Advice on asking for a plant from a stranger???

[buddaboy]

Hi, I work shift work, and my crew all know I try to bonsai. 12th of Jan last year I got the famous " a mate of mine has a bougainvillea that has blown down, here is his phone number."
For the cost of actually cutting the tree up myself, Im left with two cuttings and a 9 inch thick three foot high tree. LOL. I didnt even have to cart the extra bits away.

Never be worried about talking to people about their trees, unless they have a big dog!

Ron

[Jon Chown]

Never be worried about talking to people about their trees, unless they have a big dog!

Now that's sound advice Ron - you're welcome over my place anytime.

P3230579.JPG

Jon

[Bretts]

Ask and ye shall receive (except for pottery secrets). Marc, like Melaquin says - they can only say no.

I just found this Jon, I'll keep asking for both
I have gained about as many pottery secrets as I have trees off strangers

[Jon Chown]

Hey Soltan - thats just my poor attempt at humour!!! I'm sorry to hear that you haven't got any trees by asking for them though.

Jon

[Bretts]

LOL Jon your attempt at humour worked well
I have recieved a couple of trees of strangers

[Jon Chown]

I have recieved a couple of trees of strangers

Well done Soltan, are they ready to show yet? and what did you get?

Jon

[Bretts]

We have Elm trees growing in our street and the seeds get everywere. I was keeping my eye out for any that had grown around the nieghbourhood like they did in our garden and came across a few in a lawn around the corner that had been continually run over by the lawnmower. When I ask they were glad to have them removed
When I collected them I found they were suckers from the roots of thier tree. I am unsure why I tried collecting when they were in leaf but I can only say I was even more of a beginer then
I got two that came with some of the root they suckerd off. One was incredible it had amazing ramification from the lawnmower. In trying to nurse it through I brang the best one in inside at night for the first few days. Bad mistake while the one I left outside survived the one I really wanted died.
The survivour grew out for a couple of years before I started working with it. I eventually grew fond of this tree and started to shape it into a raft form. Part of my plan to sell some trees this year involved culling some of my collection and this one after some hesitation was put in that group. I sold it for $95 a few months ago.
This is the last Pic I have of it. After this photo I used a guy wire to pull the right trunk much further down. I think this tree could have been good in a few more years.

[anttal63]

well done brett thats a fair price.

[Marc]

Hi all, I'm trying not to lose hope. The original tree I wanted from the front yeard of this house is stil there, and even after knocking so many times at the fornt door, with now answer, and sticking, what I thought was a nice letter in their letterbox, nothing....

just 2 days ago I saw someone up their driveway, i ran in trying not to look desparate and it was the daughter and son in law, so I told them my story and asked if I could take the nice tree off their hands. They took my number and said they'd ask their mum and let me know.

Fingers crossed!!!!!

[Marc]

buggers, still nothing, this pine is sooooooooooooooooooooooo good.... i refuse to give up.

might drop by again. but i reckon if i go past one more time i might get a restraining order slapped on me...

[Webos]

Back in Summer I noticed that the factory next to my workplace was closing down and word got round that it was to be converted into a supermarket. bordering the carpark were 10-15 various types of Junipers. I'd estimate that they had been in there about 25 years and were between 20cm (Prostrate) and 200cm tall. I sent off an e-mail to the supermarket headquarters letting them know I would be willing to help with the demolishing of their old garden and got a phone call soon after from a very friendly manager telling me that the supermarket would be more than happy for me to take anything and everything from the carpark. Over the space of about 2 months, knowing that the trees could be bulldozed any day, I ended up taking home about 10 trees.

As everyone else has said....All you need to do is ask

Heres a photo of one of them

[Marc]

ha ha, beauty, these are great, well done.

[Jester]

Hmmm, yes , quite the conundrum. Hmmm, (scratching chin) All I can say is if you can establish that it's owned by a little old lady....................just take it!!! As far as I'm concerned little old ladies (especially over 87) are fair game for Bonsai. They knew the risks when they became little old ladies. LOL

Remember, I am here to help!!

[Chris]

i ask a lot of ppl for trees it's fun and some of the ppl are great i have always asked when houses are being knocked down roads being built and have done well my most expencive swop was a carton of beer for a few very nice olive trees. once i rang a radio station for some help with ppl who might need some trees removed. woot 2 hours latter i am able to remove 2 amber liquid trees. i have a gardener in my town who brings me little trees from things he's pulled up while gardening. i also put up signs in the local shop message board.

so i think it's a good thing to talk to strangers in regards to that poor old neglected plant once loved it can become great plesure recovering the tree to a healthy specimin

[Marc]

Kinda sux at the moment, i've left a few messages with her. And even shanghai'd her daughter and son in law one day (I swear I wansn't hiding behind a tree waiting for them to come home) they seemed to be in agreement with me, they took my details, but no one rang me back.

soooo, without becoming an official stalker, i must admire it from a distance...