Libbie
Seedling
Love that there is someone here named @HorseloverFat who's been liking all these posts. PKD is one of my all-time favorite writers and VALIS is one of my favorite books!
Hello! New here and new to bonsai.
- Thread starter Libbie
- Start date
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
YES YES YES!!!! The empire never ended!!!
(My youngest son's middle name is Kindred!!)PLEASURE to make your acquaintance Libbie!!!
My greetings for newcomers are normally poetic and done in a minstrel-style, using native American mythos/tradition as "filler"….. but you being a PKD fan changes the rules..
There has only been ONE other person to "recognize" my name.
A very big WELCOME from my "shanty" on lake Michigan to you, friend.
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
All the advice given so far, I must also note, is spot-on..
Libbie
Seedling
Yay!!! I've found my people.YES YES YES!!!! The empire never ended!!!
PLEASURE to make your acquaintance Libbie!!!
My greetings for newcomers are normally poetic and done in a minstrel-style, using native American mythos/tradition as "filler"….. but you being a PKD fan changes the rules..
There has only been ONE other person to "recognize" my name.
A very big WELCOME from my "shanty" on lake Michigan to you, friend.
Orion_metalhead
Masterpiece
Welcome! Enjoy the hobby! Advice...
1. Be prepared to kill stuff.
2. Get more trees than you can take care of but less trees that you cant water daily.
3. Watch your sun. Get trees that are ideal for your lighting.
I have to add Valis to my reading list now. Ive read a handful pkd novels but not Valis.
1. Be prepared to kill stuff.
2. Get more trees than you can take care of but less trees that you cant water daily.
3. Watch your sun. Get trees that are ideal for your lighting.
I have to add Valis to my reading list now. Ive read a handful pkd novels but not Valis.
Libbie
Seedling
pandacular
Masterpiece
this is a good tip. If, like most of us here, you become quickly and deeply obsessed, you’ll want to get quite a few trees! I went from 3 this time last year to uhhh…20, or so? The extra trees give me more opportunities to apply technique, more options later down the line, and eventually, different phases of material to work.
My favorite species from nursery stock is Juniperus procumbens, or Japanese garden juniper, because it’s SO responsive to technique. I also really love our native mountain hemlocks, which I’ve heard also react really well.
@River's Edge is on Vancouver Island and his bonsai nursery would be a great resource.
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
Valis really good.. 'The Divine Invasion' is basically "Valis 2".. and "The transmigration of Timothy Archer" is like Valis 3... But it was finished by his son, as Phil died before it:s completion.
...I just reread "The Clans of the Alphane moon" and have just started "Flow my Tears, the Policeman said"...
I have almost an entire 'tier' of PKD
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
Also... If you plan on having a tropical/sub-tropicals/arid room for more tender genus plants (basically if you plan on wintering non-dormancy-requiring trees/shrubs/succs)... Embrace ficus. Most newcomers hear "Ficus ficus ficus"... But it takes a while to 'get it'. Trust me... Embrace Ficus and Punica.
...
Also for you, and others who live in this area... How active is the Quinalt community?
Welcome aboard. Lots of great suggestions here already. Brent has a bunch of articles I've found helpful as well - https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/articles.htm.
Best advice I can give is just jump in and start mangling and killing trees. Its a priceless learning experience.
Best advice I can give is just jump in and start mangling and killing trees. Its a priceless learning experience.
Canada Bonsai
Shohin
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It will be important to think about where your bonsai will go during winter. If you don't already have a plan, I would try connecting with a local club (list at link below) to find out where other members are keeping their trees. You can reach out to Tom Ulecki or Gerald Rainville to see if they rent out space in their cold frames over winter.
Some species might tolerate winter on your balcony in a pot, but others won't. Keep in mind that the goal isn't merely survival, but is also the preservation of delicate branches and our hard work.
If you happen to have an AC/heating compressor/pump/unit (whatever they're called) on your balcony as many apartments do here in Montreal, that's something to be mindful of as well.
