New to Bonsai on Vancouver Island

[Canada Bonsai]

There's a lot of equipment I'm having trouble finding locally; soils like akadama or kunuma (or what would be a good local substitute), fertilizers, and things like wire, cut paste, pots, etc

I get all of this from Art et Culture Bonsai in Shawinigan, Quebec. They ship anywhere

This list might be helpful too:

Canadian Societies, Groups, Nurseries and Shops

CLICK HERE for a list of Canadian Bonsai Societies, Groups, Nurseries and Shops

www.canadabonsai.com

I've been trying to learn as much as I can, and wow, there's so much out there now, it's a bit overwhelming!

If you've been away for a while and just came back, Michael Hagedorn's Bonsai Heresy is likely going to be a very very good investment for you. That book and other recommendations are listed here:

Educational Recommendations

CLICK HERE for a list of Educational Recommendations

www.canadabonsai.com

 

[Bubsamecium]

Thanks Derek, great to hear from you! I appreciate everything you're doing in bonsai on the Canadian east coast. Are you back in Quebec? I'd love to hear more about your work with Yves. You have some incredible stuff on your website, like the azalea cultivars and beautiful maples. The logistics and cost of shipping things to the other side of the country seems daunting, but I'd definitely like to learn more about it!

 

[rusticana]

What zone is Vancouver really in? There's no way it's really 8b. I'm in 7b, and I'm hundreds of miles south of you on a peninsula just barely above sea level.

You'd be suprised. Hes over on the Island usually even milder. The mildest place in canada. Actually I think thats the Island of Haida Gwaii even further north. Never too hot never too cold. But it can rain like hell. I've lived here mostly and its a rarity we get to skate on ponds. There are exceptions. Like last year it got down to -10c for 5 days. It was devestating because we hadn't even had a proper frost. Some roses were still trying to bloom? Reeked havock on on some of my flowering trees. They had'nt properly hardened off. Then snap all the flower buds got frazzeled. But it continued on to be one of the mildes winters in memory. Even some cotoneasters went decidious with a lot of die back.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

What zone is Vancouver really in? There's no way it's really 8b. I'm in 7b, and I'm hundreds of miles south of you on a peninsula just barely above sea level.

Vancouver Island has the most un stereotypical Canadian weather of any province. I couldn't stand the 8 months of rain in the winter but the summers where beautiful.

 

[Glaucus]

Zone 8 goes all the way to Alaska on the new hardiness maps. Like way way further north than Vancouver Island. The entire coast line becomes islands at some point. All zone 8 or 7 no matter how high north you go.
The rain and greyness in winter is great too.

 

[Bubsamecium]

View attachment 571449

Vancouver Island has the most un stereotypical Canadian weather of any province. I couldn't stand the 8 months of rain in the winter but the summers where beautiful.

This is a beautiful map too!

Well, for anyone viewing this thread, consider this an advertisement to come and enjoy some 9A Canadian weather this summer on the Island

 

[Bubsamecium]

Some updates on what I've learned/picked up following up on all the excellent advice and suggestions I received!

Akadama and Kanuma: available from Bonsai Floral Gardens in Langley, on the mainland. Also picked up Kiyonal cut paste from them! Interestingly what caught my attention the most was how beautifully lush the moss all around their nursery was! For a non-bonsai garden project, I was hoping to find a large amount of live moss to plant in the front yard, still on the lookout.

I picked up a couple 3 gallon Satsuki Azalea Osakazuki from Triple Tree Nursery in Maple Ridge (on the mainland as well). @Glaucus thanks for chiming in in this thread, I was reading through lots of your posts, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how best to develop these guys. @Deep Sea Diver I'd love to get your advice too from your wealth of experience, especially in a similar climate on the other side of the Juan de Fuca/Puget Sound! I'll start another thread in the Flowering section that might be more appropriate for that.

Borden Mercantile locally in Victoria has an excellent selection of by the scoop fertilizer meals including Blood, Bone, Soy, Kelp, Meat, and Alfalfa, as well as pumice as I mentioned previously. Their bags of pumice labelled 1/4-3/8" I sifted into essentially half 1/8-1/4, and half 1/4-3/8, with a small amount of fines to sift out.

I am looking forward to finding time to make a pilgrimage up island to visit Frank in Qualicum, and Anton in Campbell River!

 

[Birdish]

Hello! I am also new to bonsai on Vancouver Island so I thought I'd chime in with my peculiar question here and would appreciate any advice offered.

I have a Japanese Boxwood seedling that I'm very attached to (and is the reason for me to learn about Bonsai - I realize it's not necessarily the greatest beginner option). It's about 2" tall and still growing vigorously in a tiny pot in my north facing window. I know that boxwood needs to go dormant so I'm trying to decide where best to put it for the winter. My options are:

- Outside - South facing, don't get too many days below freezing but I'm in a fairly windy spot and we're getting more storms this year
- In my garage window (south facing - no direct sunlight but lots of indirect light)
- Some combination of both
- Leave it in the north facing window and let it keep growing through this season and move it next year?

This is actually a sprout from a fairly large shrub that died in my current garden (before I moved here this spring) so it clearly wasn't super happy in its spot outside (right under my garage window!) but I suspect that is more of a soil/overwatering issue. Our complex has automatic sprinklers and my particular yard is the shadiest with no drainage...with our current rainy weather it's been a mud/clay pit for weeks!

 

[Bubsamecium]

Hi @Birdish, welcome and glad to see another newbie on the Island!

I can't say I have much experience with your question, but I can commiserate with the windstorms we've gotten in the south island. If you have any pictures of your tree and possible locations, maybe someone with more experience may be able to weigh in!