M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
That's why I started this thread.
Although you've killed nicer trees than I have ever had.
Who has killed more trees than they have on their benches?
- Thread starter M. Frary
- Start date
Although you've killed nicer trees than I have ever had.
I’ve made some huge omelets then! 4 major relocations to very different climate zones really brought up the bonsai body count for me personally. The worst was a move to the Front Range in Colorado from the Williamette Valley in Oregon. I took 27 of my best trees. 2 survived. This recent (and I hope last) move to the Olympic Peninsula has been the best in terms of survival rates. One thing I do now is always try to answer the what and why questions when I lose a tree. Sometimes when it’s a painful loss, you just want to throw it on the dead pile and forget about it. But figuring out those questions helps prevent doing the same mistakes over again.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Hm.. I would have to guess. I probably have killed between 20 or 30 trees. As I have 100+ on my benches I am still on the good side. And as mentioned before.. propagation is my side-stream hobby so I have brought at least 30 new plants in this world, so not too bad.
amcoffeegirl
Masterpiece
I have more in my possession right now than ever before. I’ve started quite a few projects again. I may have killed two this spring already but we will see. Trunk scrape says there is still a chance 
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
I've been working with plants for a decade before I got into bonsai.
If I don't count the dead laboratory plants, which I kill 1.35*10^8 a week on average in the embryonic stage, then it's actually less than the trees on my benches. I have around 142 trees, and since my journey in bonsai began I managed to kill just 10 or so.
Seedlings don't count, right? Because that's a massacre every summer.. 40-60% still makes it, but the annual death toll is around 200 anyways.
If I don't count the dead laboratory plants, which I kill 1.35*10^8 a week on average in the embryonic stage, then it's actually less than the trees on my benches. I have around 142 trees, and since my journey in bonsai began I managed to kill just 10 or so.
Seedlings don't count, right? Because that's a massacre every summer.. 40-60% still makes it, but the annual death toll is around 200 anyways.
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Great thread topic Mike!
And yeah....I think I'm easliy there after this past winter.....only 5 years in....shit!.....damnit!......I suck!
The only place to go is up from here.....unless the VC come....
And yeah....I think I'm easliy there after this past winter.....only 5 years in....shit!.....damnit!......I suck!
The only place to go is up from here.....unless the VC come....
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Ahem....
Through bad fortune and hurricanes, I've killed a few thousand trees that I attempted to grow. The way I see it, there is no where but up from here.
Through bad fortune and hurricanes, I've killed a few thousand trees that I attempted to grow. The way I see it, there is no where but up from here.
MrBeto
Mame
May I ask what kind of shade cloth are you using, like 40, 50 % ?Sadly, yes. Last summer was especially bad. Very hot weather and long hours at work meant six cooked trees.This year I've got new shade cloth and am working on an auto watering system.
Clicio
Masterpiece
Please, please tell me how.
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
It's not a secret. They don't grow in pots...period.
PaulH
Omono
30% because oak trees also provide some shade.
PaulH
Omono
Mike Corazzi
Masterpiece
E's only restin' ,sir. 
leatherback
The Treedeemer
what i do..
After last summer was so dry, and all my pots started to show the signs of calcium buildup I tried something new.
I now squirt a decent bit of citric acid in a watering (Maybe a shotglass worth) can when I fertilize. I make a concentrated (~5 times normal dose) watering can can of fertilizer.
I then water all my plants as per usual drench with the hose.
Then I take the can and water lightly with fertilizer
Once I am done, I give every pot a quick brush with the hose to was off anything from trunk, leaves and move it from substrate surface into the pot.
Ali Raza
Shohin
As a beginner, I started with 40 plants. I was totally noob at that time. I simply water and mist them all the time and loaded them with huge amount of cow manure as fertilizer. All of them died I guess from poor repotting, root rot and root burns.
Let summarize:-
1. 40 kills in 2016
2. Around 32 in 2017
3. After joining bonsainut in 2018 number reduces to 21
4. 12 in 2019 (Completed Century)
5. Still counting on
Please God Forgive me I am afraid of Hell.
Let summarize:-
1. 40 kills in 2016
2. Around 32 in 2017
3. After joining bonsainut in 2018 number reduces to 21
4. 12 in 2019 (Completed Century)
5. Still counting on
Please God Forgive me I am afraid of Hell.
Are we talking about intentional or unintentional kills? Most of my trees has been killed intentionally by myself. They simply didn't show up any potential or they were way too small or "wrong" species with too big leaves/needles or some kitschy indoor bonsai gifts from my family members, which i dislike or should i say i can't stand indoor plants. To be clear: During 8 years i've thrown away many trees which didn't suit my idea of how bonsai should look like. I'm pretty sure that i abandoned more than 30, maybe 40 trees, all yamadori trees found by myself, from my early collection, mostly very small or young ones. I don't feel any guilt, contrary, a sigh of relief would describe my feelings better. Now i am left with 16 pre bonsai trees in pots and 2 growing in the ground. I've finally got rid of ballast and i can start from beginning, with "the right trees", right substrate and a right place where i keep my bonsai trees.
If we talking about lost, i would say i've lost about 10, maybe 11 trees. I really miss three of them: a beautiful pinus mugo, almost finished bonsai found in an abandoned graveyard, transplanted in wrong time )middle of august) into wrong soil )grit + organic soil, kept on full hot sun immediately after potting into a pot), one large fagus sylvatica with great nebari )no idea why the tree died) and a big acer campestre with unstoppable rot and decay.
What about you, guys, do you count more intentional or unintentional kills?
If we talking about lost, i would say i've lost about 10, maybe 11 trees. I really miss three of them: a beautiful pinus mugo, almost finished bonsai found in an abandoned graveyard, transplanted in wrong time )middle of august) into wrong soil )grit + organic soil, kept on full hot sun immediately after potting into a pot), one large fagus sylvatica with great nebari )no idea why the tree died) and a big acer campestre with unstoppable rot and decay.
What about you, guys, do you count more intentional or unintentional kills?
Last edited:
leatherback
The Treedeemer
This, I really do not understand. You go out to collect yamadori. Then decide that they don't suit your ideas? What happened to respect for nature. Think before you collect. Now you have killed trees that have been there for decades to centuries. And for what? Because you decide after digging them up that you do not like them?
Similar threads
