What’s your latest Bonsai related purchase?

[Deep Sea Diver]

It depends on your growing set-up. I know many people here recommend Spider Farmer (I think) lights but they require a place to hang them from. I use plant shelves for mine when inside so I use the Barrina full spectrum LED's.

We’ve a Spider Farmer and it is sweet! Yet the technology is so good nowadays most other highly rated lights will do great.



A couple Shimpaku and two Umes from Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks.

Shimpakus will be used as grafting project material for two legacy junipers (San Jose and Nana)

Umes because we really need more trees?

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Carol 83]

A couple of little LaJolla bougies from @milehigh_7 at Tree of Life. Just little guys but they are blooming and very vibrant.

 

[ShadyStump]

What grow lights do you recommend?

If you're on a budget, I've done alright with the Feit Electric line at Home Depot. They're just supplemental lighting to a north facing window, but I've done well with them. Let your tropicals get a little bit of a chill in fall - couple weeks at mid-40sF lows is as far as you want to push it - and the most I ever see is some leggy growth as spring approaches.

Feit labels their stuff with average PAR/PPFD, not max, so the numbers look weak, but they're most useful for telling how they'll do for area lighting vs max readings are best for spot lighting.
Crap pic after the lights went off for the night, but this is my setup. The bar light up top, 1 good bright bulb where it hits my peppers on the bottom shelf, and a cheaper weaker one to cover the rest of the lower shelves. Foil pans for drip trays reflect stray rays back at the plants.

Part of the choice is keeping super bright lights out our eyes so we can still use the living room.
Less than $100 worth of lighting, and I'm quite satisfied.

Lights can be a steep learning curve, but once you figure it out you can do allot for a little.

 

[Adamski77]

Did my run through couple of nurseries today…
- boxwood with that beautiful trunk… already have small one but this is deferent league
- Christmas tree! … pretty tough to get them here in Shanghai outside of X-mas season… not even sure they make it through local summer… so it’s more of a test on cheap material
- couple of Japanese maples trunks/root bases… still to be cut but tough to get this size for decent money… plus Chinese love exposed roots on maples that completely doesn’t appeal to me.

 

[W3rk]

A couple of Japanese Maple Arakawa starters

 

[bwaynef]

I’d wanted one for a while. Since I hadn’t bothered trying to make one yet I went ahead and pulled the trigger.

 

[Mats Hagström]

I bought eight Azaleas from Nuccio’s nursery in Southern California. Old school. The plants were $10 each. They ship and bill you later.

Can’t really order from web site. Intone who want to start satsuki azalea this place is awesome. They have been growing and developing since the 1930’s. They will probably shut down soon so order now.

 

[Kevin1968]

16 yards of fresh cut maple mulch. Now to start the decomposition process and get ready for use in summer.

 

[Darth Masiah]

exactly what i had in mind when i went searching for a cure to what ails me

...it's tuesday, I'm in love

 

[ShimpakuBonsai]

None of the smaller pots have visible stamps.

Are you sure about the stamps on the small pots?

If I look at the pictures of the buyee shop there are two stamps on the small pots.
Item link: https://shop.buyee.jp/47storey/a0000124/item/bq16

 

[RJG2]

Are you sure about the stamps on the small pots?

If I look at the pictures of the buyee shop there are two stamps on the small pots.
Item link: https://shop.buyee.jp/47storey/a0000124/item/bq16

* Visible when standing on their feet.

 

[badatusernames]

We’ve a Spider Farmer and it is sweet! Yet the technology is so good nowadays most other highly rated lights will do great.

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A couple Shimpaku and two Umes from Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks.

Shimpakus will be used as grafting project material for two legacy junipers (San Jose and Nana)

Umes because we really need more trees?

Cheers
DSD sends

I have some of the umes from Brent too! I was curious to hear your opinion - they seem pretty ramrod straight, do you feel that once they grow out and are chopped that would be addressed in some way? Maybe air layers once it gets large enough at areas that do have more movement?

 

[River's Edge]

I have some of the umes from Brent too! I was curious to hear your opinion - they seem pretty ramrod straight, do you feel that once they grow out and are chopped that would be addressed in some way? Maybe air layers once it gets large enough at areas that do have more movement?

Ume needs wiring in early growth stages for added movement. I have wired out the new growth during the growing season so the shoots have some movement before I create cuttings in the fall. Also I plant cuttings on an angle to give the base some movement in the first portion. Another method to improve base movement in the lowest portion is to gradually change the root base and planting angle.
The natural growth pattern is straight and they become very difficult to bend quickly while still not very thick. When wiring use protective coating on the wire. With thicker stems I use aquarium tubing. Floral wrap can also be used to give a cushioning affect and prevent scarring! Ume grow fast and the wire can cut in quickly! Here are a couple of photos for ideas expressed above. You can develop new growth with movement, very difficult on older material without substantial cut back and added risk. Best to work with from the beginning. I consider 1/2 thickness difficult to bend and would only work towards gentle movement. Just a few ideas and comments from my experience. Clip and grow over shorter sections changing directions will also help.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I have some of the umes from Brent too! I was curious to hear your opinion - they seem pretty ramrod straight, do you feel that once they grow out and are chopped that would be addressed in some way? Maybe air layers once it gets large enough at areas that do have more movement?

Presently, intend to slip pot at an angle to a larger container after wiring.

Mid term goal is to create trunk caliper and as much movement as possible along the way.

Concur with @River's Edge. Umes are crazy stiff and hard to bend as they caliper out. Sorta like an azalea + . Personally like to double wire for more support as these will crack certainly unexpectedly… Creating as much movement as possible within the constraints of the material… without slowing the growth too much. Plan for 5-7 years thickening.

As far as shielding the wire, that’s the safe bet. imho opinion be safe until one learns the material. It helps to develop a light touch and use proper wiring/bending techniques.

Air layering off the top is good thought.

obtw Here’s a few references that possibly might help over time.

@SeanS has got a really good thread going on Umes. There’s a couple cool broken branch technique links on this tread.

@River's Edge has got awesome material on creating Ume hardwood cuttings and various other posts

Bjorn has a nice defoliation video.

@Brian Van Fleet has a great series of posts on his Ume progressions

cheers
DSD sends

 

[badatusernames]

Thank you both!

 

[19Mateo83]

I picked up this little 7” gem from Robert’s Etsy store. There may or may not be a big brother in the works soon…

 

[August]

Ryobi battery powered pump sprayer... my old manual one bust a seal so I thought it was time for an upgrade. Using a sprayer makes my indoor watering wayyy easier

 

[jerzyjerzy]

Black Friday deals just came up

 

[Scrogdor]

Hokkaido Chinese elm. Couldn’t resist. Has a nice main trunk and some decent taper! 30$ Mini bonsai!

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Black Friday deals just came up

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noice