Atlanta Roof Top Bonsai

[bonsaiBart]

Hello Everyone, I would like to get some feedback..I'm thinking about opening a Bonsai nursery in Atlanta....It seems there is nothing around here that specializes in Bonsai.

Maybe a rooftop or something small just north of Atlanta around the Braves Stadium.

If anyone is interested let me know.

 

[zanduh]

Immediate thoughts:

1) Getting the hoses/water system on the roof. Also how you plan on dealing with the water runoff. Add to that the fertilizer/chemical runoff as well.
2) Anchoring for benches so that there are no unfortunate accidents to people/cars
3) You need something for dissipating the heat radiating from the rooftop.
4) Shade cloth to avoid leaf burn depending on what trees you grow
5) Wind. The higher you are off the ground the bigger an issue it is. You'll need a way to mitigate that.
6) Secondary location for storing trees during a storm/hurricane.

I'm not at all saying that a rooftop is impossible or even hard in the right hands, but those are the things I would be considering.

 

[Adair M]

Are you familiar with Plant City bonsai?
How about the Monastary?

 

[bonsaiBart]

Hello Everyone, I would like to get some feedback..I'm thinking about opening a Bonsai nursery in Atlanta....It seems there is nothing around here that specializes in Bonsai.

Maybe a rooftop or something small just north or Atlanta around the Braves Stadium.

If anyone is interested let me know.

Immediate thoughts:

1) Getting the hoses/water system on the roof. Also how you plan on dealing with the water runoff. Add to that the fertilizer/chemical runoff as well.
2) Anchoring for benches so that there are no unfortunate accidents to people/cars
3) You need something for dissipating the heat radiating from the rooftop.
4) Shade cloth to avoid leaf burn depending on what trees you grow
5) Wind. The higher you are off the ground the bigger an issue it is. You'll need a way to mitigate that.
6) Secondary location for storing trees during a storm/hurricane.

I'm not at all saying that a rooftop is impossible or even hard in the wrong hands is hard but those are the things I would be considering.

Good points Mate.. A Ground location would is better!

 

[bonsaiBart]

Are you familiar with Plant City bonsai?
How about the Monastary?

yes Plant City Bonsai is Great. North of Lake Lanier though

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I would agree that a store with a yard would be more conducive. As with any business you've got to have profit to exceed your expenses. I think that area could grab tons of travelers from I75, so I'd concentrate on a cheap space that has easy intestate access. You'll most likely need to rely heavily on internet sales as well, so something else to consider. Do it!

 

[bonsaiBart]

I would agree that a store with a yard would be more conducive. As with any business you've got to have profit to exceed your expenses. I think that area could grab tons of travelers from I75, so I'd concentrate on a cheap space that has easy intestate access. You'll most likely need to rely heavily on internet sales as well, so something else to consider. Do it!

Great Points.... Thanks For Advice

 

[Dav4]

I'm planning on retiring in a few years (5-10 years but who's counting #pipedream) and would love to buy a few acres of arable land up in Cherokee county to grow some maple and pine stock. Ultimately, I'll be the point man financially as well as main planter, waterer and pruner, and @Adair M will be quality control- he will consistently and only say "Chop lower...". If you're still in business in a decade or so, and I'm still alive and have actually been able to follow through with this, you may want to grab up some of my first offerings...

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

#pipedream

Erhm.. Have you ever googled this and looked at the images?

Be careful using that term around youngsters!

 

[sorce]

I am watching TWD again. They handcuffed Merl to the roof in Atlanta. He could have easily pulled that clamp off the beam and slid the cuffs up. He chopped his hand off. Stupid.

Look out for Merl's hand, it's still up there.

You'll have to get an Engineer to Sign off on the traffic on the roof if you intend to have the public up there.

Having private growing on the roof and a storefront with rotating stock would be cool.

It's hard to survive AND not be a hack.

Sorce

 

[leatherback]

TWD

?

 

[leatherback]

Hello Everyone, I would like to get some feedback..I'm thinking about opening a Bonsai nursery in Atlanta....It seems there is nothing around here that specializes in Bonsai.

Maybe a rooftop or something small just north of Atlanta around the Braves Stadium.

If anyone is interested let me know.

Cool idea.
Why is there none in Atlanta? WOuld be large enough to have a market?
Do you have access to stock?

 

[Dav4]

?

Filmed in Metro Atlanta...

 

[atlarsenal]

I am watching TWD again. They handcuffed Merl to the roof in Atlanta. He could have easily pulled that clamp off the beam and slid the cuffs up. He chopped his hand off. Stupid.

Look out for Merl's hand, it's still up there.

You'll have to get an Engineer to Sign off on the traffic on the roof if you intend to have the public up there.

Having private growing on the roof and a storefront with rotating stock would be cool.

It's hard to survive AND not be a hack.

Sorce

Yea Glenn crawled under a dumpster to survive. What’s the most space you have ever seen under a dumpster? Most are 1 1/2” to 2”, 3” would be a stretch! I should have quit watching right then! But I had to stick it out a couple more seasons until I couldn’t stand the stupidity any longer. Walkie talkie batteries never die and the list goes on and on.

Oh sorry, y’all were going to open a roof top bonsai business, carry on.

 

[Zach Smith]

All I can say is, it's hard enough to make a bonsai business work on the ground

 

[Ohmy222]

Cool idea.
Why is there none in Atlanta? WOuld be large enough to have a market?
Do you have access to stock?

Yes, there is the Monastery in Conyers, GA which is probably a good 30-45 from downtown or Plant City Bonsai which is in the North Georgia mountains about an hour and half from Atlanta. There is nothing closer I know of which is surprising. Monastery is better if you want tools, pots, etc. They have a ridiculous amount of production pots and Tokoname. Not much custom stuff but last time they did have some Nick Lenz pots. Use to have really nice trees and pre-bonsai but lately both have been lacking a bit. The grounds of the monastery are very nice and good for picnics and walking around. I used to help them repot and learned some stuff there in college and used to trade stuff with them in the past. Plant City is better if you want pre-bonsai. I bought several European Beech there earlier this year along with some black lava rock. They do have more established stuff too. Owners are a very nice couple. I know Adair has done some classes there too but only on weeks when I am on vacation. Only make it 1-2 times a year as both are well over an hour away from me. Wish something was closer but mail order is so easy now it has to be even harder for these nurseries. I always try to buy something even if they don't have much of what I am looking for.

 

[Adair M]

And the Atlanta Bonsai Society has some auctions and pot sales from time to time.

 

[coachspinks]

Hello Everyone, I would like to get some feedback..I'm thinking about opening a Bonsai nursery in Atlanta....It seems there is nothing around here that specializes in Bonsai.

Maybe a rooftop or something small just north of Atlanta around the Braves Stadium.

If anyone is interested let me know.

I was at a wedding on a downtown rooftop last summer. I can only imagine how hard it would be for plants to survive in that environment. I am a fan of Plant City. Super nice people, good selection and fair prices. I was there Sunday and he had a lot of good material on hand. For me it is 2.5 hours but is worth it. I helped Brother Paul at the Monastery quite a bit in the 80's. Their plant selection isn't great anymore. It seems like there are a lot of enthusiasts in the Atlanta area but I don't know if there are enough to support another store.

 

[toscgwsndiqz]

There were several in Atlanta when I lived there, are they all gone?

 

[Ohmy222]

There were several in Atlanta when I lived there, are they all gone?

When I first moved here to go to Georgia Tech I visited one in Lawrenceville or somewhere up north and also one on Roswell road but they don't exist any longer. That was early 2000s.