Cronic wrote:

This is what I just fail to understand. I have no idea where the disconnect in communication is. This is such a helpful, knowledgeable answer. This is well above and beyond what would have sufficed! I don't see the necessity of the back and forth before we get here

it's because people who have been on this forum for years see the same questions coming back week after week

In this case, no.

I have written an extensive reply about why a potbelly ficus is not a bonsai. That was in this topic , and two weeks ago. It spent quite some time on it and included pictues and images of ficus in different forms - from pot belly, to ikea S-type, mallsai, real bonsai, to an example of a museum piece. Spencer wrote he understood. Now, 2 weeks later, he again asks why a 'Ginseng' is not a bonsai.

I've spent time giving a proper, in depth answer (as Leatherback mentioned). Getting the same question therefore is an insult.

Auk wrote:

Cronic wrote:

This is what I just fail to understand. I have no idea where the disconnect in communication is. This is such a helpful, knowledgeable answer. This is well above and beyond what would have sufficed! I don't see the necessity of the back and forth before we get here

it's because people who have been on this forum for years see the same questions coming back week after week

In this case, no.

I have written an extensive reply about why a potbelly ficus is not a bonsai. That was in this topic , and two weeks ago. It spent quite some time on it and included pictues and images of ficus in different forms - from pot belly, to ikea S-type, mallsai, real bonsai, to an example of a museum piece. Spencer wrote he understood. Now, 2 weeks later, he again asks why a 'Ginseng' is not a bonsai.

I've spent time giving a proper, in depth answer (as Leatherback mentioned). Getting the same question therefore is an insult.

must have missed that since i'm not a fan of Ikea Bonsai..

maybe a good point for the admins to make a sticky out of that post..

In this case, no.

I have written an extensive reply about why a potbelly ficus is not a bonsai. That was in this topic, and two weeks ago. It spent quite some time on it and included pictues and images of ficus in different forms - from pot belly, to ikea S-type, mallsai, real bonsai, to an example of a museum piece. Spencer wrote he understood. Now, 2 weeks later, he again asks why a 'Ginseng' is not a bonsai.

I've spent time giving a proper, in depth answer (as Leatherback mentioned). Getting the same question therefore is an insult.

Was absolutely not meant as an insult or an indication that I did not read (several times) the other post you put together. Perhaps this is not how you believe studying should go, but personally I find that the best way to learn is through the constant refinement of my current understanding. The first post you put together was detailed, visual, and helpful. However, that alone does not take me from "Ikea novice" to master, or even seasoned practitioner. I still have a long ways to go. When the second was posted, I read yours and the other answers with interest. I tried, in my head, to reason out, why that particular tree could never be bonsai. I even went back to that first post you made and compared. I asked the second question because I was hoping that you could demonstrate the specifics of that particular plant, and I could check that against what I had come up with on my own study.

When I ask, it is because I am genuinely curious and I want to learn from someone with a lot of knowledge and experience. I've spent some time reading around on Bonsai, and there is a ton of bad information out there. I also get that you (and any of the other more experienced folks) don't want to answer the same questions over and over. Thus, I try to read up on my own, I use the search here before asking, I read the other topics. All I was doing was hoping to further refine my understanding.

Sometimes asking an embarrassingly dumb question is a part of the learning process, not an insult to the expert. It is odd to see the amount of posts on poor material where the advice is "Go for it, practice, make mistakes and learn" and then to ask a question and instead the response is "You are wrong, I'm insulted, and I'm following you around the boards to tell other people about how insultingly wrong you were."

Cronic wrote:

This is what I just fail to understand. I have no idea where the disconnect in communication is. This is such a helpful, knowledgeable answer. This is well above and beyond what would have sufficed! I don't see the necessity of the back and forth before we get here

it's because people who have been on this forum for years see the same questions coming back week after week and it tends to get annoying from time to time to see that majority of the people asking these questions don't even bother to use the "search" function to get the answers that have been given here a million times already..

people will gladly help with specific questions.. but most rudimentary things are easily to be found on the forums when using the search function or the species guide at the top of the page..

also, a lot of beginners have the impression of knowing what they are doing, while they are clearly clueless and refuse to take (constructive) comments..

