I’m thinking of getting Mrs. Pluto a bonsai tree for our anniversary which is coming up in a week or so. Does anyone have any info on the right or wrong way to go about this?
What is the price range? (Or, more accurately, what can you get for five bucks?)
Should I let her pick it out? She’d probably be happy with what I got but she’s usually happier when she gets to choose. (Or, more accurately, her husband has no aesthetic sense.)
Anything to watch out for or avoid?
well well said the royal desiccation my political opponents back home always maintained
that i would wind up in hell and it seems they had the right dope
Don Marquis archy interviews a pharaoh
If I were in your shoes I would stroll over there, enjoy the posies, strike up a conversation with the Bonsai tenders, perhaps peruse a book on Bonsai in the gift shop, then buy my Bonsai there too.
I happen to live about a ten-minute walk from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (which has a stunning Bonsai collection), and if I ever developed an overwhelming urge to add Bonsai to my life, that’s how I’d probably handle it.
On the other hand, Seattle has a heavier percentage of Asian population than NYC…have you checked the Yellow Pages for Japanese-American horticulturists?
What can you get for about five bucks? A pot. Bonsais are pretty pricey (try $50-$75 for a small one.)
Do not get a juniper (or other types of evergreens) if it’s going to be indoors.
They like light, probably need to be watered every day or every other day depending on it’s size. The smaller the tree, the more often you’ll need to water it.
“…being normal is not necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage.”
I’ve seen reasonably decent looking bonsai for $30 - on the last day of the fair, when the vendors were anxious to sell the stuff - but never $5.
Bonsai need the same conditions as their full-grown counterparts. Some types will not be right for your home. Some do better outside than inside. If the dealer can’t give you a few care-and-feeding suggestions, move on.
First, go to a reputable Bonsai shop (i’m sure there is one in Seattle somewhere), or someone who specializes in bonsai and is willing to sell them. Sometimes Bonsai clubs have sales where you can buy plants. The people there know what they are doing, and can give you cultural info for the specific plant.
Bonsai, being works of art can be pricey (bonsai are highly prized in japan, and there are some specimens over 300 years old in existence). I’ve seen some old specimens (about 30 or more years older) sell for several hundred dollars. Chris is right, about all you could get for 5 dollars is a pot (and a very small one at that). On average, a small tree (about 6 inches) might cost somewhere around 50 dollars.
The bonsai you see at commercial nurseries (Home Depot, Orchard Supply Hardware, etc) are not good, especially if they come with stones glued on top of the soil. Often these are just small plants stuck in a pot, and pruned. I’ve never seen any of them wired (which is necessary for many of the styles).
Also, if you do find a bonsai, get a good book on them. They will tell you how to take care of your plants, as well as how to maintain their form (they require wiring, repotting, pruning, etc.).
Also, the most common bonsai you see are explicitly outdoor plants. They are not meant to be indoors. They can come inside for a couple of days, but after that they have to go back outside. There are plants that can be used for indoor bonsai (one of my books lists several plants suitable for it), and these are the same plants you usually see indoors (like Scheffleras, Ficus benjaminas). The Japanese often have areas in their gardens where they are kept.
It’s worth the risk of burning, to have a second chance…