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Bonsai

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j_crazy's avatar

j_crazy

7 gram rocks. how i roll.

8,372 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:02 PM
What's the point of a bonsai tree. I saw 2 roadside stands yesterday selling them, and today on google it's one of the top searches in shopping.

I'm curious what the attraction is. Do they smell good or something?

Does anyone on here grow these things? if so, what is it that draws you to them.
Jan 6, 2011 4:02pm
gorocks99's avatar

gorocks99

Senior Member

10,760 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:04 PM
Bonsai are crazy little things. They require a whole lot of attention b/c you need to prune their root systems to keep them small, among other things. I don't grow them, but I do find it fascinating that there are some out there that are over 300 years old (which basically means there has been someone taking care of it for 300 years).
Jan 6, 2011 4:04pm
W

wkfan

Senior Member

1,641 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:15 PM
money for asians.
Jan 6, 2011 4:15pm
Bigred1995's avatar

Bigred1995

Ohio Chatter - CFO

1,042 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:20 PM
gorocks99;628343 wrote:Bonsai are crazy little things. They require a whole lot of attention b/c you need to prune their root systems to keep them small, among other things. I don't grow them, but I do find it fascinating that there are some out there that are over 300 years old (which basically means there has been someone taking care of it for 300 years).

Sorry, but I find it hard to believe that a tree requires human maintenance to survive!
Jan 6, 2011 4:20pm
gorocks99's avatar

gorocks99

Senior Member

10,760 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:22 PM
Oh, it doesn't require human maintenance to survive. It requires human maintenance to stay small.
Jan 6, 2011 4:22pm
Bigred1995's avatar

Bigred1995

Ohio Chatter - CFO

1,042 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:25 PM
gorocks99;628367 wrote:Oh, it doesn't require human maintenance to survive. It requires human maintenance to stay small.
Okay, that makes a ton more sense!
Jan 6, 2011 4:25pm
j_crazy's avatar

j_crazy

7 gram rocks. how i roll.

8,372 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:25 PM
chief takanawa say:
big tree in small vase need man to keep living.

i think gorocks is right. they need a human pruning them to keep them alive because they are in TINY pots.
Jan 6, 2011 4:25pm
gorocks99's avatar

gorocks99

Senior Member

10,760 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:27 PM
The thing is (as I understand it) they're cultivated from normal trees - if you took it out of the small pot and just let it grow it would grow much bigger. But, the "art" if you will is to scale the thing down and maintain it as a very tiny version of a much bigger tree. It's too much work for me, but I appreciate the work that goes into 'em, and if that's your hobby, by all means keep at it.
Jan 6, 2011 4:27pm
j_crazy's avatar

j_crazy

7 gram rocks. how i roll.

8,372 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:32 PM
i'm considering gettting one and playing with it for awhile. i love the way they look. plus they are being sold from a roadside van. i always meet interesting people at places like this.
Jan 6, 2011 4:32pm
Apple's avatar

Apple

Prost!

2,620 posts
Jan 6, 2011 4:56 PM
My brother hooked up with a company and sold bonsai trees at a booth in the Dayton Mall at Christmas time years ago. Many of his friends and family bought them and everyone of the trees died within a couple months. Probably due more to the person taking care of it than the trees themselves. I would never get one, but if you're into it, give it a try.
Jan 6, 2011 4:56pm
Automatik's avatar

Automatik

Senior Member

14,632 posts
Jan 6, 2011 5:24 PM
http://www.bonsaiboy.com/catalog/under.html

Got my parents one from here. Cool site.
Jan 6, 2011 5:24pm
ytownfootball's avatar

ytownfootball

Bold faced liar...

6,978 posts
Jan 6, 2011 6:03 PM
Whatever you do, don't spend a lot starting out, there's a lot involved with keeping one healthy. Junipers are inexpensive and relatively easy to maintain, plus you won't feel bad when you forget about it for five days and kill it.;) Keep in mind also that they are trees, trees don't grow indoors, they need to be outdoors a majority of the time, (some indoor houseplants are bonsaied just be aware of the difference).

I don't have the time really, but I like the Birch tree groupings, they are pretty cool.
Jan 6, 2011 6:03pm
gerb131's avatar

gerb131

Senior Member

9,932 posts
Jan 6, 2011 7:47 PM
Got one a few years ago for the woman, it sealed the deal.
Jan 6, 2011 7:47pm