"Bonsai are not forever"

Jay

I was over on the IBC gallery and came across this thread by Reiner Goebel. For those not familiar with him, he is from Toronto Canada and is extremely knowledgeable and has many trees to admire. His ability is well known and his wit is as well.

He started the thread in July of 06 and it is still active from time to time. One of the things I feel he was trying to bring out is that everyone loses trees. The trees he had lost over the previous winter (05/06) were to my mind amazing. He had/has no idea as to why they died, there were 5 in all if I remember correctly. He had them in his cold frame with many other trees that did not show any ill affects.

I will quote a couple of lines from Reiner (July 12, 2006) in this thread that I feel are extremely relevant to all. He was responding to another poster who states, you must be sad.

I hope this is read and understood by those who have had losses and feel they can not go on......

my two cents (with the help of words by Reiner Goebel)
Jay

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

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ApocalypseRAT

hi...im a new member here but ive had a couple of my own go down for no reason...and it was hard for me to kinda let go of that fact. but like Reiner Goebel said its no reason to give up bonsai. they still bring us joy and satisfation when they grow into maturity.

MattO

Died for no reason? Hmmm....

As was so well said by one member here...."Trees don't commit suicide."


If they died, there was a reason for it, and most likely one you were responsible for... happens to everybody..

subnet_rx

I don't really know why you would say that, since trees can die of old age. You can do everything right and a tree still die.

Jay

Yes, there is always a reason for anything. If I am correct, Reiner (who is a far better artist than I will ever dream to be) is not incapable of doing something that may kill his tree. If someone of his ability can have a loss so can I. Thats it, nothing more...nothing less.

This does not give me the right to do anything and not think first. I just must try to do the best by my trees and realize they are alive and 'CAN' die if they are not treated right.


my 2 cents
J

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

froufrou

I'm not sure biologists know for sure why trees die. There is a theory that their growth has reached a point that water can't be drawn high enough. They have calculated this point.

That doesn't occur with bonsai obviously.

I think for most species, we can rule out old age as the cause of the bonsai's death. Unless you own a tree much older than you.

Mcspeed

Jay well said, Matt i'm in that camp too, you might not realize the how and why but more than likely it was the owner. It happens enough if you do not understand all the horticultural aspects of the trees you work on. A healthy looking tree is not necessarily ready for a full styling session if it was repotted the year before, some trees need a longer rest between phases, sometimes it could just be a natural occurance you didn't expect or see happen.

__________________
If at first you don't succeed -- skydiving is not for you.


Always remember that you're unique -- just like everyone else

Enjoy this day.
Bill

Luscious

he is also justifying having a ton of trees. so you can distract yourself when some of them die. remember this when the people you live with raise objections to the size of your tree herd.

chrispr

Tree Herd ? Are you rounding them up on horseback? I thought a group of trees were know as a "stand, wood , coppice or forest"