Bonsai Garden Forums / BONSAI / Fuchsia Bonsai / Bryan Breary / Latest Posts

RE: Bryan Breary

Kath — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:00:56 GMT

Hi Patzcuarense,

For the fuchsia bonsai I use 3mm grit as a ground-cover and is also mixed into the soil when repottiing to aid better drainage.

For other trees such as Pines, Elms, Acers etc I use this 4mm grit for the same purposes.

In respect of the large fuchsia roots that you refer to, if you mean the thick, tough brown ones, with hardly any fine white roots on the ends, these are 'tap-roots' which are used more by the plant/tree when it is growing in open ground. These are more for supporting the plant/tree in an upright position and are not like the 'feeder' roots which are the 'clusters' of more 'horizontal' growing white roots.

I do remove these thicker tap roots when re-potting, but always make sure that there are plenty of the younger white roots on your plant/tree before doing this.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:50:59 GMT

Thanks for the response, Kath. I was starting to miss hearing from you all!

1. What do you call "grit"? Something that absorbs water, not sand? I have removed groundcover from almost all the bonsais and wow! those "lovely little baby tears" certainly have NOT-SO-LOVELY roots. I was quite surprised.

2. I have a fuchsia whose roots seem to be disproportionately large in comparison to the plant. Any special precautions or recommendations about trimming them? I'm constantly trimming off the top of the plant, but the main roots just keep growing. It seems roots would be very prone to disease, etc., if big ones were severed.

Thanks once again for everything.

RE: Bryan Breary

Kath — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:39:27 GMT

Hi Patzcuarense,

No you DEFINITELY have not offended anyone :) I think people are very busy outdoors at this time of year.

Having ground cover eg moss I think is a personal thing, you either like it or hate it.

Indeed it looks nice, but I prefer to have a layer of grit, it helps to stop evaporation of water during dry weather and there is less risk of 'creepy-crawlies' hiding in it. If you leave something like moss on all the time, after a while it begins to smell 'fusty' and gets very thick, which I think could encourage fungi and air/water flow restriction to the roots.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:40:23 GMT

I'm sorry, have I offended someone?;)

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:54:00 GMT

I have cleared away the ground cover from my fuchsias - except for two. I just can't DO it, they look so happy! The trees are flowering and the leaves are gorgeous.

I'm wondering - the object of bonsai is to stunt their growth. To my way of thinking, it seems that permitting ground cover to share the same pot would just help do that naturally, no?... As long as there was proper drainage and adquate fertilizer?

Is my reasoning so rudimentarily flawed that it defies explanation?

I understand that the TREE is supposed to be the center of attraction, but some live ground cover helps create something of a "story" surrounding the display.

Thanks again.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:28:19 GMT

I'm sorry, Don, in the US, we use "litmus test" figuratively. Maybe not so in the UK? Anyway, I understand what you are saying, and I am in the process of performing your test to see if the litter I use can be used for my bonsai.

Again, thanks for the tips.

I have visited the UK, by the way (London, Bathe, Windsor, etc.). Quite, quite lovely. I LOVE England. Perhaps more than Italy!

RE: Bryan Breary

Stymie — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:14:00 GMT

I didn't suggest a litmus test. What I am trying to determine is if it will maintain its granular texture through a year of use.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:30:19 GMT

Thanks, Don. I happen to have a cat, so I always have cat litter around. The brand I have lists the ingredients as "clay" and an unspecified "deodorizing agent." I'll certainly try your litmus test to see if it may qualify.

I'll keep you "posted"!

RE: Bryan Breary

Stymie — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:21:04 GMT

Patzcuarense

The article which you gave us the link to says it all, along with my own contribution. The two types which I mentioned are the only ones which I have found suitable in the UK. They do not clump together, they drain well and hold just enough moisture. They also allow free passage of air which roots also need. Some are made from paper and other unsuitable materials.

Having said this, if you find a similar product over there, it will need much more frequent watering in your environment. If you can do this it will be the perfect medium. Otherwise, as you are concerned about holding water in your mix, it should be mixed with a more moisture retaining component.

To try a product for suitability, soak it in water for 24 hours, heat it up and allow to cool. If it remains granular and will not crush easily in the fingers it will do admirably.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:38:55 GMT

Thank you, Don and Kath, for your information. I would be interested in what you have to say about using CAT LITTER (!!) as a primary ingredient in bonsai soil. Who would have guessed?! Lordy. Or, as mentioned in the article in the link below, AUTOMOTIVE ABSORBANT!?

http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basicscatlitter.htm

Most of my bonsais already have suface growth started, and I think I'll let them continue monitoring them as they are for the time being. I'm also thinking about making some pots of clay with a solid, irregular divider roughly down the center and plant a separate area for planting ground cover - or even creating a LAKE!

Thanks again. I'm learning a great deal from you two!

RE: Bryan Breary

Kath — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:53:44 GMT

I usually use a good layer of grit and only use moss for display/photography purposes.

RE: Bryan Breary

Stymie — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:40:42 GMT

A/ The medium being covered would prevent visual knowledge of watering needs.

B/ Competition for nutrients

C/ Roots become intertwined.

D/ Ground cover provides a hiding place for unwelcome insects.

