Hi, Everyone, I`m new to bonsai, could any one tell me if it is worth
trying to grow bonsai oaks from acorns?, or would it be more rewarding
in term of success to stsrt with the some other type of trees, any
suggestions?

webmodefreer wrote:
> Hi, Everyone, I`m new to bonsai, could any one tell me if it is worth
> trying to grow bonsai oaks from acorns?, or would it be more rewarding
> in term of success to stsrt with the some other type of trees, any
> suggestions?

Oaks can make nice bonsais. Growing them from acorns means it will be
a few years before you can really get started though.

Junipers are quite nice for beginners and experts alike.

"Inez" <savagemouse123 [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1138749824.260099.139380 [at] o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>
> webmodefreer wrote:
>> Hi, Everyone, I`m new to bonsai, could any one tell me if it is worth
>> trying to grow bonsai oaks from acorns?, or would it be more rewarding
>> in term of success to stsrt with the some other type of trees, any
>> suggestions?
>
> Oaks can make nice bonsais. Growing them from acorns means it will be
> a few years before you can really get started though.
>
> Junipers are quite nice for beginners and experts alike.
>

Yes, do it! Any tree started from seed (especially oaks) will take time,
extra effort. Success will be even sweeter for such an effort. You will
never have such success if you do not try. I live in the Mojave desert.
While visiting the east coast I grabbed two handfulls of Pin Oak and another
oak. My folks thought I was crazy . . . "what are you gonna do with oak
trees in the desert?" That was two years ago. They really are slow growing
and are only six inches tall (eight have survived). They are in one of
those long window sill type pots, all together. I think that I will put
them in seperate pots before spring.

Robert - Mojave Desert

zoomer mentioned in passing :
> Yes, do it! Any tree started from seed (especially oaks) will take
> time, extra effort. Success will be even sweeter for such an effort.
> You will never have such success if you do not try. I live in the
> Mojave desert. While visiting the east coast I grabbed two handfulls
> of Pin Oak and another oak. My folks thought I was crazy . . . "what
> are you gonna do with oak trees in the desert?" That was two years
> ago. They really are slow growing and are only six inches tall
> (eight have survived). They are in one of those long window sill
> type pots, all together. I think that I will put them in seperate
> pots before spring.
>

We've done most of ours from seed, as well, and you are right. The
enjoyment increases as the tree grows. Your eight little guys sound just
lovely. Have you considered making some of them into a grove? I have
wanted to created a bonsai grove for some time now but have not convinced
the right trees to cooperate yet. The oaks might do very nicely. I'm
working on some maples now that, in another year or two they might be ready
if they all survive.

-Aula, Vermont


--
Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To
attack the first is not to assail the last. -Charlotte Bronte (from
Jane Eyre)

I'm the last person to put down someone for experimenting with bonsai,
but when I started, and asked nearly the same question about oaks,
someone told me they were quite difficult, because of the long taproot
and slow spreading of finer side roots. They take a long time to grow
in pots, and the leaf sizes don't reduce easily. I disregared all these
cautions, tried to grow them anyway and my seedlings witherd in thier
pots for one or another of those reasons (not to mention I was a little
overenthusiastic about my watering as well). I'm not telling you to
stop doing what you're doing, but just ealize that this was a fairly
experienced bonsaiist. I would keep a few easier-to-tend species just
so you don't get discouraged if the oaks don't make it.

I have collected acorns also. They are stratifying in my cold cellar
until spring. I havent grown oaks yet but how hard can they be. They
live all around me so obviously the climate suits them.

I figure it will be a few years before there is sufficient tree to
begin and pruning or wiring. Just enjoy the seedlings growing until
then. If you have a patch of ground I would plant them there as they
will do better than in a pot. Make a tree nursery and then harvest from
that spot when they are big enough to begin wiring and pruning. Follow
instructions as you would any wild collected tree.

webmodefreer Wrote:
> Hi, Everyone, I`m new to bonsai, could any one tell me if it is worth
> trying to grow bonsai oaks from acorns?, or would it be more rewarding
> in term of success to stsrt with the some other type of trees, any
> suggestions?

Go for it. I planted an acorn in a pot about 10 years ago and it has
developed a nice trunk about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, and a nice taper
to a height of about 10 inches. The tap root isn't a problem, cut it off
at the first repotting, and contrary to popular belief they do spread
out feeder roots. This is an English Oak - Quercus Robur, and I am
growing it in Queensland Australia, where our temperatures never get
anywhere near zero during the winter months. So, if oaks can grow here,
they can grow anywhere. As per the post from Inez, they do take quite a
while to grow. The leaves DO reduce in size - mine are approx 1/3 full
size at the moment but I expect them to reduce even more in the future.
Being new to Bonsai, it may help if you get yourself some easier and
quicker growing trees to work on while you wait for the Oak to
develope. Have fun - I do
TinanaTaffy


--
TinanaTaffy

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