Starting a Primary School Bonsai Club

[legoman_iac]

Hey Brains Trust,

In early planning stages ... my daughter, aka bonsai supervisor for many years, wants to start a bonsai club at her school.

She is working on the proposal, and as we've been very inspired by our visits to the NPBC, and reading the history of the CBS, along with all the members on here, we want the club to have a strong focus on native trees.

She wants to plant from seed, though I'm suggesting we get some tube stock from local nurseries, such as banksia, bottlebrush and coastal tea tree?

There's also some trees in the school yard we thought we could air layer? Do bottle brush and banksia layer well?

So keen to hear what species we could push? Thinking each child has at least one tree, which they could always keep, then we'd have some "school trees", so generations after can care for them?

I can go in and help, also maybe prepare some kid's worksheets so they can have fun learning?

Open to suggestions for other activities, ideas? Or even other schools which we could contact?

Thanks,
Daniel

[BonsaiBobbie]

I think it is a great idea. Definitely great to encourage that sort of interest. Your daughter will learn so much from just putting the proposal forward.

Challenges are watering in holidays and therefore plant selection.

But as to activities and linkages and even try species, many local councils have nurseries that stock native species particular to that area.

I would consider a linkage there. That way you would have a ready source or potential plants, interested volunteers, and potentially places to keep the school plants during the holidays for watering.

They should have all of the plants common Australian plants used for Bonsai. But more importantly can do a lot of the early growing of tube stock for you.

As to other schools to contact, I would look around at the ones that all ready have school gardens (They are more likely to understand the challenges) but also things like sensory gardens.

Eg Stanmore Public.

Good luck

[legoman_iac]

Thanks for the ideas! We had discussed watering, also theft could be an issue.

Hadn't thought to contact the local council, great idea!

Will look into schools with gardens too!

Thanks!

[legoman_iac]

Hey all,

I've managed to get a list from the local Council of endemic trees, trying to get a rating/advice on which would be best for beginners, tips, etc ... inspired by the info here: viewtopic.php?p=275463#p275463

Ideally am after a short list for the kids, so they'd start with tube stock one of the following: banksia, euc, melaleuca or callistemon?

Lists so far ...

ENDEMIC

Banksia integrifollia Coastal Banksia (good for bonsai)
Banksia serrata Old Man Banksia (so-so for bonsai?)

Eucalyptus pilularis / Blackbutt
Eucalyptus botryoides / Bangalay
Eucalyptus robusta / Swamp Mahogany
Eucalyptus resinifera / Red Mahogany
Eucalyptus haemastoma / Scribbly Gum

Melaleuca quinquenervia / Broadleaf Paperbark (Melaleucas great for bonsai? This too?)

LESS ENDEMIC:

Callistemon viminallis / Bottlebrush (good for bonsai)
Corymbia maculata / Spotted Gum (Corymbia citriodora better for bonsai)

If anyone has experience with these, be good to know which to run with or stay away from?

Thanks!

[Kevin]

Hello Daniel,

Why not figs, the Port Jackson is a Sydney local.

Also wondering why you would not consider traditional Bonsai specimens like the Trident Maple. Very hardy and great specimens for beginners. You may still be able to obtain fresh maple seed from our favorite ausbonsai seller.

Kevin

[legoman_iac]

Hey Kevin,

HOW COULD I FORGET THE FIG!!! OFCOURSE!

Thanks for the reminder! However, checking the council document, it seems the "Port Jackson Fig (Ficus rubiginosa)" while native, is not endemic to our area. Was heavily planted in the streets from 1890 to 1930 it seems. Will add it to the list of "Less Endemic".

I had thought about all kinds of bonsai, and the more traditional, though just really wanna push the "native" branch. I have maple seedlings, Trident and Japanese, and they are great.

Not sure we'll go with seeds yet, just as most kids might only be in the school for a few years, so good if they can have something to wire, trim, etc.

Still in early planning stages, so am open to persuasion.

- Daniel

[DianeVictor]

Holiday care could be undertaken by the students with input from parents by taking home a tree.

This used to happen when I was at school with small animals kept in the science classroom.
Specific permission from parents needed of course. Care sheets sent home with them along with a contact number for emergencies.
Might be a way to get the parents involved in bonsai too.

[legoman_iac]

Holiday care could be undertaken by the students with input from parents by taking home a tree.

This used to happen when I was at school with small animals kept in the science classroom.
Specific permission from parents needed of course. Care sheets sent home with them along with a contact number for emergencies.
Might be a way to get the parents involved in bonsai too.

Yes, holiday care is a big consideration ... thanks for the reminder!

My current thinking though is most trees will live at home with each student, and be brought in once a term for a health check, to repot, trim, etc. We would aim to have a few "school trees" which would stay in a protected sport at school, for the club to inspect weekly, etc then only those would need holiday care.

Great idea to ensure parents are looped in and involved, else you could end up with a "ahh sorry, I left it in my bag all holidays and forgot about it" situation.

[dansai]

I wouldn't worry about the Eucs or Corymbias. You will really need to grow them big and cut down a few times for a number of years to get anything useful.

