Bonsai at CostCo!

[Adair M]

We've hit the big time!

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Brussel’s is amazing! Everything from the best to the worst! Well, maybe not “the best”, but he does have very expensive imported bonsai!

Funny story about Brussel’s: I last visited there a couple years ago, and the people were very nice, let me wander around virtually everywhere. One young lady was very excited about working there. She told me. “I’ve been here a month! I’ve been in the packing and shipping department until yesterday. And Yesterday, they taught me how to repot! I never thought I’d learn to do bonsai so quickly!” Naturally, I congratulated her on her success!

Geez...

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Funny, I actually visited brussels today. Super impressed. They've got several crazy expensive specimens and thousands of reasonably priced starter prebonsai in cheap pots that will even ship for free on amazon.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Brussel’s is amazing! Everything from the best to the worst! Well, maybe not “the best”, but he does have very expensive imported bonsai!

Funny story about Brussel’s: I last visited there a couple years ago, and the people were very nice, let me wander around virtually everywhere. One young lady was very excited about working there. She told me. “I’ve been here a month! I’ve been in the packing and shipping department until yesterday. And Yesterday, they taught me how to repot! I never thought I’d learn to do bonsai so quickly!” Naturally, I congratulated her on her success!

Geez...

You think they were letting her repot the small to medium? Or the $3000 to $4000 plants?

 

[Adair M]

You think they were letting her repot the small to medium? Or the $3000 to $4000 plants?

I’m sure it would be one of the ones pictured in the original post!

I personally can’t stand Brussel’s potting soil. It holds WAY too much water. One of the first things I do to any tree sourced from there is to repot in Boon Mix at the earliest repotting opportunity.

Those greenhouses have to be the most humid places on earth! Lol!!!

 

[Lorax7]

I don't think there is going to be a groundswell of new bonsai enthusiasts from this program, but it does remind me of an anecdote...

Every time Disney comes out with a major new picture featuring a domesticated animal, there is huge increase in interest in that animal as a pet. In some cases it is just amusing, in others it can be tragic - like 101 Dalmations and how it increased demand for a breed that isn't always the best family breed. When Disney was getting ready to release the first "Finding Nemo" movie, aquarium stores prepared for a dramatic increase in interest in marine aquariums. Unfortunately, marine aquariums are difficult to maintain, and aren't necessarily the best gift for young children.

Well, they did just recently reboot the Karate Kid as a TV series, so...

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I think Costco selling bonsai is great in that now I got a place I can send annoying people.

Here's one encounter:
"You have any bonsai? I want one for a friend to put on her desk"

"Bonsai are for outdoor, unless you want a ficus."

"No, I don't want a ficus. And you CAN keep bonsai indoors. My friend has one!" (Sounds annoyed*)

"Well, sorry. I dont have what you're looking for."

She leaves disappointed.

 

[Bonsai901]

I personally can’t stand Brussel’s potting soil. It holds WAY too much water. One of the first things I do to any tree sourced from there is to repot in Boon Mix at the earliest repotting opportunity.

Those greenhouses have to be the most humid places on earth! Lol!!!

Living literally minutes from Brussels I can say that I have had good luck with their soil. I guess our climate here in Memphis is what it was designed for.
I also know that he uses the same soil ingredients in his personal specimens, of course the ratios are adjusted by tree and it gets sifted.

 

[Bonsai901]

Brussel’s is amazing! Everything from the best to the worst! Well, maybe not “the best”, but he does have very expensive imported bonsai!

Funny story about Brussel’s: I last visited there a couple years ago, and the people were very nice, let me wander around virtually everywhere. One young lady was very excited about working there. She told me. “I’ve been here a month! I’ve been in the packing and shipping department until yesterday. And Yesterday, they taught me how to repot! I never thought I’d learn to do bonsai so quickly!” Naturally, I congratulated her on her success!

Geez...

I remember my first trip there telling my fiancé how it looked like a bonsai factory in the main potting area. Several people that looked like they would have no bonsai experience setting trees then dumping in soil very quickly.
That being said, he only has a couple of people other than himself that are allowed to touch the specimen trees.
Terry is one of those few that works for him that is talented and has a genuine love of the art.
Matt Smith, which some people here know, is a long-time friend of Brussel’s that works as a sub-contractor to work on specimens.

My point is that Brussel Martin knows bonsai and he knows business. He has probably done more for making bonsai mainstream than anyone else. While some may call it a sellout, I say it’s genius.
Get the masses interested with cheap bonsai and then they turn into fanatics like most of us that are willing to pay thousands for specimen trees.

 

[substratum]

Our local Costco has stocked these in the past. They seem to disappear quickly.

 

[pbrown00]

I assume online. They just sent it to my email as their weekly special

Talk about "click-bait". The title of their email was "Offers Ending Today + NEW Items at Costco.com including INSTANT POT!".

I have no idea what the "instant pot" referred to, LOL... but I clicked the link to see what was going on

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Note the instructions - that the juniper doesn't ship in full bloom, and is suitable for growing indoors. Sigh.

Yeah, what a rip-off. If I pay $50 for a juniper, it better be in full bloom; that way it would look nice when I display it in my living room.

 

[Japonicus]

I assume online. They just sent it to my email as their weekly special

Talk about "click-bait". The title of their email was "Offers Ending Today + NEW Items at Costco.com including INSTANT POT!".

I have no idea what the "instant pot" referred to, LOL... but I clicked the link to see what was going on

View attachment 202747

Note the instructions - that the juniper doesn't ship in full bloom, and is suitable for growing indoors. Sigh.

Ugg I just saw your caption under this pic. Sorry to be redundant.
Anyway this one is just dying to be in your collection...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Juniper-Bo...l10046.R1.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.X+juniper.TRS0.TSS1