Yeah, I hear that, and I've received the lecture, and I try to be sensitive to everyone's time and attention, but this topic was created keeping each of those points in mind and still the response is pretty rough. I've read up on the watering information here and by using the search function, and I located the information about fungus gnats through my own research, but no where did I find anything answering my specific question. So I asked. And, in the end, I got great information. I learned how to better monitor the moisture in my plant, which I will use for any plants or Bonsai going forward, and I got a great supportive answer that was really helpful as well.

Maybe there is a language barrier, maybe there is "message board" barrier, maybe I just ask questions in a way that pisses people off! Who knows! I thoroughly appreciate the replies when I do get them though.

Cronic wrote:

must have missed that since i'm not a fan of Ikea Bonsai..

maybe a good point for the admins to make a sticky out of that post..

Yes! And also, someone wrote a "Mad Libs" checklist for new user questions, something like

"My (pick one) significant other / boss / roommate / dog
bought me a Bonsai. I've wanted one
since I was 2 / for 6 years / since I saw Karate Kid
I'm watering it
every day / every other day / once a month
like the person at
Ikea / the mall / the rest-stop on the interstate
told me too. Why are
the leaves falling off / the leaves yellow / the plant dying?"

When I compared my first post with that one it made me laugh. Both should be required to be read before you make your first post.

SpencerM wrote:

Yes! And also, someone wrote a "Mad Libs" checklist for new user questions, something like ...

I think that was me in this topic: www.bonsaiempire.com/forum/basic-techniq...ficus?start=10#19097 ?

so how's the gnats doing, just wondering?

Auk wrote:

SpencerM wrote:

Yes! And also, someone wrote a "Mad Libs" checklist for new user questions, something like ...

I think that was me in this topic: www.bonsaiempire.com/forum/basic-techniq...ficus?start=10#19097 ?

It was. And like all good satire, it really helped highlight how much my first post was 1) totally novice and uninformed and 2) completely ordinary and not unique.

Everyone thinks they are special snowflake until someone else guesses their post word for word

Samantha wrote:

so how's the gnats doing, just wondering?

Amazing! It has completely cleared up! It turns out I was overwatering and I had no idea! I was using all the advice I had read about waiting for the soil to be dry to the touch, but it turns out the deeper soil was still a little damp in between waterings. I was also mistaken as I had read that some types of Bonsai species will dry out and lose leaves, but the Ficus Ginseng I have is somewhat tolerant to drought (this was my fault for not reading carefully enough).

I think it was Cronic who suggested using a chopstick to check the moisture below the surface. I've actually been using a Kabob skewer and it gives me pretty good information. I had been watering about once every 7-8 days, but it turns out it is actually between 10-14 days before the soil is dry. As I said, I'm currently inside with this one, and the environment is remarkably consistent.

I do think I have a problem with my soil though, so I think that is my next move. I've read that Bonsai soil should drain pretty well and have aeration, and I think mine is just sitting in potting soil. I've been reading up and when spring comes around I'm planning on picking up a species of larch from a nursery as I've been told they are well suited to my geography and decent for beginners, and I want to have good soil and setup.

But this one is looking very healthy and no gnats/flies! As it grows I'm also seeing why this is not even a "pre-bonsai," as it is so small and was so clearly chopped in half I doubt even a master with 300 years could make it nice, but I'm really having fun practicing keeping it alive, learning how to diagnose its health, and where to find good information as I get ready to invest in real material.

once you buy a larch and learn to care for it and style it, you'll get addicted to the species.. if i didn't have 20 projects already i'd buy me another larch
currently have 2 and i'm planning to get a 3rd.. a 5 or 7 tree forrest.. or maybe a shohin raft..