Kusida Matsuo sell his trees?

yenling83

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I have the book Bonsai Today Masters' series Pines. In the book Kusida Matsuo writes a great article about growing Black Pines from seedling. I was wondering if Kusida Matsuo ever sells his trees to the public?
 

rockm

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He is apparently in Shizuoka, Japan. You can probably buy a mature pine--if you have the cash (probably about a bazillion $$$ :), patience to get it through quarantine (two years) and luck--if it survives the barerooting imported black pines require to come into the country.

If you're buying seedlings, there are any number of sources here in the states --including Brent Walston, that sell excellent stock.
 

mcpesq817

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If you need another source, Matt Ouwinga sells seedlings too, through eBay and I think through his website (I'm not sure if he is a poster on this board).

I've bought seedlings from him in the past which were always very healthy, and he's very helpful and nice.
 
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We visited him a few years ago when I was studying at Mr. Urushibata's nursery in Shizuoka. At that time he was a somewhat frail with some medical problems. He had reduced his bonsai work considerably. There were others that we visited who had the same techniques being employed to great success. Here is one of the pines after 3 years.
John Romano
 

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Bonsai Nut

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At that time he was a somewhat frail with some medical problems.

These kinds of notes scare me. I hope there is a new generation of bonsai enthusiasts in Japan who are absorbing all they can from these masters so that they can create a lasting legacy...
 

greerhw

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These kinds of notes scare me. I hope there is a new generation of bonsai enthusiasts in Japan who are absorbing all they can from these masters so that they can create a lasting legacy...

With all the countrys that ban Japanese imports, I'm not sure if it will be as profitable as it once was. The older generation are probably sending their kids to college, so they can make a good living.

keep it green,
Harry
 
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I can be somewhat optimistic in this regard (though guarded optimism would be more appropriate). There have been many westerners who have travelled to Japan and have seen and even worked with some of these methods. Also, Japanese bonsai 'masters' have been more apt to share some of this knowledge in the last 20 years to the rest of the world. I am talking more about developing bonsai from seeds and seedlings and not talking about collected materials (which is a topic Walter has commented on more thoroughly)
I would even go as far as to say that there are a sizable amount of bonsai professionals in the West who could easily use these methods (ie. growing shohin black pine bonsai from seed in method of Matsuo-san) in other parts of the world. However, I don't know if the resolve, dedication and ability to make _some_ money at it, will discourage many from trying to do it. To me, Western bonsai-ists want to dabble in all different species and techniques but few are willing to dedicate their time to ONE (or just a few) specialty. Like most, I've spent the first 15 or so years of my bonsai life doing this. I have, in the last 10 years or so, decided to focus on what I've gravitated to - shohin bonsai and black pine bonsai. Others should try to focus on whatever they feel drawn to. This will just make better bonsai overall! If we had experts in Azaleas, Jap. Maples, etc. than students could gravitate to them and the knowledge could be passed on. I try to tell my students to not fall in the trap to learn something about everything but to focus on a few species to learn a LOT about. There are some, of course (Nick Lenz - the king of larch, Marty Schmallenberg and Pitch Pine are just two examples among many). This is hard to do - that is why I'm not totally optimistic. For most of us it is a hobby but to make a hobby out of focusing in on one to two species, techniques takes a lot of resolve and dedication.
Now to get some of us to just grow 100 black pines in collanders for the next 10 years, or twisty shimpaku or japanese maples that exhibit no wounds on them, etc, etc.
John Romano
 

Klytus

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My Black Pine seeds are busy scarifying and stratifying,i missed out on seed selection and collection as there are none in the vicinity.

Trouble is even street trees are mass produced tat with precious little going for tham other than bland.
 

bonhe

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I can be somewhat optimistic in this regard (though guarded optimism would be more appropriate). There have been many westerners who have travelled to Japan and have seen and even worked with some of these methods. Also, Japanese bonsai 'masters' have been more apt to share some of this knowledge in the last 20 years to the rest of the world. I am talking more about developing bonsai from seeds and seedlings and not talking about collected materials (which is a topic Walter has commented on more thoroughly)
I would even go as far as to say that there are a sizable amount of bonsai professionals in the West who could easily use these methods (ie. growing shohin black pine bonsai from seed in method of Matsuo-san) in other parts of the world. However, I don't know if the resolve, dedication and ability to make _some_ money at it, will discourage many from trying to do it. To me, Western bonsai-ists want to dabble in all different species and techniques but few are willing to dedicate their time to ONE (or just a few) specialty. Like most, I've spent the first 15 or so years of my bonsai life doing this. I have, in the last 10 years or so, decided to focus on what I've gravitated to - shohin bonsai and black pine bonsai. Others should try to focus on whatever they feel drawn to. This will just make better bonsai overall! If we had experts in Azaleas, Jap. Maples, etc. than students could gravitate to them and the knowledge could be passed on. I try to tell my students to not fall in the trap to learn something about everything but to focus on a few species to learn a LOT about. There are some, of course (Nick Lenz - the king of larch, Marty Schmallenberg and Pitch Pine are just two examples among many). This is hard to do - that is why I'm not totally optimistic. For most of us it is a hobby but to make a hobby out of focusing in on one to two species, techniques takes a lot of resolve and dedication.
Now to get some of us to just grow 100 black pines in collanders for the next 10 years, or twisty shimpaku or japanese maples that exhibit no wounds on them, etc, etc.
John Romano
I'm concentrating on black pine and tamarix and California juniper at this time. Bonhe
 

Tachigi

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Take heart...we have people doing what we all hope would be done....young'ns actually getting a college education to grow trees out for bonsai.