Both Banksias will be good. They grow and thicken reasonable quickly even in pots and will produce a profusion of new shoots when cut back.

Callistemon viminalis will also be good, but may take a little longer to thicken.

M. quinquenervia isn't the best Mel I have tried. Seems to produce less shoots as easily as others. A bunch I had when starting out all died very quickly after drying out once.

I would recommend growing in plastic pots to begin with to get some decent growth to be able to work with. Tubestock put into a bonsai pot will not grow enough in a year to do anything with. Orchid pots by The Orchid Pot Co are the best. Good drainage, strong and very UV stable.

[KIRKY]

Sounds an admirable and ambitious plan to use only natives. Some can be quite finicky, most won’t back bud and can be difficult with repots they also need a fair amount of water. I think where kids (you haven’t mentioned an age group) are concerned you want to look at hardier plants for beginners. It’s easy to be discouraged when not seeing quickish results as a child. Tridents, Chinese Elms, all Ficus, plants that you stick in the ground and they just grow no matter what you do to them are the go.
The other option is to use only one species so all have the same tree and can compare/compete for results? Just another thought. As most club novice / newbie bonsai classes start off with the same species.
Also potting mix is another factor to consider, stay away from “traditional” bonsai well draining mixes. Look to good quality potting mix that won’t dry out as quickly, they would be more forgiving when missed being watered for a few days.
Agree with dansai about the Eucs and Corymbias.
As a suggestion for your native list Leptospermum petersonii - lemon scented tea tree, and Callistemon Captain Cook, White Anzac, Melaleuca thymifolia, and coastal tea tree Leptospermum laevigatum, Kunzia. Possibly less Endemic in some cases, but I think the idea is to get them hooked/interested seeing results, then progress to endemic and harder to grow species.
As for sourcing material in light of a school project and community spirit you could approach native nurseries for tube stock and suggestions on hardiness. Also the big shed and local indigenous groups re flora/fauna and bush tucker plants are all the rage around the Sydney.
Good luck with it, sounds like a great project.
Cheers
Kirky

[GavinG]

Interesting situation. A couple of points:

Your daughter has bonsai at home, and support and encouragement/brainwashing. Other kids may find it a bit more demanding without that support.

Bonsai is very slow, and kids can find even veggie gardens a big test of patience.

While "endemic natives" is a worthy focus, a kid's view may be to grow the trees they can see, in their own gardens, gardens around them, and in the local planted areas. "Endemic natives" may not be what they actually see.

Growing from seed can be slow, but taking a bit from a tree they can see, growing new roots, and then a whole new tree might be interesting... But also don't neglect the fun of buying a shapeless blob from a nursery, and making something attractive from it - that can be quick, and hook kids in. Both ways are possible, and a few trees will be looked after more likely than just the one.

E.robusta ad E. botryoides have relatively small leaves for a Euc., and grow like stink - they could be fun.
Melaleuca styphelioides, Callistemon seiberii, Leptospermum "Mesmer Eyes" and Kunzeas are all robust and useful.

If they see an example of a seedling, a nursery-sized pot plant, a first-shaped "bonsai" and a tree that has had care for some years all of the same species, then they can "see it all happen" in front of their eyes - this might help make sense of the process.

And good luck,

Gavin

[BonsaiBobbie]

Daniel was just looking at this thread…

viewtopic.php?f=130&t=25247&sid=8396394 ... 91#p296091

Whilst not natives, it did mention using Jades for school bonsai.

Might be worth tracking down some of the contributors either way.

[legoman_iac]

To help with the research and planning of this little project, decided to get a bunch of tube stock and starter plants to practise on in a variety natives.

After having just recently discovered a local community nursery, paid them a visit today (in the rain) and ended up bringing home a few too many ... whoops! Grabbed some banksia, callistemon, coastal tea tree, ficus and while there ... a grevilliea (just for myself), as below:

randwick_nursery_natives.jpg

Highly recommend the "Randwick Community Nursery", super friendly and helpful staff!!! Great location, just 15 minutes away. Didn't realise it even existed but apparently been there for about 50 years!

- Daniel

[TimIAm]

Would be interested to know your vision for how it would run?
- You run it like an outside school hours class like art/languages/chess etc. where risk and insurance is on yourself.
- It is run outside class hours by a sympathetic teacher
- It is run as an educational program inside school hours

Is your daughter wanting to take her proposal to her teacher or you are going to set up a meeting with the principal?

[BonsaiBobbie]

To help with the research and planning of this little project, decided to get a bunch of tube stock and starter plants to practise on in a variety natives.

After having just recently discovered a local community nursery, paid them a visit today (in the rain) and ended up bringing home a few too many ... whoops! Grabbed some banksia, callistemon, coastal tea tree, ficus and while there ... a grevilliea (just for myself), as below:

randwick_nursery_natives.jpg

Highly recommend the "Randwick Community Nursery", super friendly and helpful staff!!! Great location, just 15 minutes away. Didn't realise it even existed but apparently been there for about 50 years!

- Daniel

This is a bit fancier than the ones in the inner west. eg at Whites Creek and Addison Rd.

First time I ever went to the Addison Rd one, you had one choice of plant!