bonsai-ing experiment

[finnisferal]

i'm new to bonsai trees and i just bought a bunch of random seeds to try and grow. i will list them below and hopefully someone will have some advice for how to bonsai them. i'm aware that some or all of these trees may be difficult to bonsai or might not survive at all. i just want to learn

species:
coffee arabica (arabica coffee shrub)
arbutus menziesii (pacific madrone)
sequoiadendron giganteum (giant sequoia)
eucalyptus deglupta (rainbow eucalyptus)
tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock)
ginkgo biloba (ginkgo tree)

i'm in illinois zone 6 and they will be started indoors. i'll take advice on practically anything but i'm looking for specifics on stratification, growing medium, how they tolerate pruning, and any relevant experience regarding these species. have at it (and be nice.)

 

[Orion_metalhead]

My recommendation for the Ginkgo and hemlock is dont start them indoors. Stratify them outdoors as if the seed were naturally dispersed. This is how I have stratified my ginkgo seeds in the past as well as this past fall. I have about 100 seedlings here.




They will just sit all winter under my bench, the seed tray/box surrounded with mulch.

The tropicals you can start any time indoors under grow lights and you shouldnt need any stratification, but you may need to scarify the seed coat or follow some other process.