Katie0317
Chumono
Is it still alive? It seems so many die!
Serissa forest and container question?
- Thread starter Katie0317
- Start date
Yep, growing like a weed. It did not enjoy being indoors this winter, however. I thought for awhile I was going to lose it. Just to clarify, I'm talking about the Water jasmine.
Katie0317
Chumono
Oh, I thought you meant the serissa. I'm glad you like your water jasmine. We have a lot of jasmine growing in our yard and I love the smell! Did you keep it indoors all winter? Mine can stay outside all winter except maybe in February. I'd love to have more inside but so far I'm only keeping jade bonsais indoors. They have to be the easiest thing to care for I can think of!
Yes. Tropical, sub-tropical trees would not enjoy themselves outside in winter in IL.
TinyArt
Chumono
Yes, I'm in the SE corner of Polk Co. but don't get out much/far, so haven't been anywhere or met anyone in person yet.
I like your assessment of our climate -- I feel as though "fall" & "spring" are more like somebody blinking the lights to let you know its time for intermission to end: HOT/cool/hot/cool and vice-versa. (My plants handle heat better than I do, too!)
My impression -- newbie that I am -- is that serissa are MUCH more tolerant when kept outdoors, but that they'd better be well drained!
I wish I'd know earlier about the different cultivars, but I'm not sorry that I ended up with little Kyotos & a Cherry Blossom. My intention, though, had been to make a penjing landscape... I'd fallen in love with pictures of "water and land" penjing works by Zhao Qingquan, who uses a good deal of serissa, as well as Chinese Elm. (Really beautiful, but not something a beginner can replicate and keep alive -- I don't want the job of trying, for a few years or more, and I'll go for a pot, rather than a marble tray!)
namnhi
Masterpiece
Katie0317
Chumono
Katie0317
Chumono
As a thought has anyone tried to fuse mature serissa trunks? I know it's usually done with seedlings and saplings.
I could wait and root the cuttings, I'll have quite a few and could try to fuse those. Has anyone tried this? Thank you, Katie
I could wait and root the cuttings, I'll have quite a few and could try to fuse those. Has anyone tried this? Thank you, Katie
Mellow Mullet
Masterpiece
Katie,
I see you are in Florida, serissa should grow like a weed for you. I have it growing all over the yard, it is almost a weed.
Don't waste your money on akadama, it is useless. Serissa will grow just fine in lava and pine bark 80/20 mix. Pumice is good too. Akadama is highly operated and overpriced.
I see you are in Florida, serissa should grow like a weed for you. I have it growing all over the yard, it is almost a weed.
Don't waste your money on akadama, it is useless. Serissa will grow just fine in lava and pine bark 80/20 mix. Pumice is good too. Akadama is highly operated and overpriced.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Don't take too much notice of the horror stories of serissa disliking watering and moving. Yes they will drop leaves when something changes and that's when new owners panic but they (the serissa, not the owner) usually adjusts and grows new leaves.
Min are just in the same mix I use for all my trees. Using one standard mix saves lots of worry with materials and all can be watered the same. Some growers have definite opinions on what is RIGHT and invariably they are right and every one else is not. Truth is much more flexible and trees can be grown in almost any mix provided you can match care to the soil.
Akadama varies from batch to batch and depending on the source. The only time I had some it stayed far too wet under my care and conditions so I don't bother. Find locally available materials that have the same properties and save huge energy shipping by not soil halfway round the world.
Min are just in the same mix I use for all my trees. Using one standard mix saves lots of worry with materials and all can be watered the same. Some growers have definite opinions on what is RIGHT and invariably they are right and every one else is not. Truth is much more flexible and trees can be grown in almost any mix provided you can match care to the soil.
Akadama varies from batch to batch and depending on the source. The only time I had some it stayed far too wet under my care and conditions so I don't bother. Find locally available materials that have the same properties and save huge energy shipping by not soil halfway round the world.
Katie0317
Chumono
Thanks for the upbeat message. I appreciate it and it gives me confidence. I'm usually confident so it's funny that I've worried over some little plants getting the best of me. They could but I'll give them my best.
They arrived yesterday and my husband and I had been gone all day. There was enough daylight to get a really good look at them and they're beautiful! So healthy, green and the leaves are shiny. The box looked like Fed Ex had kicked them around but they were okay though a little squished to one side. I spent some time straightening them out and welcomed them to our garden. I thought while I was doing this, "Why have I been afraid of you little ones?"
I absolutely love how delicate and fine they look. I'll have fun making a forest with them and will be looking for a large round tray type of pot or tray if anyone happens to see something like this. It's a screen shot I took off 'first forest' thread here and it was posted by someone with PeaceLoveBonsai handle. Has anyone seen something like this? I'll absolutely need a way to anchor the trees in place and this gives me that option. Do you think he drilled those holes himself and what's your guess...Is it plastic or clay?
