Purchasing Bonsai

[Salvarez]

Also don’t forget Bill’s Bayou channel on YouTube. Bill is in New Orleans and may have trees to sell although he has not been as active after losing a daughter. But he does have some good videos on collecting and developing bald cypress.

I buy my soil from hime. He is great!

 

[Salvarez]

For me BC's in the first 5 years after collection offer a lot of fun. The top develops so fast that I get to try just about any refinement methods I want in short order. The trunk is a different story. It takes time to think it through on what you want to do with carving and healing the big cuts if you get a sizeable collected tree. For smaller trees then you face the tall task of managing the trunk chops and subsequent branch development. BC grow so fast that you can get in reverse taper in a hurry if you don't watch out and the shoots run wild up top.
For $400-$800 you can get a tree that you can play with and wow people in as little as 5-7 years.

@Cajunrider i should give you a call. Can you DM me your number?

 

[Salvarez]

Yes, but...looking at species more appropriate for the OPs climate is part of that equation as well. La. is blessed with a crowd of bonsai enthusiasts working on stuff like this. I'm sure the OP could locate a substantial BC specimen that has had some work done. Many other species too, from water elm to cedar elm to hornbeam and hawthorn are on the menu down there. Same story for in-development trees. Look at the table of auction trees from GNOB...

I have had fun with my first Bonsai growing season with my BC's. Learning what works and what does so far. I also have a big one that is dunked.... I will need to take a picture. Oddly enough I don't have a photo of that one. My favoirete is my flat top concept that I got from my friend Ben Pierce. He and I did the LSU Landscape Arch program with me at LSU.

So I agree we are blessed to have very hardy material that can stand some big bonsai techniques.

 

[Salvarez]

There are two type of people on this on this planet. Those who seek advice and do not not take it. And those who seek advice and take it!

Thank you all for advice. This guy is on its way from Lake Charles La. to my house. Thank you Duke for working with me on this one! @Cajunrider .

 

[Salvarez]

@Cajunrider was curious this morning. How were you able to keep the leaves on the tree so green ate in the year. My BC's that I am working on got burnt up. Also, did you have a dedicated pesticide schedule?