Bonsai...before and after...if you're curious

[bonsaiguy]

On the off chance some of you might be interested...

This is called a Japanese Garden Juniper. This is what it looked like when it came to me from the nursery and after I was done with it's first pruning and styling. In another 5 years or so it will be an awesome tree if the person I sold it to takes good care of it and continues working on it. It still needs a good deal of work over the next few years including being transplanted in to a bonsai pot.
Hope you all enjoy it.

[Roadking]

Cool. I see they're doing that with Jade trees now too.

[bonsaiguy]

Yep. In theory any tree can be made in to bonsai. Jades are more a product of the mass retail market (home depot, sams club) because they are easy to propagate and can be kept indoors. But the dwarf ones make for some cute bonsai. This tree is about 18-20 years old.

[vipper of vip]

do you do bonsai as a business then?

[bonsaiguy]

More of a hobby gone mad but yes. Although a business is supposed to make money. Which is why we have real jobs.

[Fengzi]

Nice bonsai bonsaiguy. I got into growing bonsais a few years back too. I've got a nice little elm and a small azalea that I've had about two years now. Both a going strong. Takes patience though.

How tall is that juniper? There's not much for scall but loks to be about 8-12" not including the pot. Did you keep it for a while or just prune and sell it?

[jahjahjahjah]

Try to do that with a weed plant LOL

[bonsaiguy]

Thanks. It does take patience for sure. It's about 20" high and if you look at the before pic there is a blue bic lighter down by the base as a size reference. I think I bought that one last summer and just got around to tending it in June or July of this year.

[bonsaiguy]

Try to do that with a weed plant LOL

Trust me, the thought has crossed my mind.

[ScarlettCrush]

they make fruit bonsai trees?
That would be so cute.

[Harvesthetic]

Lol super-sweet mini-oranges :p

Bonsaï-weed, oh man, sign me up for a couple of K's :) (although the veg could take a while :D)

[bonsaiguy]

they make fruit bonsai trees?
That would be so cute.

You betcha young lady. In fact they often display them with all of the leaves removed and just the fruit. They are really cool. Cherry, Crabapple and Persimmon are all popular and we have recently gotten in a few Calamondin Orange that have little fruit about the size of ping pong balls. (not at all tasty though) There is an old Japanese guy from California (passed away last year) who have a grape bonsai that had been dug up from some vineyard. Really cool to see those clusters of grapes hanging down.

[ScarlettCrush]

I want a little rose bonsai
are they hard to keep up?

[vipper of vip]

guess it's a job that goes well with being stoned :D

[bonsaiguy]

I want a little rose bonsai
are they hard to keep up?

I don't kwow Scarlett, I don't know much about roses or whether they would do well indoors. (presumably that's where you want to keep it) There is a variety of tree called a Serissa Foetida Snow Rose. It has little white flowers that are shaped very much like a rose flower. ( you girls always fall for the flowering varieties ;) ) The problem with flowering varieties is that like our friend MJ, they usually require a good deal more light than is possible indoors. Do a google search for snow rose and see what pops up. I would love to send you one but we can't ship trees this time of year...just too cold. You can probably find one for under $50 without too much trouble.

[bonsaiguy]

guess it's a job that goes well with being stoned :D

Very true.

[ScarlettCrush]

thanks for the ups!
I would love to see a bonsai fruit tree! Have you tasted fruits from them?

[Fengzi]

Roses need a lot of light. My wife loves them and we have quite a few rose bushes in the yard but its the ones that get full sun that do best. If you had a really, really sunny window you might be able to do ok with one of the miniature rose varieties. They grow pretty fast though and tend not to have a good branch structure so it would be tough to get one to look really good. At least that's my guess.

I've seen some bonsai fuschia plants that looked really good. They like shade so it would definitely be a better choice for an indoor plant. They are also a lot easier tomprune and shape than a rose.

[bonsaiguy]

Scarlett,
Only the orange I mentioned before. Strictly ornamental and not good to eat. There are some like persimmons, plums and of course the grape I mentioned that are quite tasty.

Fengzi,
You know more than I do on that one. Just a caution that any potted plant, bonsai included, placed in a southern exposure window could be susceptible to too much radiant heat absorption. Bay windows and sunrooms are awesome places to jeep "indoor" bonsai.