Wood
Chumono
This is very hard for me to say...
Some of my nicer trees are in a turface based soil mix!
Christ gentlemen this is a family friendly website
Brother Bill's Bonsai Confessional: Confess your bonsai sins and be forgiven
- Thread starter BillsBayou
- Start date
Christ gentlemen this is a family friendly website
Wood
Chumono
My routine sin is being lazy and lackadaisical about my fertilizer schedule. I only really double down when I see chlorosis on my trees. I have a dosatron to set up this winter to hopefully put it in autopilot and make it harder to forget
My bigger sin is shuffling trees through my collection faster than I really improve them. I go to a show, get excited about trees I see there, buy them, run out of space, then shuffle some of my older trees out of the garden. I barely have any trees that I've kept through a whole repotting cycle
My bigger sin is shuffling trees through my collection faster than I really improve them. I go to a show, get excited about trees I see there, buy them, run out of space, then shuffle some of my older trees out of the garden. I barely have any trees that I've kept through a whole repotting cycle
Michael P
Omono
More heresy! My basic soil mix is expanded shale (haydite), pine bark, and a little biochar. Percentages vary with species. No akadama. No pumice. No lava.
Cruiser
Chumono
No priest can absolve you of that transgression.
Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Go straight to Bonsai Jail.
I’ll see you there. We can share bark mix recipes.
Michael P
Omono
No fair, you come from the Land of the Good Bark. I am in Texas. To get decent bark I must import it from hundreds of miles away.
Cruiser
Chumono
This is true. We have the best bark in all the land and a fairly stacked bonsai scene.
But your food is so much better down there! And sun is nice in winter months..
Do you know what species of pine produces the bark you use? Is it loblolly or slash pine by-product from the mills?
leatherback
The Treedeemer
I will fertilize my evergreens today.
Michael P
Omono
The bark I use is sold as "composted pine bark mulch" in bags from big boxes. It is probably a by-product from longleaf, shortleaf, and loblolly pine plantations in East Texas. The degree of decomposition is very inconsistent and particle size ranges from dust to ping pong balls. By the time I shift it I lose 60 to 75%.
So next year I will try this product: https://thebonsaisupply.com/products/pine-bark?variant=32515696754739 The particle size looks like I can use it directly from the bag. Their products seem well researched and they give more analysis than any other on-line retailer I've found.
Maye we should start a separate bark thread.
Last edited:
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Lust : I want all the tropical trees I saw in Viet Nam
Gluttony: the proof is my back yard.
Greed: I still want bald cypress.
Sloth: my back yard is a mess.
Envy: so many people here with skills and trees I want.
Pride: I claim to be Mayhaw boss but definitely have done nothing to earn that.
The Barber
Chumono
I must confess I am slothful, I let some weeds grow 5 ft tall and claimed that it provided shade for some of my trees this year. In reality I didn't want to move the heavy trees I had sitting in that area to get to the weeds. 
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
Impatience. I almost always start my spring work a month sooner than ideal. Fortunately for me my winters rarely generate late, unpleasant surprises.
Mikecheck123
Omono
A covered double wide jogging stroller is something no one will question at night.. Kid won't sleep! And it can hold a lot of shovels....
Cruiser
Chumono
Don’t forget a hardhat. Might want to throw in gloves and eye protection too. Perhaps a radio. Complete PPE.
Coppersdad
Mame
I confess to impatience.
Granted, I should see planting tree seeds and rooting cuttings as a long term project .Why then, do I continue to check for sprouted seedlings and new growth on the cuttings every single day?!!
Granted, I should see planting tree seeds and rooting cuttings as a long term project .Why then, do I continue to check for sprouted seedlings and new growth on the cuttings every single day?!!
Charlo
Sapling
I confess I let most of my bonsai get to temps below 28 degrees despite my bonsai elders warnings, maybe pride? I live in a harsh environment for cold and heat, not a bonsai utopia like Portland or costal California. My trees have lived through some harsh conditions. Gives them some character! LOL!
circledisk
Mame
whats the collective beef here against Bonsai Heirloom?
doc spring _work
Shohin
At the end of the day?
He acts like he's incredibly knowledgeable yet approachable, he pays for views and comments to force the algorithm to direct him into newbies feeds setting them up for failure....
Worse this he does is take beautiful trees and butcher them, you'll never see the same tree twice and I guarantee he kills them all.
As someone who was new to the community and was poisoned by his influence having killed several trees attempting improper techniques encouraged by the man... I think the beef is justified- and I'm sure everyone else here will be quick to agree...
... Forgive me brother, for I have now thusly indulged in wrath
leatherback
The Treedeemer
nothing really. Buut.. yeah, something really: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/any-fan-of-bonsai-heirloom-on-here.65449/
Gabler
Masterpiece
Who is telling you your trees can't go below 28°F? It's species-dependent, but almost all of my trees have seen temperatures down to 8°F, and it hasn't been a problem. The only plants I worry about are tropicals.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
ALL of my bonsai get well below 28 F all winter. It's 17 F currently.
All this depends on species. If you have temperate climate native species, they NEED temps below 30 for the most part. Unless you have tropical species, your trees probably SHOULD be out in environment.