Our own Tom Gargano (JTGJr25) is pounding away at the books to get a degree in horticulture from UNC...with bonsai being the beneficiary of that degree.

Nice to see that our level of bonsai is ever growing on all fronts.
 

greerhw

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Take heart...we have people doing what we all hope would be done....young'ns actually getting a college education to grow trees out for bonsai.

Our own Tom Gargano (JTGJr25) is pounding away at the books to get a degree in horticulture from UNC...with bonsai being the beneficiary of that degree.

Nice to see that our level of bonsai is ever growing on all fronts.

Unfortunately I won't be around to see the fruits of their labor. It's hard for me to imagine Americans ever having enough patience to wait around 25 years to have a nice JBP,same with Itowgawas, maybe a lot of nice shohins, . D trees would be a different matter I suppose. Native conifers will continue to be a big favorite, who doesn't like Yamadoris, right. American koi breeders have been trying to compete with Japanese breeders for years, with a little success. Remember the saying, I taught you everything you know, not everything I know.


keep it green,
Harry
 
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Tachigi

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Unfortunately I won't be around to see the fruits of their labor.
Harry

Harry unfortunately sometimes we miss the best part of the ride. Still I am heartened at the fact my daughter will have an opportunity to see material like this in her life time and will know what to do with it when that time comes.
 

Vance Wood

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Harry unfortunately sometimes we miss the best part of the ride. Still I am heartened at the fact my daughter will have an opportunity to see material like this in her life time and will know what to do with it when that time comes.

I think that this remark really cuts to the heart of the issue: Instead of bemoaning the state of things as they now are, make sure that the actions you take today do not lead down the same path. Teach your skills and share your knowledge and revel in your love for the art. Don't take a pass on an opportunity to share with the young and don't be too quick to criticize their failures. Most important of all: Don't think you have nothing left to learn yourself.
 

Attila Soos

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To me, Western bonsai-ists want to dabble in all different species and techniques but few are willing to dedicate their time to ONE (or just a few) specialty.

It is not easy to dedicate one's life to one particular species. I love black pines like anybody else, but I don't think that I can pass on working on maples, elms, azaleas, etc. etc. Variety is the spice of life. Many of today's accomplished bonsai artists successfully work with a large variety of species, and I don't blame them.

Working with one particular species makes more sense when one wants to mass-produce a large amount of quality stock. If I want to raise 100,000 seedlings, and I intend to create the highest quality stock possible, then the 100,000 seedlings of the same species will require identical growing conditions. On the other hand, if the 100,000 seedlings belong to one hundred different species, it will be very difficult to create optimal conditions for each species, within the confines of the same nursery. So, in the case of Japanese growers who take this kind of specialization to the extreme, it makes more sense: they are competing with each other, and specialization gives one the edge in a win or lose game.

It makes much less sense in the case of a hobbyist who has less than a hundred trees alltogether, or in the case of a bonsai artist who is not interested in growing stock from scratch.

So, it all depends on which side are you: on the producer side (specialized nursery business), or on the consumer side (hobbyist and artist). I placed the artist on the consumer side since it needs the bonsai grower to supply him with stock, but one can say that the artist is also a producer, since it creates the final product.

The producer in a competitive environment HAS to specialize. The consumer does not have to do that.
 
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greerhw

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Harry unfortunately sometimes we miss the best part of the ride. Still I am heartened at the fact my daughter will have an opportunity to see material like this in her life time and will know what to do with it when that time comes.

True about the hobby, but I don't have a lot to pass on but trees and tools. But the people who grew up in the fifties had the best ride that will ever be on this side of the world, for that I wouldn't trade anything, my kids have heard all my stories a hundred times...........:cool:

keep it green,
Harry
 
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capnk

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Japanese black pines in Oregon

We've been growing black pines in the Japanese tradition for several years.
Here's one that was lifted from the field a couple of years ago. The owner returned for a workshop this weekend.
The third photo is a view of the pine growing field.
 

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Attila Soos

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We've been growing black pines in the Japanese tradition for several years.
Here's one that was lifted from the field a couple of years ago. The owner returned for a workshop this weekend.
The third photo is a view of the pine growing field.

Nice growing operation. Where is it?
 

Smoke

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Looks like Telperion Farms.

Say hi to Gary Wood for me...

See ya at the convention..Al
 

capnk

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Telperion Farms it is, Al.
Located in Lyons, OR. About 20 miles east of Salem.
Gary says hey.
We were lifting Scots Pine from the field today, and he thought you would enjoy these images.
Chris
 

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