My One Day SoCal Bonsai Nursury Tour

[Erndogy]

I was on vacation the last two weeks but with two 3 year olds running around I needed a vacation from my vacation. Luckily I was able to get a baby sitter for a couple days to get some time for my self. I decided to on touring some of the bonsai nurseries in SoCal. I had planned on visiting Chikugo-En, House of Bonsai, San Gabriel nurseries and Mt Fuji garden centers. But then I remembered I needed to take care of a couple fix-a-tickets in the OC so because of time and traffic I had to cut out The House of Bonsai from the plan.

So I hit up Chikugo-En in Gardena first. I met with Gary. He is a very nice guy, and is into classic car restoration. We had a pretty good chat about that. He has his fathers personal bonsai collection on display. A lot of elms.

I picked up a couple of Kishu Shimpaku

This is the larger one




And this is the smaller one

 

[Erndogy]

I also was asking about his soil mix he uses for his pines. It was akadama and pumice but they were very consistent in size. He uses dry stall for his pumice and he also sells it. I picked a 40lb bag of it and a couple Tokoname Terra-cotta training pots.

Here is a pic of the smaller Kishu shari and one of the pots.







I said good bye and raced up the 710 to San Gabriel Nursery. They had a lot to choose from. I really wanted to see some satsuki azalia. They did have some but nothing really nice bonsai-wise. I did pick up a couple of landscape ones to grow out though.

 

[jkd2572]

I would use the soil mix you like great trunks foliage looks weak. I have usually found that super tlc in your Garden will turn that back very lush and green. Nice find.

 

[Erndogy]

My next stop before hitting home was Mt Fuji Garden Center in Upland. I found Lindsay Shiba there and had a conversation about the days events.

I picked up a willow leaf ficus/banyan tree from him. It is small but since it is the first one I have seen locally I decided I had to have it.



I also got this cool looking Zinfandel Grape



I think It will make a pretty awesome Cascade/Semi-cascade

 

[Erndogy]

Here are a couple more pics




I had a good day. Next time I think I will visit nurseries in the San Fernando Valley...

Thanks for looking


Ernie

 

[Erndogy]

I would use the soil mix you like great trunks foliage looks weak. I have usually found that super tlc in your Garden will turn that back very lush and green. Nice find.

Its all about the trunks is it not?

Thanks.

The foliage, especially on the larger of the two, is actually very nice on top. It's lush and fluffy and bright green. It didn't come through in the pics though. I do need to thin it out though because the bottom foliage needs some sun.

Ernie