PLEASE.. let me offer some advice.......

greerhw

Omono
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
15
If you are new to bonsai, this is the best advice I can offer you. Find a club or someone that has been doing bonsai for a few years, I will gurantee you they have killed more trees than they have alive (ask to see their pot collection). Ask the person or club what will not just grow, but what will thrive in your area. It will save you time, money and heartache. Don't think you have a better way and you can beat the odds. That was my thinking and it cost me big time, well lets just say I would love to have that money back. Everybody kills trees, everybody, so please follow my advice and you will have a better bonsai experience.

Harry
 
Last edited:

Joedes3

Shohin
Messages
404
Reaction score
21
Location
Boston, MA
USDA Zone
6
Great advice. It has really helped to join a club
 

bonsaiTOM

Mame
Messages
210
Reaction score
1
Location
Cedarville, NY, USA
USDA Zone
4
Alright, way to go!!!

That's just what I did 8 years ago. There is one an hour west of us (Syracuse) and another 1 1/2 hours east (Albany) but I still wanted one closer (Utica) and I'm proud to say we now have one and we're doing just fine.

See us at www.mvbonsai.com

:D
 

CamdenJim

Shohin
Messages
282
Reaction score
513
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
USDA Zone
7B
About joining a club ...

After a year of being the spouse of a new member, I've joined her and can't recommend club membership more heartily. And someone with a national office in another organization doesn't join local groups casually ;)
 

greerhw

Omono
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
15
In order to keep members interested at peak level, try to have a pro come once a year and conduct a workshop, I like junipers. Brussel's usually have some very nice one's they will ship to you. read all the books you can, but in my opinion having hands on instruction in a workshop can't be beat. The picture represents the last workshop junipers we purchased from Brussel's, they cost the members $125 and everybody left the workshop with a TREE, not a stick.

Harry
 

Attachments

  • DSC00405.JPG
    DSC00405.JPG
    79.8 KB · Views: 82
Last edited:
Messages
954
Reaction score
2
Location
HELL
I totally agree with you harry. The awesome thing to about doing junipers is that there are so many different ways one can style them, and no matter experience level one is at, they always seem to have something to offer...
nice tree harry !!!
 

greerhw

Omono
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
15
This is not a bonsai yet, this is the way we recieved the material from Brussels, the tree comes later, after the workshop.
Harry
 

painter

Mame
Messages
209
Reaction score
14
Location
central jersey
USDA Zone
6
what does the shipping cost on something like that?
and was that a 125 dollar tree?
something like that around here would cost at least 3 hundred.
p
 

greerhw

Omono
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
15
This was from last year, the Bonsai Smiths came up from Dallas( 3 hrs) to do a one day workshop. Howard and Sylvia are two of the nicest people you will ever meet, we got two bonsai artists for the price of one. Now back to your question, yes this is a $125 tree, you can't see it very well in the picture, but it has two trunks. We bought ten of these and I don't what the shipping was, another member handled that. The club treasury picked up the tab for the shipping and the Smiths fees $300, so all the member had invested was $125, everybody had a great time and all took home a very nice juniper. The one in the picture was leftover, so I bought it from the club and sent it to a friend in Michigan.

Harry

Check em out....http://bonsaismiths.net/
 

Attachments

  • DSC00719.JPG
    DSC00719.JPG
    65.8 KB · Views: 29
Last edited:
Top Bottom