Hi Everyone,

I have decided since my first ever post to pursue the hobby of bonsai. My approach is perhaps a little interesting. I would like exhibition quality bonsai and large bonsai that you would see as examples used in books and magazines ( would'nt we all!), However I like growing trees from saplings or seeds, If you see my previous posts my biggest accomplishments are wiring juniper trees and recently bending a trunk of 2cm. I usually spend about £5-£10 on raw material and have wired, repotted and shaped trees. What should I focus on now? What direction should I take now? Also what is a good place to get raw material from?

Harry wrote:

Also what is a good place to get raw material from?

Nature

Madartej21 wrote:

Harry wrote:

Also what is a good place to get raw material from?

Nature

Wrong answer. Fairly illegal inmost places. Let alone, not feasable for most to collect good material succesfully.

If you want more mature plants, look at advertisements for people cleaning out their garden. Or spend more money and go to a bonsai dealer.

ask your local land scape company wherever you can join them when they refurbish properties, you may end up with some treasures.

Depending on where you are there are bonsai nurseries with raw material that has been collected. If you don't know how to look after a collected plant then the chances of losing it are high. I was at a show yesterday and there was a seller with collected material(legal) I bought a Scots Pine very nice. Also collecting at the right time of year is essential to the survival of the plants. I always suggest joining a club, ofter they will have trips to collect trees, and you can get help with what to dig and how to look after it. If as I suspect you are in UK then look on the FOBBS web site for a lub near you, there are a lot all ver the country.
Geoff.