2meke Posted September 28, 2012 Yeah zero has some amazing bonsai. Hopefully he got some photos of his apple last season, little ping pong size red apples. So cool! His pines are top notch. Way too much work for me the pines. Thanks myco, I love the cascades. I just need to fork out for some more wire so I can finish the main branch on it, then wait for it to beef up a bit in proportion to the top and I'll be happy with it. Still don't know if I'll keep it this size or let that main branch keep growing.. Whoa dude thats a pretty comprehensive tool kit! That should just about cover it. My tool kit consists of some scissors, pliers and a bent kitchen fork for a root rake. lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alice Posted September 28, 2012 absolutely loving that cascade style one 2meke i just started to shape my first cascade style a couple of weeks ago i bought this cheapo bonsai tool set from ebay its actually for the priceits alot better qaulity than i thought it would be im pretty happy with it http://www.ebay.com....=item2c667280aa I started on something similar to that, excellent value and it really shows you what kinds of tools you use most for the bonsai you keep. Keep them sharp and well oiled to prevent rust, and they are as good as any. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incognito Posted September 29, 2012 U guys inspired me to buy a pot belly fig off eBay. Show me this world they call bonsai. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted September 29, 2012 Nice, fatty figs are very cool! Who's the plant torturer now? I thought you might come around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incognito Posted September 30, 2012 Well I've just taken up pigging I guess I can't afford to be so precious plus they look cool 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
myco Posted September 30, 2012 Nice one incog Pot belly figs are pretty cool and easy to deal with I bought a heap of them from eBay a while bak Got some more on the way now I planted most of mine out into bigger pots to let them grow nice big fat root systems on them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
myco Posted September 30, 2012 Who's the plant torturer now? I thought you might come around. Hahaha before you know it you'll have plants chained up in your basement covered in wire and clamps muahahahahahaha 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted September 30, 2012 After a week of wire action things are starting to shape up nice. Oak Figs Maple Juniper Ive still got abit more work to do but ill need to restock on wire first. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted September 30, 2012 ^ My dream bonsai! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted September 30, 2012 Went to a horticultural socitey's spring show in the weekend, saw some pretty jaw-dropping bonsai there. I was going to take some pictures, but photos never seem to do them justice. It was great to be able to see the mature trees though, and to take note of which species i like the look of the most. Couldn't look past the blue cedars, azaleas and i even saw a flowering pear tree. Then I noticed yesterday that every single bonsai tree i have is in the same formation, all leaning off to one side. It made me a little bit confused, cause i had never even noticed that they were similar, let alone ALL the same. I'm gonna try and track down some wire today. I have two lovely miniature azaleas which i am starting to train, one of them i will do as a semi-cascade. Will look amazing when in flower. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
myco Posted October 1, 2012 Hahaha I've always wanted to try this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
myco Posted October 1, 2012 I'm gonna try and track down some wire today. I have two lovely miniature azaleas which i am starting to train, one of them i will do as a semi-cascade. Will look amazing when in flower. I live in a small town and dont have any access to wire from any local shops or anything I get it from eBay they have some pretty good deals if you find the right places It's very cheap you just gotta be careful who you buy from for prices For example those clamps I have I found one place on eBay in oz selling em for like 30 bucks or something The place I buy em from also in oz exact same clamps they're like 5 bucks The wire is the same so just look for someone with good prices You can get pretty decent sized rolls of like every sized wire in a pack for about 20 or 30 buks Or pick the individual sizes for only like $5 a roll or something Only annoying thing is they go off weight usually so the thicker the wire the smaller the roll actually is length wise It's definately a good thing to have a bit of a stockpile of Ive loaded up on quite a bit of it I would like to try and buy or make some kind of roller to be able to straighten out the old used wire To get some more use out of it would definately be a good money saver Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted October 1, 2012 Mmmmm that looks tasty Quali, i wonder if Canna was used to increase that amazing bloom I prefer copper wire. I started with normal everyday wire from the bunnings bonsai section but it didn't blend very well. The Copper wire was from the Picture Frame hanging section. $5 for 7metres Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted October 1, 2012 $5 for 7m sounds perfect for my budget! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodDragon Posted October 1, 2012 Show me this world they call bonsai. As I posted earlier, these are some serious bonsai: http://tinyurl.com/8ggdk3p Aim high, make the effort to learn the aethetics and the philosophy of this art, have patience grasshopper, and one day you might understand what flows in the veins of a true bonsai. But don't forget to have fun on the way! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alice Posted October 1, 2012 Also see AoB: http://www.artofbonsai.org/ Hasn't been updated in AGES, but there are some excellent galleries. And a forum. One of my favourite trees of all time is Walter Pall's Japanese Maple: http://www.artofbonsai.org/critiques/waltermaple.php It is extrememly difficult to make a maple look genuinely ancient, and he pulls it off admirably. The AoB Halloween galleries are pretty cool too, if you're after something a bit different. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted October 2, 2012 Heres the two new babies which i bought from the bonsai show. i know its no where near as cool to buy bonsai than to train them yourself, but i couldnt help myself when they were so reasonably priced. Flowering cherry, trained for 10 years: Pyracantha (fire thorn) this one will apprently have little red or orange berries: 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted October 2, 2012 The cheery is amazing. Everyone needs to start somewhere, they are still pretty cool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodDragon Posted October 2, 2012 Thanks for the AoB link Alice. I recognise some of the trees from years ago, but many were new to me. There were some truly stunning trees there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted October 8, 2012 So i went a little bonsai crazy last week. My local nursery had quite a few little starter bonsais in plastic pots all under $10 so i couldn't help myself 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qualia Posted October 8, 2012 are they japanese maple? some of my favorite bonsai those trees. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted October 8, 2012 The Green one is definitely Japanese Maple The Orange/Red leafed one wasn't labeled Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moses Posted October 8, 2012 you guys know you don't have to only buy young trees/starter kits you can make a fairly advanced tree into a bonsai and you actually get a fairly advanced looking tree in a much shorter time. check out if nurseries have section of over grown pots, i once scored 5 over grown wisteria this way which went on to make excellent bonsai and each sold for many times their purchase value. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
