The Beauty of Bonsai Styles

jamiecurle•about 1 hour ago

As well as a software person I'm an arborist as a side hustle. I love bonsai and I have started a few off myself in my garden (technically this makes them 'niwaki' - in garden, rather than 'bonsai' - in a pot. I went with scots pine (Pinus sylvestris, Wych Elm - Ulnus glabra and Quercus robur - english oak) as they're all native to where I live.

But I am somewhat conflicted because as awesome as they look, all that aesthetic comes from doing the exact opposite of what a tree needs. Deliberate wounding at non-meristematic sites to create deadwood, binding roots into and using wires to manipulate the structure and keeping the tree at a juvenile isolated state. Basically it would make Alex Shigo shudder in his grave.

That being said, if anyone is in their twenties and looking for a nice future hustle pension, then start off some bonsais today. In forty years, if you can keep them going, with a hundred or so you could be sitting on 300K plus of stock. The trees will teach you a lot (notwithstanding the above sentiment on treating them brutally) in terms of patience, planning and delight in aesthetic.

mytailorisrich•41 minutes ago

If you are in your twenties and "start off some bonsais today" then in 20 years you will start to know what you are doing and then you can start off "good ones" ;)

Malcolmlisk•about 3 hours ago

My colleagues gave me a bonsai when I left the company. I loved it and it was georgeous. When I switched to my actual house, the bonsai felt it and started to dry out. I could not stop it, and even transplanting it to better soil and placing him in another room. It never went up. Right now I don't know if its alive anymore, and makes me very sad.

leoff•about 3 hours ago

Do you know the species?

Malcolmlisk•about 2 hours ago

Yep. It's supposed to be an entry level one. Ligustrum sinensis. In my old house had like 8 hours of direct sun and right now it only has like 2... I don't know what to do anymore.

FrankRay78•about 2 hours ago

Most of these are outdoor trees, regardless of size. Something more tropical might fare better inside.

pvaldes•about 1 hour ago

Ligustrum are notoriously hard to kill so if is not showing any activity over ground, may be working hard building roots at this moment.

The shadow is not really the problem. They love full sun, but can stand a lot of shadow. The lack of water or nutrients may be. Let it fully submerged in a bath for one hour. If is still alive, the bark or stems will turn greenish and new leaves may appear in a few days.

Sinense is semi caducifolious (if I remember correctly). Are you in spring or in autumn currently in your timezone?

(If you have pets take in mind that this is a poisonous plant with poisonous fruits only allowed for birds).

Siecje•about 2 hours ago

Would artificial light work?

samplatt•about 2 hours ago

I had a fig at my work desk for a couple of years. Work moved buildings. The new aircon killed it. No matter how much I watered it, it kept drying out.

It was still trying to live off its two remaining leaves, when I picked it up by its trunk and noticed it was completely hollow and almost made of paper. It was utterly desiccated.

badc0ffee•about 3 hours ago

I find bonsai fascinating, even if I would never be willing to put in the time and care required to do it myself.

I had the pleasure of seeing the bonsai collection in the Gardens at HCP (Horticulture Centre of the Pacific) in Victoria, BC, Canada recently. They have many different species of trees, and something like 60 individual trees in total. Well worth seeing, and the cafe just outside the entrance is nice too.

jbethune•34 minutes ago

Been living in Japan for a while and have come to appreciate bonsai. There is a lot that goes into it. I love the concept of such an intricate thing being carefully maintained across decades and generations of people.

divbzero•about 2 hours ago

The oldest bonsai in this collection is over a 100 years old. Imagine training a bonsai continually for so long, the steady care and attention required across multiple generations…

FrankRay78•about 2 hours ago

Not that different to our two year old tortoise, who still has another 100+ years to go.

gerdesj•about 1 hour ago

Jonathan is quite a lot older than your lower bound: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_(tortoise) and still going!

Rumours of his death are greatly exaggerated.

socalgal2•about 4 hours ago

Even better Man-Bonsai

https://www.google.com/search?udm=2&q=%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3%E7%...

The Beauty of Bonsai Styles

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