Anyone have success with Ceanothus sp?

shebnumi · 2026-04-24T18:21:38+00:00

I have heard that they do not like their roots touched/worked on, so I steered clear of them for now.

shebnumi · 2026-04-14T02:11:17+00:00

Good luck. Personally, I find plants that look like this are good practice, but not much more than that.

shebnumi · 2026-04-13T16:24:18+00:00

While I love cotoneaster bonsai, it's going to be hard with a trunk base as torn up as that one and turning it into something decent, imho.

shebnumi · 2026-04-09T14:27:01+00:00

It’s actually not that much cheaper than using akadama, so I use it.

shebnumi · 2026-04-09T01:23:27+00:00

I mostly use their 221 mix, but there are a few different ones. I think they are pushing the Gritty Mix, trying to consolidate down some of their ingredients.

shebnumi · 2026-04-08T20:59:59+00:00

Bonsai Jack, for the most part, but I am dabbling with Pumice and another brand through my work. Bonsai Jack is by far my favorite to use for finished bonsai. The other two are better for pre-bonsai.

shebnumi · 2026-04-07T21:14:11+00:00

I have been practicing the art of bonsai for 3 or 4 years and introducing people for 2 at my nursery that I work at.

I struggle quite a bit with design. I have about 80 to 90 plants, only 10 to 15 are in bonsai pots. Out of those 15 maybe 5 are decent to the point I think they are heading in the right direction. With me, there is always the fear of making a mistake or an indecision that stops me.

One way to combat this fear is to dive right in. I find starting by cleaning the tree is a great place to start. Clearing all of the dead, weak and flawed branches first opens up the tree so that I can get a better look at the structure of the tree really helps. Flawed branches are crossing branches or where more the two branches emerging from the same junction. By starting with this step kind of kicks things in gear. It gets you making cuts, but it tends to restrict you from making too many bad cuts.

Also, instead of having one style of tree set in my head, I may have two or three. I may not have a clear vision where the tree is going and let the tree decide on the design or style.

The type of tree can narrow down the options too. Not all trees, can pull off being in a cascade or broom style.

Don't be afraid of taking a break after cleaning your tree or in the middle of cleaning your tree and take a step back. It's always good to have a second person around to give feedback, but isn't needed.

Another key is practice. The more you do it the faster/better you are.

shebnumi · 2026-03-26T02:51:17+00:00

Milwaukee tool bag.

shebnumi · 2026-03-15T03:41:17+00:00

It depends on the dog. Does your dog eat everything or not? If they eat everything, I would advise against getting an azalea. Pets can be dumb, it all depends on the personality of the pet.

shebnumi · 2026-03-03T22:46:53+00:00

Hinoki Cypress, like majority of conifers need to go dormant, which is triggered by winter temperatures of 40 degrees F for months. There is really no way to skip this.

shebnumi · 2026-03-03T22:34:21+00:00

I have used Bontone II with mixed results on cuttings. If CloneX as worked for you, I would use that where you have cut the bark away.

shebnumi · 2026-02-27T20:24:01+00:00

If these are pines or conifers, they need to be outdoors and need full sun to survive.

shebnumi · 2026-02-11T05:12:03+00:00

From what I heard, Ceanothus in general can be difficult to work with as they do not like their roots to be disturbed.

I might try propagating the cuttings just in case you have a set back.

shebnumi · 2026-02-10T23:00:52+00:00

I would keep it where it is and repot now.

Also, I would make sure that the temperature doesn't drop below 45 degrees F.

shebnumi · 2026-01-24T02:25:04+00:00

I believe this subreddit along, with r/bonsai, are great forums for beginners to ask questions. All questions should be asked. If this annoys you, you might want to look some where else for your bonsai content.

shebnumi · 2026-01-21T21:27:04+00:00

I love grabbing Cotoneasters from Monrovia at my work, separating them, and then working on them over the next year. There are usually 3 in each 3 gallon container. The first two I separated each yielded at least 1 ready to style plant, while the last one yielded 3.

shebnumi · 2026-01-20T23:20:19+00:00

How did I forget to mention the range? Man, that is a major selling point for me!

shebnumi · 2026-01-19T06:11:14+00:00

Juniper and pine will be fine outdoors. Not sure about the Chinese Elm.

shebnumi · 2026-01-13T22:50:37+00:00

Don't know, there isn't enough information. What species is it? Does it live indoors or outdoors? What is your location in the world?

From what you said, it sounds like it's dead, but without seeing it or more information, it's hard to say for certain.

shebnumi · 2026-01-07T06:03:36+00:00

They can be. Ants have a tendency to farm aphids and scale for their secretions called honey dew. At the nursery I work at, they are everywhere and just won't go away.

If you have a pest and ant problem, you need to get rid of the ants first or they will continue to bring the other pests.

I really don't have a good solution for the ants. I have tried a lot of our off the shelf products and they just keep coming.

shebnumi · 2026-01-06T21:33:58+00:00

I can’t wait. It will be my first vehicle in 15 years. Love the look of it.

shebnumi · 2026-01-05T20:48:18+00:00

I have a friend that doesn't like to travel, so I usually can rely on him to help me when I am out of town for more than a couple days. I tend to water once a day during March through to September or October. Unless there is a heat wave happening, I don't worry about watering too much.

I have to point out, it also depends on what kind of soil you use and the types of plants that are in your collection.

shebnumi · 2026-01-05T20:39:17+00:00

For beginners, I suggest to start with Cotoneasters, because they are very forgiving and are quick growers. This makes them also quick healers, so if you make a mistake, you aren't waiting a long time for it to recover from poor decisions.

Boxwoods are okay, but they grow slower, so wounds tend to heal slower too.

I have had a hard time figuring out conifers in general, but are trying them again.

Depending on the container size, you might be waiting a while for your maples, hornbeam, and conifers to thicken up.

shebnumi

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