You are hereHow to start/obtain good outdoor bonsais in Ohio?
How to start/obtain good outdoor bonsais in Ohio?
Greets!
I'm a Columbus resident just getting started with bonsai trees... My fiancee bought me a little willow leaf ficus about a year ago and I've managed to keep it alive and healthy, so I thought it might be fun to branch out a bit and start working with some other trees as well. I've got a couple of questions, though:
* What local trees around here make good bonsais?
* If I want to go out and obtain a sapling from the woods behind my house, what should I look for? How thick should the trunks be? If they're taller than I want, how can I shorten them in a way that appears relatively natural?
* Is it possible to buy a paper bark birch sapling around here? I've always wanted one of those, and I hear they're difficult to propagate. :)
Thanks,
Bart
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Thanks for the heads up! I'll plan on attending. I've done a lot of reading on the internet, but it'll be nice to be able to talk directly to some people who know their stuff. :)
Bart
You are inquiring at the perfect time!
Our new bonsai classes are starting this weekend.
Saturday, April 18 @ 11AM @ Oakland Park Nursery
Check out our latest newsletter (April 2009) for a breakdown of the classes and more information.
As for which local trees make the best bonsai?
Junipers, pines, maples, azaleas, basically any woody trunked plant with small leaves.
Ficus are great beginner trees because they are tough to kill and fast growing but they cannot tolerate temperatures below ~50°F, so you must bring them indoors for the winter and provide them with enough light to survive.
Pines are considered more advanced trees, as they are more finicky and die more easily. Most deciduous trees are fairly tough and can recover easier than pines, due to their fast growth.
If you want to dig up a tree to use as bonsai, there are many things to keep in mind.
You will learn most of that in the classes, but there are tons of internet articles on "collecting".