show the tree would you recommend buying from them Appreciate any help guidance you could give me on what to look for when buying online and for the tree Thank so much

Hi Elyah, I have bought several Japanese maples this spring from 4 vendors: 2 from searching on Google and 2 from eBay. I'm happiest with Conifer Kingdom. Below is the link to their website. One of the plants I got from them is Murasaki Kiyohime. The one I received is actually bigger than that 4th picture on the site. It's $40 before shipping.

http://www.coniferkingdom.com/acer-palmatum-murasaki-kiyohime/

On ebay, if it's just a stock photo and no individual tree, the plant will be a 1-year or 2-year graft. I wouldn't pay more than $15 for these before shipping. It's a cheap way to collect new cultivars if you don't mind growing them out in pond baskets for a few years. All of these need to grow out anyway in the ground, pond baskets, or colanders. I personally wouldn't put any Japanese maple whose trunk is less than 1" thick in a bonsai pot.
 

Elyah

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Just like to say thank you all for your response I will be needing a lot of help and if you know a place where to order please let me know you guys are great I'm from Rockford IL not much resource in this area like I said I'm new to this and some of my explanation won't be great bear with me lol
 

Cadillactaste

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CasAH

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If you are in Rockford, BC Bonsai is in Wheaton, IL. You can find them on the web. They have a nursery in Paw Paw, IL, which is just off I-39 South if I-88. That should be straight shot for you. You need to call them to find out when they are out at Paw Paw. Their cell number is on their website. Decent trees at decent prices.

There is Cass Bonsai in Edwardsville, IL. They have a lot of Japanese Black Pines if that is your thing.

The Midwest Bonsai Society is having a Spring show focusing on education next weekend May 20 and 21, at the Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe. Their will be a number of vendors there selling trees and tools. It would be a good way to meet a number of vendors in person and see what type of trees they carry. In species and quality. All of the vendors have been selling at these shows for years and have good reputations within the Chicago Bonsai Community.

Also, the family loves the Anderson Gardens in Rockford.
 

milehigh_7

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There are online vendors you can trust, I'm one of them. However, you have to get to know who they are. Some of the folks here have regular places they buy from they would not keep doing it if they did not get good stuff. So to carte blanch tell someone to not buy online is ignorant in the least and hurtful to good business people more likely. The bonsai community is rather small so you will pretty much get to know folks over time.

Heck buying from someone like say, Chris and Lisa Kirk at Telperion Farms http://www.telfarms.com I would trust them to just pick something out for me, as they know more than me anyhow, and you will always get more than your money's worth. There are many more good people out there as well. Like Brent at https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/viewcat.htm He may just have starters in the catalog but shoot him an email and ask. He is one of the good guys in the bonsai world.
 
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aphid

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Elyah, here's the $40 Murasaki kiyohime I got from Conifer Kingdom. Pretty bushy with a trunk the thickness of a pencil.

If you do decide to buy a tree now, it's too late to do any root work, but you can lift the whole thing up and put it in a bigger pot or in the ground without disturbing the roots. Most online nursery plants come in pots that are too small and will surely die in my backyard. I understand you would be anxious to do all kinds of bonsai stuff to it like repotting in a bonsai pot, but it's best to wait till next spring. Many new bonsai enthusiasts want to make their plants look like bonsai trees instantly. There are species that you can do that with the $50 budget. Japanese maple isn't one of them though. You don't have any garden center (besides Lowe's and Home Depot)? Garden centers will usually have all kinds of cultivars. Mikawa Yatsubusa and Sharp's Pygmy look like little trees already if you get the bigger ones ($75 - $150).
 

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M. Frary

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I'd go to the nearest garden center and get the fattest procumbens nana juniper I could find.
 

Elyah

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Hi Elyah, I have bought several Japanese maples this spring from 4 vendors: 2 from searching on Google and 2 from eBay. I'm happiest with Conifer Kingdom. Below is the link to their website. One of the plants I got from them is Murasaki Kiyohime. The one I received is actually bigger than that 4th picture on the site. It's $40 before shipping.

http://www.coniferkingdom.com/acer-palmatum-murasaki-kiyohime/

On ebay, if it's just a stock photo and no individual tree, the plant will be a 1-year or 2-year graft. I wouldn't pay more than $15 for these before shipping. It's a cheap way to collect new cultivars if you don't mind growing them out in pond baskets for a few years. All of these need to grow out anyway in the ground, pond baskets, or colanders. I personally wouldn't put any Japanese maple whose trunk is less than 1" thick in a bonsai pot.
Just checked out the website looks promising so you're very happy with them I may will look into this thank you and you said it has decent growth
 

Elyah

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If you are in Rockford, BC Bonsai is in Wheaton, IL. You can find them on the web. They have a nursery in Paw Paw, IL, which is just off I-39 South if I-88. That should be straight shot for you. You need to call them to find out when they are out at Paw Paw. Their cell number is on their website. Decent trees at decent prices.