Attachments
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Good bonsai pots have multiple drain holes. The wider and shallower the pot the more holes they should have so it is likely this pot was made like this. Drain holes double as tie down points but there are other options including bamboo or wire framework to anchor the trees. Beware of cheaper ones that have few drain holes.
Hope someone on your side will chime in with sources for suitable pots. A number of members here are also potters that make bonsai pots. You may be able to commission a locally custom made pot but you should be aware that the wider and shallower the pot the more expensive it may be. I believe there is a higher rate of failure with wider pots let alone the time and materials as well as space in the kiln.
Your serissa may look great straight out of the box, even after fedex delivery but do not be surprised to see a whole lot of leaves on the soil after a day or so. It is just something serissa seem to do. The vast majority will adjust to new conditions and recover.
Hope someone on your side will chime in with sources for suitable pots. A number of members here are also potters that make bonsai pots. You may be able to commission a locally custom made pot but you should be aware that the wider and shallower the pot the more expensive it may be. I believe there is a higher rate of failure with wider pots let alone the time and materials as well as space in the kiln.
Your serissa may look great straight out of the box, even after fedex delivery but do not be surprised to see a whole lot of leaves on the soil after a day or so. It is just something serissa seem to do. The vast majority will adjust to new conditions and recover.
Katie0317
Chumono
What is a bamboo framework? I've not heard of that. I'd love to know. We have no shortage of bamboo and just tore out a massive amount around our pool and are about to have it replanted with a different bamboo.
The serissa plants seem happy still!
They are nine years old but are so delicate looking. I really like them but am not sure they're suitable for a forest. We're in the process of relandscaping the front of our house and the pool side. The front is almost done but we're looking for three matched very specific palm trees. We've been driving to a lot of areas we don't usually get to looking at palms and it's been taking us to new bonsai nurseries which has been a lot more fun than looking at palm trees.
I realized there are very small nandina plants that we've pretty much ignored for 20 years. They've stayed small but the stalks are at least an inch in diameter. Some are tall and some are short. They've been pruned a lot. There are quite a few and I think I should use those for my forest planting. Somehow I can't see serissa trees as a forest. Also, I'm not sure if I should wire them or not. Perhaps if the trunks had more bend or taper to them I could see it but I'm not seeing it as a forest. I couldn't be more happy with them though.
The serissa plants seem happy still!
They are nine years old but are so delicate looking. I really like them but am not sure they're suitable for a forest. We're in the process of relandscaping the front of our house and the pool side. The front is almost done but we're looking for three matched very specific palm trees. We've been driving to a lot of areas we don't usually get to looking at palms and it's been taking us to new bonsai nurseries which has been a lot more fun than looking at palm trees.
I realized there are very small nandina plants that we've pretty much ignored for 20 years. They've stayed small but the stalks are at least an inch in diameter. Some are tall and some are short. They've been pruned a lot. There are quite a few and I think I should use those for my forest planting. Somehow I can't see serissa trees as a forest. Also, I'm not sure if I should wire them or not. Perhaps if the trunks had more bend or taper to them I could see it but I'm not seeing it as a forest. I couldn't be more happy with them though.
RJG2
Omono
You can tag and summon someone by putting an @ in front of the name. Summoning @PeaceLoveBonsai !
I'm sure the holes were there, and I'm guessing it's ceramic.
Katie0317
Chumono
Thank you for doing that. I appreciate it. I can't tell which it is.
PeaceLoveBonsai
Chumono
First time I’ve ever been summoned!
I purchased that pot from @William N. Valavanis on his website years ago along with the beech trees to start my first forest. It’s not ceramic, but a hard plastic. The pots are designed for forest plantings. The holes are pre drilled. Not sure if he still sells them or not. Brussels bonsai might also have them.
Hope that helps!
Katie0317
Chumono
Thank you so much Peacelovebonsai. I read his blogsite on creating a forest and I did find a website. It doesn't appear that he's selling pots. There's a link for shohin pots but it doesn't work. I found an email address so that's a good start. Thanks! Katie
Katie0317
Chumono
You mean 80% pine bark and 20% lava? Where do you buy pine bark for your trees? Btw, the serissas are beautiful and they're planted in pure dirt. Any thoughts on that?
TinyArt
Chumono
Wigert's has plastic ovals...
...and also mica pots
Plastic Bonsai Pots - Oval Series - Wigert's Bonsai
DIMENSIONS: YA1209: 4 1/4"L x 3 7/8"W x 1 3/4"D YA1512: 5 3/8"L x 4 1/8"W x 2 1/4"D YA1814: 6 1/2"L x 5"W x 2 3/4"D YA2117: 7 1/2"L x 5 7/8"W x 3 1/8"D
www.wigertsbonsai.com
Katie0317
Chumono
Thank you TinyArt. You're so kind to have shared these. I'm still thinking and it's fun to imagine. I've seen serissa forests in pictures but we'll see how it goes. I may switch them with nandina trees we've had growing and they're old and look so sturdy. Think they've stayed small because we've not fed them properly but they got cut back a lot too. Thanks again..Katie
