Bonsai Grow Journal

if you've read my previous thread, you'll know i've been trying to germinate a bonsai tree. i got the seeds from a bonsai kit, had no luck germinating any of the seeds, and requested more seeds from the company. they sent me some more seeds at no charge and i am left with this one. maybe it is the ONE. my research and the instructions in the kit tell me to soak the seeds in h2o for 24hrs. if it soaks to the bottom it's viable, if not....o well. the ONE as i will now refer to it as sank and is ready for the next step. more fittingly to the story; i soaked ONE in one of the tea cups from my japanese tea set in hopes of establishing synergy for my cause. i have removed the seed and placed it in between two moist paper towels, and into a plastic bag. the kit said it should take seven (7) days to germinate however, research says it may take thirty (30) days. i will be on a (30) journey with passing thoughts focusing on ONE.

hahaha neat keep us posted

day two of bonsai tree seed germination:it has been said there is no such thing as coicidence. keeping that in mind, i was in sam's club today when i not only sampled the best dam chili, but also noticed they had bonsai trees for sale. i'll just take it as a sign that i'm on the right path of success. one thing i remember noticing after soaking the seed in water was it swelled up. don't remember if the others did the same thing. also, the book that came in the kit doesn't mention/give illustrations on how i'll know the seed has germinated. they also recommended putting the seed in the moistened towel and plastic bag in the refrigerator. i didn't just to change up what i had been doing. that's all for now.

people say its hard to grow from seed, and that you should just buy a bonsai thats already growing

i spent 10 bucks on this kit....it will grow. LOL.

Sr. Verde said:

people say its hard to grow from seed, and that you should just buy a bonsai thats already growing

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this dude didn't do so well... check it

https://www.rollitup.org/gardening/389230-bonsai.html


he probably used the same kit you did lol


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JASE said:

I grow bonsai trees. I mainly stick to a few trees that do well in my climate and advise you to do the same. Weed and bonsai are nothing even remotely simular. I will not check this thread again so pm me.

If you want to know some stuff about bonsai go to one of the many bonsai forums, not this one. A good newb forum is www.bonsaichat.com I will try to enclose a picture of one of my 100 year old Japanese Black Pines. Do not try to "do" bonsai from sseed as you will be dissappointed. Buy an established tree from a reputable vendor who has grown the seed to be a future bonsai. You won't understand the reason for years. This hobby is not an instate gratification hobby...I sometimes wait years to have a branch pop out a just the right place. blah blah balhView attachment 1302033

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i know him well..it is I. this is my grow journal for the last seeds from this kit. i was looking for advice on the other thread.

Sr. Verde said:

this dude didn't do so well... check it

https://www.rollitup.org/gardening/389230-bonsai.html


he probably used the same kit you did lol


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had been trying to germinate this seed for about 2 weeks. nothing has popped, so i'ma just put it in some soil and let mother nature do what she does and meditate for the best. in the mean time i'ma also buy a bonsai tree and be happy

Germination is a problem if it is cold, maybe try keeping it indoors and nice and warm, somehwere in the high 20C range...

day two of the seed in soil...i don't get really good sunlight in the house so i sat it under a heat lamp. the temps will be going up this week, so i may set it outside for some natural heat.

Hello six8! i have been growing bonsai for about 10 years, id be happy to help if you have any questions. A couple pointers to get you pointed in the right direction. first you are in for a 20+year wait if you want to start from seed, you will get much faster results if you use a plant from home depot and style and train it. you can also take cuttings from trees in your neighborhood, if you do it now they will be growing well by spring and ready for training the following year. whatever you start with, your soil need to be a well aerated, course mix. bonsai soil from HD is an ok start, your specific mix will vary by species.

i guess i'll be giving it to my son on his 21st birthday. i plan on buying a growing tree soon.

SCCA said:

Hello six8! i have been growing bonsai for about 10 years, id be happy to help if you have any questions. A couple pointers to get you pointed in the right direction. first you are in for a 20+year wait if you want to start from seed, you will get much faster results if you use a plant from home depot and style and train it. you can also take cuttings from trees in your neighborhood, if you do it now they will be growing well by spring and ready for training the following year. whatever you start with, your soil need to be a well aerated, course mix. bonsai soil from HD is an ok start, your specific mix will vary by species.

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your son will love it! look at juniper, pyracantha, crepe myrtle or privet in a 5g. u can usually get one for about $15 at home depot. get deciduous trees in the fall and evergreens in spring. look for a tree with a thick, short trunk and flexible branches and good surface roots. dont waste your money on those "starter" bonsai at most nurseries. you are better off with a stock plant that you can train. keep in mind you will kill many trees while learning this art, lol

so i can just take cuttings off of them. i've never seen any bonsai soil in HD. i have some happy frog potting soil, what can i add to it to make it suitable for bonsai?

SCCA said:

your son will love it! look at juniper, pyracantha, crepe myrtle or privet in a 5g. u can usually get one for about $15 at home depot. get deciduous trees in the fall and evergreens in spring. look for a tree with a thick, short trunk and flexible branches and good surface roots. dont waste your money on those "starter" bonsai at most nurseries. you are better off with a stock plant that you can train. keep in mind you will kill many trees while learning this art, lol

Click to expand...

you can take cuttings from most trees easily. the nursery plant that you buy you will want to train. first take it out of the pot and cut off all root bound roots, and drop it in to a wider shallower pot. the bonsai soil is typically by the houseplants. the happy frog will work ok for now but when you put your tree in a training pot you will want a different soil mix. i can post some of my soil mixes if you'd like but i would recommend contacting your local bonsai society for their mixes. they tend to vary from region to region. you are going to want to grow the tree in a large pot or in the ground for a few years. once the tree starts taking shape, put it in its first training pot.

Japanese and other maples are easy to propagate, they have a tendency to form a tap root and need yearly root pruning. crepe myrtles, azaleas, privets and elms are also easy to clone. the process is a bit different than cloning cannabis but simple none the less.

looking for a Japanese maple, but i will definitely be looking for the bonsai society near me.