Nursery gals picked my brain...

[Cadillactaste]

So they seen my interest in the gnarly base and asked what one looks for exactly in a bonsai. For a nursery person sees a tree not properly planted when she sees what interests me. Lol

So I explained my experience is very green and limited...but you start at the roots and look for something that is gnarly in my opinion. And one doesn't want straight anything.

They said they would keep an eye on their compost pile for gnarly ugly tossed out items from their landscape people. Call me if anything ever comes in.

 

[Vin]

So they seen my interest in the gnarly base and asked what one looks for exactly in a bonsai. For a nursery person sees a tree not properly planted when she sees what interests me. Lol

So I explained my experience is very green and limited...but you start at the roots and look for something that is gnarly in my opinion. And one doesn't want straight anything.

They said they would keep an eye on their compost pile for gnarly ugly tossed out items from their landscape people. Call me if anything ever comes in.

Hopefully you'll have better luck with your people than I did with mine. I told my landscape person a year ago to keep an eye out for certain material and he hasn't called me one time. I've seen him a few times since then and he tells me he'll call if he has anything good but never does. He's just too busy I guess

 

[Poink88]

Maybe explain the ideal traits a bonsai should have, and while you do not need all of it, the more the better.

- strong nebari (explain it to them)
- gnarly trunk
- woody shrub/tree
- bark
- low branches
- small leaves
- flowers/fruits
- compact growth (short inter-node)
- back bud well
- tolerate transplanting
- etc.

Good luck!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Yes...as I have said for years here, build a bonsai from the bottom up!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Hopefully you'll have better luck with your people than I did with mine. I told my landscape person a year ago to keep an eye out for certain material and he hasn't called me one time. I've seen him a few times since then and he tells me he'll call if he has anything good but never does. He's just too busy I guess

These are more than just landscapers...they have specially ordered into their nursery things I wanted through out the years. On a name basis...and...I got to go into their "green house" that has things they are playing with today. pretty cool indeed. I feel...they will if anything comes up. Remember me. They've got my number...found things that couldn't be found...love them girls at the nursery!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Maybe explain the ideal traits a bonsai should have, and while you do not need all of it, the more the better.

- strong nebari (explain it to them)
- gnarly trunk
- woody shrub/tree
- bark
- low branches
- small leaves
- flowers/fruits
- compact growth (short inter-node)
- back bud well
- tolerate transplanting
- etc.

Good luck!

I explained roots/Nabari trunk...explained back budding...but, still green behind the ears. I may copy and paste your list...and print it off for the girls there. Thanks Dario!

 

[Txhorticulture]

Might be easier ....

Sounds like a cool hook up. It pays to network. Just think about what species of trees and shrubs are commonly planted in your region that make good bonsai. I have no idea what is common there myself. And tell them you ever see somone tossing a big, old.... Whatever lemme take a look at it.

Hope it works out. Good luck

 

[Cadillactaste]

Sounds like a cool hook up. It pays to network. Just think about what species of trees and shrubs are commonly planted in your region that make good bonsai. I have no idea what is common there myself. And tell them you ever see somone tossing a big, old.... Whatever lemme take a look at it.

Hope it works out. Good luck

Thanks...that I got to be taken into an area for employees only. Was pretty cool indeed! They are playing around with making a single trunk honeysuckle tree...and a few other things.

 

[berobinson82]

Good job! I've two nurseries with my card behind the desk. They call me "the bonsai guy" and though I've received no calls, when I go in they usually take me to the "rehab" or "TLC" section when they know they've a plant that no one else would consider purchasing.

 

[Eric Group]

Well you can look at this from two angles. One, they might find you some stuff that works well... MIGHT... Or you could also say that all of a sudden that tree they were going to slap a %75 off sticker on and hide in the back of the nursery because it is "gnarly" looking... Suddenly became an item that they KNOW has a motivated buyer... You think they would still sell it for %75 off? Nope. I prefer to scour the left movers at local nurseries- big box stores tend to cycle stuff out every season but your normal nursery is sitting on stock for years before it sells!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Well you can look at this from two angles. One, they might find you some stuff that works well... MIGHT... Or you could also say that all of a sudden that tree they were going to slap a %75 off sticker on and hide in the back of the nursery because it is "gnarly" looking... Suddenly became an item that they KNOW has a motivated buyer... You think they would still sell it for %75 off? Nope. I prefer to scour the left movers at local nurseries- big box stores tend to cycle stuff out every season but your normal nursery is sitting on stock for years before it sells!

Never thought of that...hoping to get something that they pull from a yard during a landscaping job. Was my intention.