Buyer Beware...Eastern Leaf Bonsai

[BobbyLane]

I have found a few rusty wires in my Chinese elm.

so did i when i was a newbie. shit happens
your little 'mallsai' C elm is mass produced in china and marketed to people just getting into the hobby, sometimes they forget and leave bits of wire in the tree.
keep searching, sometimes you find a gem with a decent nebari and bones to work on. i wouldnt cry a river about it, get more trees.

 

[BobbyLane]

These are typical mallsai from my first two years in the hobby, from homeware stores, similar to your homedepot.
these imo are what i would call gems and these could be trained into fairly decent broom style trees...but it takes time to develop an eye. i bought so much crap in the beginning. ive been through all the S shapes with wire marks, horrendous roots, bits of rusty wire. i didnt moan i got on with it.

some of these guys are opening an account just to have a moan and will probably never be seen again.

ps but prove me wrong if you like.
now that you have a better idea of what a fairly decent mallsai could look like, i dare you to find one.

 

[hinmo24t]

Yes....

This is quite like me buying a bunch of tools from harbor freight....

And complaining about their shittyness.

Or Going to Mcdonalds, and getting mad cuz there is no Steak on the menu.

Or expecting Egyptian Cotton in Wal-Mart.

Or bewildered by your itch after paying a meth whore.

Sorce

giza dream sheets though


Mike Lindell 2024

 

[MrWunderful]

Curious if there is a disclaimer about the picture not being representative of actual item received or not.

I see buying a shitty tree online from a mass market mallsai seller and being salty about it is part of paying your dues in bonsai hobby

 

[Lorax7]

The site cut this off.

I was going to suggest that experienced bonsaiists should know that looking for decent maple pre-bonsai on sites such as this is pretty futile. Much better sources around for the money:

Japanese Maples for Bonsai Archives

Japanese maples make wonderful plants for Bonsai. Plants are chosen with grafts that are low and/or very clean. Often these maples are seedling grown without grafting so there is no graft scar at all.

www.mendocinomaples.com

Pre Bonsai Sharps Pygmy 2-3 yr. (#300)

This Acer palmatum Sharps Pygmy Japanese maple is ideal for Bonsai since the grafting scars are minimal and very low. The Sharps Pygmy has small leaves that make it ideal for bonsai. Summertime foliage is a pleasing green. Fall colors will range from yellow orange to finally red. This maple is a...

www.mendocinomaples.com

For those a bit further east, this is a site I've had positive experience with for decent maple stock: Maplestone Ornamentals
I love looking at the Mendocino Maples website, but I've never gotten past the sticker shock when I saw what the shipping cost would be to buy trees and have them delivered to Michigan.

 

[Mikecheck123]

I think the five stages of grief are common for beginners buying online.

1) denial
2) anger and posting on bonsainut
3) bargaining for a refund
4) depression
5) acceptance that you were a noob and probably got a decent deal after all.

 

[MrWunderful]

6) realize that anything can be a decent tree with the right combo of design, time, effort and technique

 

[TN_Jim]

I think the five stages of grief are common for beginners buying online.

1) denial
2) anger and posting on bonsainut
3) bargaining for a refund
4) depression
5) acceptance that you were a noob and probably got a decent deal after all.

6) realize that anything can be a decent tree with the right combo of design, time, effort and technique

7) discovery of local nursery stock that far surpasses many such online options

 

[NGski86]

Best

Yooo wtf haha that had me dying! Jesus the water bill must be off the charts if this is how they roll...

 

[Bonsai Nut]

That video makes me laugh... and then cry.

How about this:
(1) Step one - it's pronounced "bone-sigh".
(2) Step two - bonsai soil... use it.
(3) Step three - light watering soaks immediately into soil and excess passes out through drain holes. No deluge or soaking in bins needed.

 

[Maiden69]

I ordered a Chinese Elm from Eastern Leaf based on the description of the item and the picture associated with it. The picture showed a well formed tree, without massive wire scarring. what I received was a tree that will never be even a decent bonsai with deep wire scarring and wires still cutting deeply into the tissue of the tree. I was tremendously disappointed in the material I received from the company and when I asked for a replacement I was denied. I was told that I could return the tree on my own dime with postage for the original shipment and any discount subtracted from the refund amount. I am out over $100 for a terrible looking tree.

He might know his bonsai, but he sells garbage. Material is subpar and full of rusty wires.

Why do I feel like Déjà vu again? First 2 posts and just to put someone down? and also, "rusty wires"? I seen a lot of videos from Jason and I have not seen anything other than aluminum or copper been used. Anyway, I'll be trying to give you the benefit of the doubt till you post pictures of the tree...

CM BONSAI!!

I don't think people realize that shipping usually costs quite a bit, most companies end up getting a discounted rate depending on their shipping volume. Anyways, I'm looking forward to receiving my one pine from him. Going off of his posts, the trees look exceedingly healthy and large for...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[jaco94]

7) discovery of local nursery stock that far surpasses many such online options

8) try to hide the tree ordered on the internet in a somewhat hidden corner of the garden while your wife goes out to shop
9) go back to the internet to order a better tree and then return to step 1

 

[Mikecheck123]

Why do I feel like Déjà vu again? First 2 posts and just to put someone down? and also, "rusty wires"? I seen a lot of videos from Jason and I have not seen anything other than aluminum or copper been used. Anyway, I'll be trying to give you the benefit of the doubt till you post pictures of the tree...

CM BONSAI!!

I don't think people realize that shipping usually costs quite a bit, most companies end up getting a discounted rate depending on their shipping volume. Anyways, I'm looking forward to receiving my one pine from him. Going off of his posts, the trees look exceedingly healthy and large for...

www.bonsainut.com

Can't stand rusty aluminum!

 

[rockm]

He might know his bonsai, but he sells garbage. Material is subpar and full of rusty wires.

OK, show us...

 

[augustine]

Meehans Miniatures is a good place and they have many elms. Everything is reasonably priced.

 

[Farwest]

Im with @just.wing.it ...it can be a fun grab bag or pure suck. My buddy got a JbP from Brussels and it was WAY nicer than what was pictured. Also seen pics of folks who got the same price point JPB and its a mess.

Agree. Seller did not meet your expectation? You might have to pay more. I doubt artisans gather over tea to dicuss the ~$100 stock before packing and shipping. I live in Oregon. Some nursery plants are never even touched by human hands until the point of sale, much less evaluated for structure. You are not buying a 4-H pig, more like bacon off the rack and you kind of have to recalibrate your expectations. It appears to be a high volume nursery:

Lower volume sources like the facebook auctions and local bonsai nurseries are more likely to match what you expect with what you will receive at the time of purchase.

 

[_space_bard_]

Just dig up some yard shrubs to style. Make sure it's your own yard. Thank God my neighbor is a bad shot.

 

[berzerkules]

Just dig up some yard shrubs to style. Make sure it's your own yard. Thank God my neighbor is a bad shot.

Dig fast and keep your head down.