A Couple Bargain Starters

Will_Heath

As usual, I'm always on the lookout for a bargin in the wonderful world of bonsai. I get an extra kick out of getting some good material at a great price.

I thought today instead of preaching about it I would show a couple of this months finds.

I'll save the best for last and start with this barberry I picked up at home depot where all trees, shrubs and roses are 50% off now. It was tagged for 18.95 which means I got it for less than 10 bucks.

Here's a before pic...

Attached Images

bt barberry 081604 before.jpg (71.6 KB, 401 views)

Advertisement

Will_Heath

and here's a after pic... I would have posted this thread a couple weeks ago but I wanted to make sure it survived the work I did on it. New growth has started and I think this may be very nice once the foliage fills out. 9 1/2" high from soil line and the trunk is 3 1/2 inches combined thickness.

I would appreciate any suggestions... Pot suggestions would also be greatly appreciated!

Attached Images

bt barberry 081604 after.jpg (50.0 KB, 385 views)

Will_Heath

Next I was at franks nursery when I noticed that they had some jade trees for sale at 100.00 for a five gallon pot which contained 5 plants. I noticed one that had a remarkable tree and five average plants, all about 42" high. I hemmed and hawed and decided that I could buy better stock for that kind of money, tried to sell the girl at the counter a car and left.

Last week she called me and told me that the jade plants I was looking at were now marked 50% off. Needless to say I went down and bought the one I was looking at.

I took it to my local bonsai shop where I have become a often visting guest and we sawed the pieces apart, potted the one I wanted and made a nice trade. I gave him the other five trees, he gave me a new azala pot which the jade is in now, the soil, a siberia elm, a nice black pine, and a 10% discount card!

Trunk is 6" wide and the tree stands now at 36" from the soil line.

One major flaw the tree leans back on the top half, other than that I see a future here... any thoughts?

Attached Images

bt jade 081604 001.jpg (47.3 KB, 443 views)

Ralph

Definitely chalking it up on the discounts. That barberry looks quite nice. Great deal on the jade as well.

__________________
Emerging from winter slumber
Bonsai trees burst buds anew
Spring is upon us!


-Paul S.

Will_Heath

Thanks ralph.

joakimlinden

Wow, great work on the "Barberry" - I whish I had your eyes for good material... : )

__________________
Best regards, Joakim

Will_Heath

I don't really have the "artist" eye I just really look. The local nurseries think I'm a nut case because I pick up every pot, probe my fingers into the dirt, brush away old needles or leaves, bend branches out of the way and occassionally slip the root mass out of the pot. Then I'll set it down and go to the next.

Field grown and nusery stock always end up in a container that is too big in order to increase the selling price. Most times they just plop the root mass into a oversized pot and fill it to the rim with soil. Covering up the lower trunk, root flare, and sometimes lower branches.

Good stock can still be found at low prices locally if you look. Most bonsaist have given up on the box stores so I am seeing better pre-bonsai stock at these places. I'd hate to think what I would have paid for these two the way they are now. If you take into consideration that I traded the remaining jade trees for a 45 dollar pot, soil, and two 65 dollar trees, you could say it worked out to where I got both trees for free that day. In fact, I came out ahead on the deal!

steez

Funny, I often wondered if the folks at the local plant mongers thought I was nutcase for probing stock for several minutes and moving on to the next and so on. Great finds. Well done.

__________________
Steve

ChrisM

will, i too like what you have done with the barberry, in fact, i am inspired to go to my local HD and see what they might have.

chris

ps, the jade looks to have great potential too

__________________
A bonsai is like a good marriage.You commit, for better or for worse, till death do you part. I DO!!!