There is Cass Bonsai in Edwardsville, IL. They have a lot of Japanese Black Pines if that is your thing.

The Midwest Bonsai Society is having a Spring show focusing on education next weekend May 20 and 21, at the Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe. Their will be a number of vendors there selling trees and tools. It would be a good way to meet a number of vendors in person and see what type of trees they carry. In species and quality. All of the vendors have been selling at these shows for years and have good reputations within the Chicago Bonsai Community.

Also, the family loves the Anderson Gardens in Rockford.
Paw paw definitely is a straight shot for me i've actually done some jobs there last year I work in construction .this is interesting Anderson garden is Beautiful I want there about a month ago they were still closed but I have been there in years past thanks
 

Elyah

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Elyah, here's the $40 Murasaki kiyohime I got from Conifer Kingdom. Pretty bushy with a trunk the thickness of a pencil.

If you do decide to buy a tree now, it's too late to do any root work, but you can lift the whole thing up and put it in a bigger pot or in the ground without disturbing the roots. Most online nursery plants come in pots that are too small and will surely die in my backyard. I understand you would be anxious to do all kinds of bonsai stuff to it like repotting in a bonsai pot, but it's best to wait till next spring. Many new bonsai enthusiasts want to make their plants look like bonsai trees instantly. There are species that you can do that with the $50 budget. Japanese maple isn't one of them though. You don't have any garden center (besides Lowe's and Home Depot)? Garden centers will usually have all kinds of cultivars. Mikawa Yatsubusa and Sharp's Pygmy look like little trees already if you get the bigger ones ($75 - $150).
I have a couple and I go very often and I ask the garden centers for kinds of cultivars some don't know about cultivars and some they say they never get
 

Elyah

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Elyah, here's the $40 Murasaki kiyohime I got from Conifer Kingdom. Pretty bushy with a trunk the thickness of a pencil.

If you do decide to buy a tree now, it's too late to do any root work, but you can lift the whole thing up and put it in a bigger pot or in the ground without disturbing the roots. Most online nursery plants come in pots that are too small and will surely die in my backyard. I understand you would be anxious to do all kinds of bonsai stuff to it like repotting in a bonsai pot, but it's best to wait till next spring. Many new bonsai enthusiasts want to make their plants look like bonsai trees instantly. There are species that you can do that with the $50 budget. Japanese maple isn't one of them though. You don't have any garden center (besides Lowe's and Home Depot)? Garden centers will usually have all kinds of cultivars. Mikawa Yatsubusa and Sharp's Pygmy look like little trees already if you get the bigger ones ($75 - $150).
So you're saying don't do much with it other than repot it and work on it next Spring may go this route previous post mention Paw paw Illinois at the moment I just don't have time to go there but sometime I would love to go there
 

milehigh_7

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I'd go to the nearest garden center and get the fattest procumbens nana juniper I could find.


If you did this, you could afford a couple of good tools as well. Then you would be off to a good start. You won't be able to do much to a maple till spring anyhow.
 

M. Frary

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If you did this, you could afford a couple of good tools as well. Then you would be off to a good start. You won't be able to do much to a maple till spring anyhow.
Sense?
We aren't talking sense are We?
I'd hate to be accused of such a thing.
 

Elyah

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Sharps Pygmy arrived today is it OK to repot it into a smart pot 3 gallon what kind of soil should I use pine bark be OK with a little Foxfarm and perlite and do they like to be watered often also have EB stone organic citrus and fruit tree food 7-3-3 be ok and how often do I feed shady or sunny area thank you so much for the help also I know the graft are not acceptable for bonsai but does it look real bad and with in Year's well it somewhat grow out and other than that the first year should I just let it be and grow out
 

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Stickroot

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Oh you meant north of Chicago... NM.
 
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