These are my reasons for keeping the surface clear but I appreciate your reason for having growth there too. Different location means different needs. I use inorganic planting medium and even here in temperate Britain, I water twice daily. I also weed the surfaces as I water round.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:48:15 GMT

Don:

I forgot to add: Half of the reason I have introduced babytears into the plants is that it lessen the drying effects of the sun here in Mexico. Without some sort of protection, the soil dries out and I have to water 3 times a day. I haven't found a moss down here suitable for this purpose.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:44:52 GMT

Good heavens! No offence taken, Don, but inquiring minds want to know: Can you be specific about the damage it would do? I imagine it has to do with too much root competition between the tree and the ground cover? I've already introduced babytears into half of my bonsais, and if it's going to be fatal to the trees, I need to yank it all out forthwith!

Thanks for your input.

RE: Bryan Breary

Stymie — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:20:27 GMT

Patzcuarense

Forgive me for being blunt but any plant around your trees is going to prove detrimental in the long term. Grass is definately not a good idea.

Please do not take offence. =Don.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:14:40 GMT

PS. Sorry, I didn't see your cutting suggestions until just now (after the fact). Seems like our thoughts on the cutting were not too awfully different, eh?

Thanks again.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:25:15 GMT

[GULP!] Here goes nothing! Of course, your suggestion is the best. It's just traumatic to me - not to mention to the plant! - to do such a serious trimming job. But I'm up to it, and I think the plant is, also.

Another question: I'm starting to use baby tears for ground cover, and have even put grass seed around one tree. Is this eventually going to "strangle" the roots of the trees? I hope not, because the baby tears LOOKS so nice, and it trims like a dream.

Thanks again, Kath, and thanks for your very interesting site.

[a couple hours later...]

Done! posting an image. I was frowning the whole time, but it is an obvious improvement. It went straight into the carport to recuperate!

RE: Bryan Breary

Kath — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:40:37 GMT

The wood, growth and foliage look similar to a Magellanica type fuchsia, but not the flower, so that doesn't help you much :) and it's impossible to stop them flowering if they want to.

You could try cutting it back even further, (suggestion below), if possible just above a node, this would help to give it a better shape and encourage new growth lower down, which could also be re-shaped later on.

Maybe even a possibility to remove a bit more soil around the existing trunk to see if there are further suitable roots for use above soil level!

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:11:43 GMT

Thanks for the 2" planting depth tip, Kath. I don't know if it has to do with the soil quality here or the weather, etc., but all I need to do is clip off an interesting top of a fuchsia, stick it in a pot of soil - as long as the woody process hasn't begun at the base - and 99% of the time, it takes off.

I found this poor specimen almost completely hidden by iris in the garden (I kind of, um, forgot about it...). It's at least 2 years old and has developed a good root system, but the SHAPE "doesn't work" very well. (Also, IT WON'T STOP FLOWERING FOR A MOMENT.)

Any suggestions?

"Patience is a virtue" - what a PERFECT quotation in "this line of work"!

RE: Bryan Breary

Kath — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:14:06 GMT

A wonderful specimen of 'roots over rock' Patzcuarense.

When growing fuchsia plants from cuttings, intended later for bonsaiwork, I always make sure that the bottom 2 inches of the stem (later trunk), is always also covered with soil, this seems to encourage more 'upper' roots to grow, later intended for surface-roots.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:59:42 GMT

:) Gracias, Don.

I'm actually more interested in the exposed roots and superstructure of fuchsia than their flowers. I'm finding I can get some dramatic effects for both the former in a relatively short time in this part of Mexico.

RE: Bryan Breary

Stymie — Sun, 24 May 2009 21:21:47 GMT

Patzcuarense

You are correct. The size of leaves can be reduced by using bonsai techniques but flowers and fruit are always the same as on the normal plant or tree.

RE: Bryan Breary

Patzcuarense — Sun, 24 May 2009 20:18:34 GMT

Greetings from Patzcuaro, Michoacan (Mexico)!

It doesn't look like one can decrease the size of the fuchsia flower - no matter the size of the plant itself - correct? A 10-centimeter-tall tree with 2-centimeter blossoms....

RE: Bryan Breary

Kath — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:45:33 GMT

If you are referring to fuchsia bonsai Kath, very sparingly, only during the growing season, and it's mostly Maxicrop original at half strength once a week, in the latter part of the growing season a bit of potash feed.

RE: Bryan Breary

Scotkat — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:15:55 GMT

Evening Kath a vey nice tree.

What do you feed your Bonsais with and how often.

RE: Bryan Breary

RoyH — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:56:30 GMT

a very pretty tree Kath.

RE: Bryan Breary

Tuppence — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:58:06 GMT

OK, Kath. Thanks for the info.

:)

RE: Bryan Breary

Kath — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:19:59 GMT

Thank you Penny,

I have two greenhouses, the one where I over winter the fuchsia bonsai and new cuttings is heated, but only a low heat. The second greenhouse is not heated, just a place where, if it gets really, really cold, that I place the 'in-leaf-bud' Acers overnight, so that the late frosts doesn't spoil them.

RE: Bryan Breary

Tuppence — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:10:36 GMT

Very pretty, Kath. I expect you've said before, but do you heat your greenhouse?

RE: Bryan Breary

Mr Miyagi — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:57:28 GMT

Very Nice:D:D

RE: Bryan Breary

Stymie — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:27:37 GMT

yup - that's tree like. A bonsai indeed.

Bryan Breary

Kath — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:19:30 GMT

Bryan Breary, encliandra type fuchsia, another one that has been flowering all winter in the greenhouse