Tropfrog wrote:

I dont think that you have a better chanse to grow a perfect root structure just by putting the seedling in a pot instead of in the ground. Actually I think it is the opposite. What we want in bonsai is root spread and that cannot happen in a contained space. The roots will just circle the rim of the pot. More specific, we want even and shallow root spread and that have very small chanse of happening without root work no matter if it is in ground or in a pot.

The benefit from pot-growing is that the development is slower. As such, less risk of one or 2 roots taking over and the rest of the roots just dying off. For some species, particularly pines, the use of colanders / pond baskets / airpots helps enourmously in creatying a good rootsystem.

In the ground I prefer pruning roots every 2-3 years with, certainly in early years, a barrier right below the trunk to force spreading roots.

but in all situations it requires attention. In a pot just a little less than in the ground.

Wow that is absolutely amazing. I've had the privilege and the honor to visit Tokyo and Hokkaido once and I fell in deep love with the mume trees. Also, may I say that Japan is one if not the most beautiful countries I've ever seen..I was about to travel again for the olympics, but covid....

Anyway, I live New York, USA. Thankfully the Japanese apricot is not banned to import. In fact, there are many specimens here in botanical gardens and planted around notable places of the city.

I may have been a little unclear with my post, apologies. The seeds are available, and are not that expensive, ( under 10$) but the problem is that they are always sold out. Every single seller is sold out. Because it's such a highly prized tree...

Cuttings of this tree is rare, but you can find some for sale. These are pretty expensive. 50$ with shipping for a single 15-20cm cutting. That is why I would like to grow one by seed.

Aw, how kind of you would send me some for free. Thank you so much for your generosity. However, please don't take this the wrong way, but I cannot let a kind stranger spending money on me. So at least let me handle the shipping cost. Lets keep in touch here for this, I save your profile.

Arigato once again.

Well, it's your opinion and you're entitled to it.
However, as I said, depending on species you can have a pretty good started bonsai. Perhaps not as good as one that you would see in a convention, but still a decent one.

Take a lemon for example, I've grown one from seed in 2.5 years and it is as thick as my finger, so about double of a pencil. Have I styled it, it would have been a quiet decent bonsai. But again, it depends on the species..

Now, back at topic, as user ( and previously me ) #65530 said, growing bonsai in the pot itself will make a better root system suited for a bonsai. Because pot growing will create an EVENLY distributed root system. Free grown let's the tree run wild and you'll have uneven roots. So pot growing is what a true bonsai root system is. As opposed to free grown.

And since we're talking about mame, which is extremely small bonsai, I do think having an even root system is a lot more important here as opossoed to a " normal" bonsai pot. It WILL take longer, but you'll achieve a near perfect root system. A great example is Nigel Saunders on youtube. He has a gorgeous 20+ year old grapefruit which he had only grown in the pot from seed. He also mentions the roots growing evenly , and goes a little more in depth about this.


But at any rate, thanks for your input. Happy growing

SlavTuxedo wrote:

Anyway, I live New York, USA. Thankfully the Japanese apricot is not banned to import. In fact, there are many specimens here in botanical gardens and planted around notable places of the city.

I guess prunus mume is not an invasive species, and if there are no plant diseases it may transmit, probably it's ok. But a bubble-wrap envelope with seeds inside may well attract some attention at customs...

If you have ume trees nearby, in June/July, they bear fruit, and likely there are ume scattered around them when the fruit ripen and fall off the tree. Maybe that would be your easiest way to secure seed. In my experience, when you throw the pits into a pot or in the ground, most of them sprout. If there's a nice lawn around your ume trees, I guess the seedlings will not survive lawnmowers, but if you kick some of the ume into some bushes, you may well find nice seedlings there in the years to come The next few weeks are prime season to gather seedlings. In public parks it may not be exactly allowed, but not exactly illegal, either...

Thanks for the input, unfortunately I do not live in the city. I live in the suburbs of an Island, and as far as I know there aren't any cherry trees planted here. Most of the trees here are the stinking callery pears and maple.. only the main boroughs have cherries , and I never travel there as it is pretty far. But it's ok, I will keep looking and try to find someone who sells it.

Thanks again.

Years ago I was going to Japan so looked into bringing seeds back. Some guy at the Department of Agriculture told me seeds would have to be declared, given to customs, and they would put them through a process to kill any parasites. The process might kill the seeds and there was no guarantee.

Of course, you could hide them and count on not being caught. Around 15 years ago somebody did that with a citrus of some variety. A parasite was on it that spread a disease to the California citrus crop which destroyed most of the trees and spread to Texas and then Florida. I met the lady who modeled the spread, tracing it to a particular block in Las Angeles.

This is all extremely bollocks, and unlikely. 1 in 1000000.
You are too paranoid. Do you even know the seed industry? Take a good and long look at ebay, aliexpress, alibaba, amazon and the other 10000 online stores who sell rainbow roses and green strawberries.. go ahead and see. They sell millions of seeds every single day without any single issue. Customs don't give a sh1t about a small epacket. You have no idea how many seeds I've ordered from all over the world without problem and you also have no idea how many seeds are being sold and shipped daily. Again, take a look at ebay.

Also, as I already stated ( I don't know what's wrong with you, can't you read?) That prunus mume is not an invasive or harmful species and it is not banned.

Stop being an extreme paranoid person, look at the statistics , and the facts, read what others say and do your research, then make up your mind, and THEN comment.

I am not sure the argument that there are other people doing it is valid if it is unlegal. If there are a law there are allways people breaking it.

you cant imagine how happy I am to hear this now ! I remember being so attached to most things when i was a child and one day we had to cut a tree in our yard, it was a really bad day for me ! hope this does not happen to you or your tree .

I am utterly confused by your comment. To whom do you reply? What do you mean ? Your comment is off subject, so I've no idea what you're about. The argument is growing a tree in its final pot vs in ground.