Canadian Societies, Groups, Nurseries and Shops
CLICK HERE for a list of Canadian Bonsai Societies, Groups, Nurseries and Shops
www.canadabonsai.com
shohin_branches
Chumono
Welcome! If you only have balcony space maybe start with ficus. You can admire them all winter and then try to sort out some space for overwintering temperate trees next year. I like to spend winter reading bonsai books and sketching plans for trees
Libbie
Seedling
That's great info--thank you. I am familiar with cold frames (having been a big vegetable gardener at my previous place) and I have room in the common area of this apartment to put up a cold frame for the winter, so I should be able to do it here.It will be important to think about where your bonsai will go during winter. If you don't already have a plan, I would try connecting with a local club (list at link below) to find out where other members are keeping their trees. You can reach out to Tom Ulecki or Gerald Rainville to see if they rent out space in their cold frames over winter.
Some species might tolerate winter on your balcony in a pot, but others won't. Keep in mind that the goal isn't merely survival, but is also the preservation of delicate branches and our hard work.
If you happen to have an AC/heating compressor/pump/unit (whatever they're called) on your balcony as many apartments do here in Montreal, that's something to be mindful of as well.
Canadian Societies, Groups, Nurseries and Shops
CLICK HERE for a list of Canadian Bonsai Societies, Groups, Nurseries and Shopswww.canadabonsai.com
cishepard
Shohin
Hi there, fellow Vancouver Islander : )
One other invaluable resource in our area is Frank Corrigan ( @River's Edge ). He has a small bonsai nursery in Qualicum, gives workshops and individual classes, and speaks at both the Victoria club and Arrowsmith Club in Nanoose. He has done a lot for me, bonsai-wise, here on Bonsainut and in person, and I consider him my mentor.
One other invaluable resource in our area is Frank Corrigan ( @River's Edge ). He has a small bonsai nursery in Qualicum, gives workshops and individual classes, and speaks at both the Victoria club and Arrowsmith Club in Nanoose. He has done a lot for me, bonsai-wise, here on Bonsainut and in person, and I consider him my mentor.
Calnicky
Mame
Welcome to Bonsai! It's an exciting and frustrating hobby... Mostly good though! It also good to have more women in the hobby which still has many more men involved at all levels.
I now live on the Olympic Peninsula, same climate zone as you (although I think the USDA is modifying that). I wholeheartedly endorse getting involved in the local bonsai club, including volunteering to help with shows/sales, joining the board, etc. You meet people & learn new stuff better that way.
Also, I had a big balcony in a condo in Seattle and never killed a tree until I moved to the peninsula, so you CAN do bonsai on a balcony, but maybe not get your trees to the next level of development. Getting great sun and a "whole sky" onto your trees seems to be the biggest drawback to an apartment deck.
If you go out Seattle way, come to a Puget Sound Bonsai Assn meeting. We have great demos and It's a very nice crowd. And PM me if you get out to Port Townsend at any point.
Best wishes! CalNicky
I now live on the Olympic Peninsula, same climate zone as you (although I think the USDA is modifying that). I wholeheartedly endorse getting involved in the local bonsai club, including volunteering to help with shows/sales, joining the board, etc. You meet people & learn new stuff better that way.
Also, I had a big balcony in a condo in Seattle and never killed a tree until I moved to the peninsula, so you CAN do bonsai on a balcony, but maybe not get your trees to the next level of development. Getting great sun and a "whole sky" onto your trees seems to be the biggest drawback to an apartment deck.
If you go out Seattle way, come to a Puget Sound Bonsai Assn meeting. We have great demos and It's a very nice crowd. And PM me if you get out to Port Townsend at any point.
Best wishes! CalNicky
Libbie
Seedling
Wonderful! Thank you. I'll get to know Frank and hopefully learn from him, too.
Libbie
Seedling
I have a good friend in PT so I get out there often (and I love that town... almost bought the Ann Starrett mansion the last time it was up for sale, ha ha.) And I get to Seattle often, as well. I'll be sure to drop in!
I'm very lucky in having a nice, big communal garden/yard space at my apartment and great neighbors in the building who are ok with my using it, as long as I don't leave any tripping hazards lying around. So I'll be able to get whole sky on my trees, happily. Thanks for tall the great advice!
