New to Bonsai got a few questions.

BonsaiProdigy

BonsaiProdigy

Seedling
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Southern California 10a
So today I begin my first bonsai..
Received my first two trees in the mail today. Both were mailed dormant to my residence. I have never grown a tree before so Im sure there is much to learn. Fortunately I have much experience in the garden so the learning curve shouldn't be all that bad.

The two trees I received were
Weeping Willow - height 3.5ft
Red Maple - height 3ft

The weeping willow I am still debating about making it into a bonsai. The red maple however will be my first bonsai attempt. I soaked the root zones for about 30 min before planting. They are both in 5 gallon buckets and sitting in their new medium which is a coco/soil mix. Which brings me to me first question.

When would be a good time to prune the top off the tree to make it shorter?.. As I have mentioned the trees arrived dormant and currently have no leafs on them. So right now they just look like 3-4ft sticks. I guess what im wondering is... If I were to cut 1-2ft off of the maple this early... would it effect the overall health of the tree? Or would it continue to produce new branches and grow at a normal rate?

Thanks.
 
Welcome! Go nuts with us!

First off, you will receive much more sound advice if you filled out your profile and let us know where you are. Bonsai has much to do with climate.

With that said, You have chosen two very prolific growers, and if the season is right for part of the world and if they are budding then it would be safe to chop and repot. With regard to maple, you may want to aim for a larger tree as they tend To have larger leaf size and internode length. Unfortunately, I have no experience with willow in pot culture, but like I said they are very strong growers.

How bout some pictures?
 
Thanks for the quick reply!!
I'll be sure to work on my profile later this evening. I live in southern California.
Heres a couple pics but they are not much to look at lol..

Here is the willow
20160428_145048.jpg

Here is the Red Maple
20160428_145057.jpg
 
Plant those in the ground for a few years, and go buy so pre bonsai stock from somewhere else if you want to start fiddling with something in the near future

Good luck, I new at this too, and I had a post exactly like yours about a year ago!
 
You weren't kidding when you said sticks in a pot lol. Like suggest, look for better materials.

This guy "stickroot" have some nice amur maples for really good price. And if you can afford it, some great select reds too.

Check him out and get to a better start.
 
Yeah I will definitely look into better looking trees. I wasnt exactly sure how the trees would look when they arrived. I will still grow these 2 in the the buckets to see where they go. Eventually I'll be able to use them for something.
 
yeah mine looks just like that. except much taller and thinner. Im on my way! :D
I took a cutting of a lemon tree just for kicks. We'll see what happens. I think its got potential :cool:
I looked at stickroot's thread and ill probably end up buying one of the maples in the not so distant future.
 
Welcome to B Nut! Just want to say I have some serious Avatar envy right now.
 
BonsaiProdigy said:
maples in the not so distant future
Click to expand...

Amurs...be northers....
And J.Maples be Crisping....

While challenging....they will be better than your currentimage-11.jpeg
But I ain't against trying!

Oh yeah....he got tridents too....get one of them.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 
You live in a great source for bonsai knowledge. Find your local club and take advantage of the learning and companionship. And there are some exceptional honorable bonsai nurseries there as well.
 
Welcome! As the others have said Please put your location in your profile. Advice for peeps in Vegas where I live is not the same for peeps in Seattle. Next, as the others have said the two species you have are not ideal for bonsai. Yes they have been used but you may as well give yourself the best chances. I would go to Brent's site at Evergreen Gardenworks and read everything there three or four times. Then buy something from him that works where you live.

https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/articles.htm

Start with this as it applies to the "pot" you have chosen:
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/earthpot.htm

Also, I will go out on a limb (see what I did there???) and tell you that your soil is to moisture retentive. There are a million variations of soil but what they have in common is that they are very free draining and dry out in a day or so. Also you want larger aggregate size as you must get oxygen to the roots. If you insist on keeping them in the buckets you need to drill a bunch of holes to promote more drainage.

Finally, I miss a fella that used to post here that would see a limerick in this situation. Especially if you live in Nantucket. it might start, "There once was a man from Nantucket. He tried to grow trees in a bucket."
 
BonsaiProdigy said:
Im just here for the bonsais, and to humbly learn from the experienced.
Click to expand...

Welcome!

First add your location and maybe USDA zone in your profile so it shows like mine does - it helps us help you! ;)
Second, you mentioned Southern California which is ok but those two trees will most likely be cared for much differently then each other.

Now, not later :p -

Make sure there is plenty of drainage holes in the bucket bottoms, might be a pain but the quicker the better...
The Willow will do fine in full sun but will do best with a healthy supply of water. Might even suggest 6 or so drain holes about two inches above the base and placing it in any 2 inch container or tray. When you water do it slowly and let that tray fill. Repeat when it is low like 1/4 inch.
The Maple will require far less sun and in that substrate will need less water by far... Not dry but perhaps in a shady area it could probably go two days in between watering.
Looking closely I am guessing they came from an Arbor Day Org supplier in Tennessee. If so they came from USDA Zone 6b which is probably far cooler then there... Keep that in mind with the Maple, the Willow won't care.
They will grow just fine in those buckets if handled properly at 5 gallons and be less of a hassle down the road as far as repotting, I might get sheot for saying that but I don't care as it works just fine.
Done simply and correctly you won't kill your first two trees as many do! In my opinion learning your trees and how to grow them in pots is the first important step in Bonsai but not to difficult with proper information - Have fun!

Grimmy
 
Lots of great info coming in. Since I used a coco/soil mix that might be retaining to much water.. do you think it would have been better to use 100% coco? I understand that coco can never be fully saturated to the point of cutting off oxygen to the roots. Coco can only hold 70% water with 30% oxygen at all times. I thought with this kind of mix I would probably be watering a little more often then I would like during the hot months that are soon to arrive. Any thoughts on this?...

Ill be sure to put some extra drain holes in the buckets to ensure good runoff and oxygen saturation. I just hope the soil i mixed in doesn't have much clay in it... In any case I will most likely be repotting them with better medium mix when I make my way down to the local botanical shop.

GrimLore said:
Looking closely I am guessing they came from an Arbor Day Org supplier in Tennessee. If so they came from USDA Zone 6b which is probably far cooler then there... Keep that in mind with the Maple, the Willow won't care.
Click to expand...

Good eye. I was originally just going to get the willow to make willow water. But for 5$ extra they threw in the Red Maple so it is what it is. Im glad I decided to get into bonsai.. I was reading a lot about grafting last night.. gonna have some fun this summer with some fruit trees.
 
BonsaiProdigy said:
Good eye. I was originally just going to get the willow to make willow water.
Click to expand...

The Bamboo actually gave it away. Also, I read I typed drill side holes 2 inches up in the pot and place the Willow in a two inch pan/try. The tray should be higher then the holes - at least an inch, sorry for the typo :p
In another thread I mentioned my Wife got me a Red Maple 4 foot to put in the backyard with a 5 gallon pot to get it started. I missed the part about it becoming landscape and chopped it down to 4 inches, hacked the roots, and put it in a 1/2 gallon container :eek: It came from them and appears to be fine anyways.
Also you mentioned topsoil having clay in it - Next time around find Fafard Premium Topsoil(I get it at Agway). It comes out of the bag jet black with NO clay, stick, stone or other crap in it. It is far more expensive at 12.99 this year but a bag goes a long ways.

Grimmy
 
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