Portland, OR - Bonsai Starter Material?

somegeek

Yamadori
Messages
89
Reaction score
1
Location
SW Washintgon
USDA Zone
8b
I live just outside the Portland, OR area and I'm curious if anyone can suggest a local nursery that offers bonsai starter material/stock? I'd noted that Portland Nursery carries some. One thing I noticed when I found starter material was that it was worked on a bit / cut back vs more rough for someone to take in the direction they'd like. Would be nice to find the less finished stock.

Appreciate any input.

somegeek
 

buddhamonk

Chumono
Messages
748
Reaction score
13
Location
Ptown oregon
what do you mean by less finished stock? nursery tree? You can find plenty all over Oregon - just search craigslist for any type of tree you want and you're gonna find old nursery in boring, sandy, oregon city, carrying stuff for really cheap (usually 50% off because of the econony)

For pre-bonsai stock - you won't find much and you should just stick to well known places in Oregon

1) Oregon Bonsai
2) Telperion Farm
3) Apex Bonsai
4) Japan Bonsai

Also join the Portland club and you'll get plenty of help with finding material for a good price.
 

somegeek

Yamadori
Messages
89
Reaction score
1
Location
SW Washintgon
USDA Zone
8b
what do you mean by less finished stock? nursery tree? You can find plenty all over Oregon - just search craigslist for any type of tree you want and you're gonna find old nursery in boring, sandy, oregon city, carrying stuff for really cheap (usually 50% off because of the econony)

For pre-bonsai stock - you won't find much and you should just stick to well known places in Oregon

1) Oregon Bonsai
2) Telperion Farm
3) Apex Bonsai
4) Japan Bonsai

Also join the Portland club and you'll get plenty of help with finding material for a good price.

Search portland.craigslist.org for shimpaku and get zero results.

The bonsai starters I've found locally, particularly Shimpaku, are mostly a globe style... whips removed. Looking for starters that were more or less given the chance to just grow similar to what most folks suggest for the early stages of developing material... unless I am looking at them the wrong way. :)

Thanks for the suggestions.

I plan to check out the Portland club here later this month.

somegeek
 
Messages
1,706
Reaction score
130
Location
Bremerton, WA
USDA Zone
8b
PM Capnk (I think that's how you spell it...lol)

Chris runs Telperion Farms with his wife Lisa... he has AWESOME field grown shimps... I bought one from him last year for about $250 as I recall. GREAT starter material.

We ain't talking whips in pots of course... ;)

But if you are looking for something to sink your teeth into that will have great potential and lots of options... they are great people to buy from. Well worth the drive to see their massive place. I thought I had died and gone to heaven...lol

Good luck....

Victrinia
 

Concorde

Shohin
Messages
274
Reaction score
6
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
USDA Zone
6-9
If you want good bonsai stock material, try Wee Tree Farm (aka Garland Nursery) located in Corvallis.:) Good stock at a good price. I have been very happy with my purchases.
 

somegeek

Yamadori
Messages
89
Reaction score
1
Location
SW Washintgon
USDA Zone
8b
Thanks all for this. I may have to plan a trip to tour a few of these as most of these places are a few hours away. :)

I am indeed looking for stuff to cut my teeth on.

Thanks,
somegeek
 
Messages
1,706
Reaction score
130
Location
Bremerton, WA
USDA Zone
8b
If you want good bonsai stock material, try Wee Tree Farm (aka Garland Nursery) located in Corvallis.:) Good stock at a good price. I have been very happy with my purchases.

Wee Trees is very worth a visit also!! But you have to call Diane before going as a general rule to make sure she is going to be there... she spends most of her weekend time at a nursery in Corvalis I believe.... so the actual bonsai nursery isn't always "open".

However she does put a lot of great stuff on the web... I've bought many trees from her and they are also top quality. I only suggested Telperion first as it is closer, and they have the rough field grown kind of material that it sounds like somegeek is looking for. And when it comes to feilds of trees.... lol no one beats Chris and Lisa in the NW. :D

Both are great nurseries... no doubt about it. :)

V
 

buddhamonk

Chumono
Messages
748
Reaction score
13
Location
Ptown oregon
why not head up to japanese garden today. There's a bonsai sale there every spring. Lots of trees and raw material for sale.
 

somegeek

Yamadori
Messages
89
Reaction score
1
Location
SW Washintgon
USDA Zone
8b
why not head up to japanese garden today. There's a bonsai sale there every spring. Lots of trees and raw material for sale.

Thanks for the suggestion and I wish I could... working today. Weather is perfect to go there today along with the Bonsai exhibition being put on and Mother's Day to boot.

Planning to take my family there next weekend. :)

somegeek
 

somegeek

Yamadori
Messages
89
Reaction score
1
Location
SW Washintgon
USDA Zone
8b
PM Capnk (I think that's how you spell it...lol)

Chris runs Telperion Farms with his wife Lisa... he has AWESOME field grown shimps... I bought one from him last year for about $250 as I recall. GREAT starter material.

We ain't talking whips in pots of course... ;)

But if you are looking for something to sink your teeth into that will have great potential and lots of options... they are great people to buy from. Well worth the drive to see their massive place. I thought I had died and gone to heaven...lol

Good luck....

Victrinia

I'm planning to visit Telperion Farms this weekend. Woot! I called and spoke to Chris and asked about smaller Shimpaku whips and he asked if I was looking for regular or Itiogawa material. Admittedly, I don't understand the difference. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
somegeek
 
Messages
1,706
Reaction score
130
Location
Bremerton, WA
USDA Zone
8b
Come up to the Rim and take a look see at the auction... it's from 1-4pm...

But Chris will not do you wrong in the least, and I hope you have a lot of time, his place is HUGE... REALLY steep to get to though... so be aware of that... It's practically vertical. :eek:

And Itoigawa is the tightest most compact variety of shimps there is... so it's very nice for bonsai... but standard shimps would grow faster from young trees... so maybe you get both...

Chris and Lisa are great people... and be careful going into their pot room... you'll be poorer if you do... they've got some really great pots. :D

Kindest regards,

Victrinia
 

buddhamonk

Chumono
Messages
748
Reaction score
13
Location
Ptown oregon
telperion farm is having an open house this weekend I believe. I'm heading to the Pacific Rim on Sat for the auction and possible telperion farm on sunday. Chris has more shimpaku and other stock than you could handle in a lifetime...
 

somegeek

Yamadori
Messages
89
Reaction score
1
Location
SW Washintgon
USDA Zone
8b
Thanks for the heads up on the time(and the warning on the pots)... we'll be going next weekend instead so we can leave early and spend a decent amount of time there.
 

somegeek

Yamadori
Messages
89
Reaction score
1
Location
SW Washintgon
USDA Zone
8b
Made my way down to Telperion farms today with my family. We spent roughly two hours there... no where near long enough but long enough for our 11mo old and 2.8 year old. :)

Chris was very helpful and hospitable as was his wife Lisa. I plan to go back down there for a day sometime in the near future minus our offspring. We didn't make it into their pottery area this go around.

We picked up a few small Shimpakus and a Satsuki Azalea(my wife was oogling those).

Saving up my hobby $ for my next trip down there. So much material... :eek:

somegeek
 
Top Bottom