My First Forest Pot

jcsf1090

I am have purchase a forest post and now am seeking some interesting plants for a mixed forest arrangement. I have searched some local nurserys near San Jose and I cannot find small trees of the the elm, birch, beech, and oak varieties that I would like to see together. I am also looking for the best resource on how best to design the mix forest setting. What asisistance can you give me about finding the mix of aged plants locally and finding a resource to development the mixed forest design?

Thanks
- Jerry in San Jose, CA

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Bart Thomas(deceased)

Jerry:

Sometimes the lack of availability of certain species at nurseries near your home is a hint that they don't do well in that area.

Dunno if this is true with the trees you want to work with, but mixed forests are difficult to begin with, and, if the trees won't thrive near your home, frustrating.

jcsf1090

It is not that the trees are not here, they are just 7 feet tall. I cannot locate seedlings in the state of california that are suitable for a bonsai yet. I am looking for contacts to do that.

Joanie

It's hard to find little trees suitable for a forest planting at the regular nurseries....find a bonsai nursery or your local club. They will have things like Catlin Elms (really small leaved Chinese Elm) that are pretty tolerant of novice practices.....Just my opinion, stay away from maples unless you have done a lot of bonsai already. They are rather more difficult. Cotoneasters are pretty easy too, and available. If you can't find any, I like to buy from Evergreen Gardenworks. The trees are good quality and grown with an eye to bonsai usage. Check out his website.

You may have to grow your little trees out for a year or so before you plant them. Take the time to get them ready first.....this is the hardest part. Read a lot about group plantings before you start....there are tips about how to wire the trees into the pot and things like that. There's "muck" that holds the soil when using a slab, there are tips about mounding up your planting which makes it look better.

Read, search, look! And do try bonsai nurserys or Evergreen, you'll be happy with the result!

I am a beginner myself, so hopefully I have not lead you wrong anywhere, take everything you read with a grain of salt. The more reading and investigation you do, the happier you will be with your forest. And don't forget, some trees shouldn't be repotted or root trimmed at this time, so be careful with that too!

Joanie

TreeBay

Hi Jerry,

Mixed species forests are difficult to construct in a way that looks convincing.

I am not exactly sure if your problem is in locating species or sources or both.

Joanie's right that Evergreen Gardenworks is a good choice as a source. Some area nurseries carry trees in 4-6" liners for bonsai. They come from Miniature Plant Kingdom. Or you can head out to the source in Sebastapol (near Petaluma?) and visit a couple of nurseries out that way like Lone Pine Gardens.

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jcsf1090

Thank everyone. I am getting book on forest settings. It should be in the mail. Thanks for the plant references. I am a begginer who has worked sucessfully over 20 years with a few wonderful plants. I am just not that experienced with forests and pines. I have several Elms, tropicals, and olives. I did not want to start from seed with all my plants and I will check out the Evergreen and other site mentioned above. I have just learned of Muck so I appreciate that reference. I was recently at a club event and saw a forest on a slate slab that started me thinking about what I needed and the trees to be used. They are very handsome and it may not work the first time but I will give it a try. If there are execelent resources for small plants and technics keep the ideas coming so I can learn how to do this.

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San Jose, CA Bonsai Beginner - Jerry

Pound

Like Matt said, a drive up to Sebastopol to see Lone Pines (closed on Sunday’s), Miniature Plant Kingdom and a few others is well worth the drive. Sakimoto Plants in Los Gatos may have some things you are looking for. And up the East Bay, hit up Grove Way Nursery (Hayward/San Leandro) and Dwight Way Nursery (Berkeley), which are both Bonsai friendly. The Berkeley Horticultural Society is a great (regular) nursery as well.



Have fun,

LB

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