Looking for my annual big purchase

[JoeR]

I'm now comfortable with my horticultural skills [keeping everything alive] and I want to make a relatively "big" purchase this summer (June). Looking for something that looks like a bonsai, something ready for a bonsai pot.


As with anything else, I want the best 'bang for my buck'- so I've been thinking about purchasing one of the faster growing species- tridents, elms, japanese maples, etc. but really I would be open to most anything that looks like a tree/bonsai and not just a twig in a pot.


I dream of an import, especially a satsuki, but they will cost more than I can probably afford. At least for anything decent.


Because I dont want anything super specific, I would like to go somewhere in person and look around. Hopefully somewhere like Murunakas but theres nothing like that on the east coast. I thought about making a trip to The Growing Grounds as it's only a bit over two hours away but I find the place questionable as I never hear anything about it and now the website says it needs renewed?


So are they still open? Has anyone been there and if so what was your experience with them? Maybe you might know @johng


Other than the growing grounds are there any other places I could go within a reasonable distance? Or a website that lists their inventory?


Thanks in advance for any help.

Joe

 

[Redwood Ryan]

It's a bit of a drive, more like a day or two trip, but Meehan's Miniatures is up in Maryland. They don't have a whole lot listed on their website, but I'm going up there in a month or two and am going to take pictures of their trees so they can post them online. Stay tuned.

 

[Adair M]

As far as I know the Growing Grounds is still in business. Call him.

The issues people had with him were related to shipping and inadequate packaging. If you're going there in person, you should have no problem.

 

[JudyB]

Check with Don Blackmond Gregory Beach Bonsai. I know he has some killer satsuki... and many many other things.

 

[coh]

Ah, the growing grounds. Haven't heard much about them for a while! The website is still there ( http://thegrowinggrounds.com/) though I don't know why, it hasn't been updated in about 3 years.

 

[JoeR]

It's a bit of a drive, more like a day or two trip, but Meehan's Miniatures is up in Maryland. They don't have a whole lot listed on their website, but I'm going up there in a month or two and am going to take pictures of their trees so they can post them online. Stay tuned.

Hmmm its 6 hours and 17 minutes from where I live, but if we end up taking a trip to New York NY I could make a stop.

I look forward to the pictures

 

[petegreg]

I would like to go somewhere in person and look around.

...and talk to the seller, what soil is it in, when repotted last time, which cultivar and so on. This is the best thing you can do. I'm fed up with online shopping from different sellers...

 

[JoeR]

...and talk to the seller, what soil is it in, when repotted last time, which cultivar and so on. This is the best thing you can do. I'm fed up with online shopping from different sellers...

What issues are you having?


I have had only good experiences with online sellers- Brent, Julian Adams, Sheffields, etc.. But it was all young material.

 

[petegreg]

Not at all with young trees. But with pines. Some delivered grown in greenhouse, but they are fine now, some in muddy soil with a top layer of bonsai soil... It happens, my fault I didn't check it on delivery. Now I can say what to buy from whom here in EU.
And another advantage of buying in person - U can see the trees from 360°, check actual health 'cause pictures can be old...

 

[JoeR]

Not at all with young trees. But with pines. Some delivered grown in greenhouse, but they are fine now, some in muddy soil with a top layer of bonsai soil... It happens, my fault I didn't check it on delivery. Now I can say what to buy from whom here in EU.
And another advantage of buying in person - U can see the trees from 360°, check actual health 'cause pictures can be old...

Sorry to hear that- must be very frustrating.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I've had the best luck with online bonsai purchases.

Don Blackmond is where my satsuki azalea came from...if he has nothing your looking for in your budget let me know. I can point you in other directions as well.

So your looking to make a purchase of a tree you've had success with? But better quality?

 

[petegreg]

Thank you, I'm pleased to hear you're satisfied with you retailers on the other hand. Next time I'll not look for the best price, but in case of pines will do the business with verified ones.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thank you, I'm pleased to hear you're satisfied with you retailers on the other hand. Next time I'll not look for the best price, but in case of pines will do the business with verified ones.

