How about we bonsai, why not?

Only 3 more boxes to go before I reach the one that likely contains the bonsai photo(s). When we moved from the Midwest a few months ago, we never got 'round to unpacking 1/3 of our moving boxes - packed 5 years ago previous to another move...

Your thread's inadvertantly had me to begin thinking about Athair again, after all these years. I'm not certain that's a good thing or not.

 

That was exactly what sprang to my mind!

 

There's a great video of a hydroponic Bonsai that I believe is over 100 years old. I learned about Bonsai many years before TKK. Of course, just like everyone that tries, I killed my first few until I found ones that like living indoors with me.

 

Wow, I've heard stories about old trees being grown on hydroponics, no idea that it worked with such substantial trees! I wonder how developing the roots would work without soil…

What's TKK?

Also, killing your first couple trees is fine. It happens. Growing them indoors though is a really difficult task, especially if you're hoping for any substantial development. Maybe try just putting them outside during the spring and summer...

 

philsoraptor, TKK is my abreviation of The Karate Kid. I was saying that I knew about Bonsai long before that film appeared on screen.

 

Great thread... two really good resources for Bonsai are Pinterest and several of the Facebook pages. There are some people out there doing some amazing Bonsai. I've only ever just skimmed the surface of it. I managed to keep a Japanese maple for a while but Bonsai doesn't work well with the seat-of-your-pants lifestyle.

Perhaps thats exactly why it's so appealing. ^^

Below is an example that I had sitting around. Lovely that one.

 

Yeah, unfortunately the little guys do get quite attached to their location. :[

Beautiful! Looks like a Chinese ficus.

 

Here are two shots one of my favorite styles of Bonsai. This is probably like Jedi master level Bonsai skill.

 

and here's one more that is mind blowing...

 

Wow, those are great! They're both junipers from Japan! It's interesting - the Japanese have fairly rigid rules regarding bonsai UNTIL it comes to junipers and then you just get the most amazingly abstract bonsai! I've got a few junipers that I hope to one day style in a similar manner. Until then, here's some others to get you drooling:

 

Here are the ones that I've got in training (both North American trees!), someday they'll be nice.

 

How does one get started with bonsai without having to buy a bonsai plant?

 

I mean if you wanted to do this indoors like

 

Indoor development is very, very difficult. What I mean is that it's possible to keep a tree indoors, especially tropicals that need to be brought inside over the winter, but taking them from a small seed to a respectable tree is generally not possible. If you have a balcony or an outdoor area that you could put it out for the summer, that's very doable! My recommendations for a first tree would be a ficus - you can usually get moderately good stock for $50 or so, but if you really want to start with something raw I can send you a couple cuttings in the summer.

 

i dont think you can legally send cuttings to the UK!
i've found a site on indoor bonsai:
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/SecretsImp.html

I have tamarind seeds and coconut coir (i make a lot of indian food) so i'll give this a shot:
http://www.gardenisto.com/germinate-tamarind-seeds/

 

Can you grow bonsai in very cold climates, like - 20 or -30 degrees C. That -4 to -22 Fahrenheit in primitive talk.

Would you use a certain type of tree or bring them inside during the winter and put a blanket on them...perhaps give them a nice hot drink too?

 

Worth a shot as a horticultural experiment, but it's quite hard to develop bonsai from seed if you starting out.

Yes, and you can use either approach (essentially). Most traditional bonsai (black pine, white pine, japanese maple, trident maple, etc.) would not do well at that temperature unless you protect them from the very cold. You can do this by storing them in a garage for the winter or burying them in mulch and snow. Other options would include just using native plants for bonsai. Anything that creates fine twigging and has small leaves is a potential option.

 

I acquired a sterile growth medium (agar with nutrients in) but accidentally put a non sterile stick in and a day later mould started forming before i even put the seed in.

apparently tamarind is a very hardy plant so it might be easier to plant directly into soil like many tutorials recommend. Tamarind is tropical so it should grow nice in my room and make a decent indoor plant.

some tutorials recommend i give a citrus plant a shot as they grow well indoors too.

 

Zaad - I'll be curious to see how you get on with the tamarind as a bonsai. We have lots of them here so I wouldn't mind to give it a try myself.

Not the pic below... now if that is Jedi master level of bonsai... damn...

 

Interestingly, I think that's the same guy as the fellow who did the second driftwood juniper you posted! Kimura - the dude they call the magician. He did a few of the trees I posted…