That's it in a nutshell...going with one's who have a solid reputation.

 

[sorce]

Joe R...

I wouldn't much worry about an elm, or a trident, fast growing stuff you can create in your lifetime.....

Me, I'd be looking for a slow grower.
JWP, Chojubai, a fatzalea.

Something near impossible to create in a lifetime.

Love that you want to go look at it!

Is there a good show coming to you?

Sorce

 

[JoeR]

Joe R...

I wouldn't much worry about an elm, or a trident, fast growing stuff you can create in your lifetime.....

Me, I'd be looking for a slow grower.
JWP, Chojubai, a fatzalea.

Something near impossible to create in a lifetime.

Love that you want to go look at it!

Is there a good show coming to you?

Sorce

No shows that I know of until fall, but something I didnt think about.


When this semester is over, I might be able to work more and save up for a nice little JWP. But until then, I want something to satisfy my tree cravings. You know, some instant gratification in a sloowww hobby .

 

[Boscology]

Ahh the bonsai bucket list. My goals arent so unique either, my financial situation on the other hand; prohibitive.

 

[BethF]

I got a couple of large trunks from The Growing Grounds six or seven years ago. Went up there and picked them out. A twin trunk maple and a Chinese quince. They were well-grown with a good start on branching. They were, at least to me at the time, expensive, but I have not regretted the purchases. Their forte seemed to be deciduous trees; don't think they grow the pines, but I could be mistaken. They had quite a few pines, but they were estate purchases, etc., and priced accordingly. What do you have to lose? If you can contact them, take a trip over there.

How close are you to Greenville SC? There's an older gentleman there who has a bonsai nursery - Green Thumb Bonsai. His website is, well, greenthumbbonsai.com. I got a good-sized trident trunk from him two years ago. Very reasonably priced. It turned out that it has a lot of field pruning wounds that will take a long time to heal. I put it in a grow flat last month When I began, I was worried that after being in a nursery pot for at least a couple of seasons, it would be a pain to reduce the roots. Turned out that they were completely flat, apparently grown over a tile. Many had grown down the sides of the pot, but it was the easiest repot this year. While it will never be a show tree, I think I can develop it into something I like to look at.

Take your time, enjoy your search, and find something you can enjoy for years to come. Good luck.

 

[JoeR]

I got a couple of large trunks from The Growing Grounds six or seven years ago. Went up there and picked them out. A twin trunk maple and a Chinese quince. They were well-grown with a good start on branching. They were, at least to me at the time, expensive, but I have not regretted the purchases. Their forte seemed to be deciduous trees; don't think they grow the pines, but I could be mistaken. They had quite a few pines, but they were estate purchases, etc., and priced accordingly. What do you have to lose? If you can contact them, take a trip over there.

How close are you to Greenville SC? There's an older gentleman there who has a bonsai nursery - Green Thumb Bonsai. His website is, well, greenthumbbonsai.com. I got a good-sized trident trunk from him two years ago. Very reasonably priced. It turned out that it has a lot of field pruning wounds that will take a long time to heal. I put it in a grow flat last month When I began, I was worried that after being in a nursery pot for at least a couple of seasons, it would be a pain to reduce the roots. Turned out that they were completely flat, apparently grown over a tile. Many had grown down the sides of the pot, but it was the easiest repot this year. While it will never be a show tree, I think I can develop it into something I like to look at.

Take your time, enjoy your search, and find something you can enjoy for years to come. Good luck.

So thats the place!!

I almost bought a trident from them when I first got into bonsai but I could never find the website after that. Its about 3 hours away, not too bad at all. I think the prices are fair.

 

[Eric Group]

There is the Bonsai Learning Center outside of Charlotte... I haven't been there since the previous owner had it over a decade ago, but I always buy from them at the Carolina expo in October - great guys work there, seem to have a lot of stuff, but I do not know what they have in the range you are looking for...

 

[JoeR]

What issues are you having?


I have had only good experiences with online sellers- Brent, Julian Adams, Sheffields, etc.. But it was all young material.

Oh I forgot to add International Bonsai (Bill) to the list too