YES I Bonsai NOT
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- Lynda04
- Cottage_Garden
- Cottage_Garden
- MaggieM
- Cottage_Garden
- MaggieM
- Burwell47
- Cottage_Garden
- desertblue
- Burwell47
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» Cottage_Garden - Re: Re: My potato bonsai
In response to message posted by Lynda04:Yup.
Well, to be honest, my daughter hand-selected the first potato and once it started to grow, arranged it gently in the black gravel that came with the little display tray in the bonsai potato kit. She brings it out at parties to show off -- most people are basically appalled so it is very fun.
Being the thrifty cottage gardener scrounge type, I saved the rest of the potatoes from that batch and set them in a tray of their own (no gravel) and left them in the cupboard alongside the official one.
So we have a batch of bonsai potatoes. I keep on keeping them because they really do make me smile every time I open the cupboard -- it's sort of unbelievable in there. And I want to find out what happens to them eventually.
LOL
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
» Cottage_Garden - Re: Re: Re: My potato bonsai
In response to message posted by Cottage_Garden:Well, in case you have been wondering about these potato bonsais or thought maybe I was pulling your leg, you simply MUST take a look at these photos.
Enjoy!
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
» MaggieM - Re: Re: Re: Re: My potato bonsai
Barbara - I've been starting bonsais for years and never knew it! I will let one grow into adulthood and beyone soon. I love the little bonsai display stand, it truly adds to the effect..and the stares of guests! Have you used different kinds of spuds? have you tried a sweet potato? I too am wondering how long they will last. I also will send this off to my friend in Saskachewan who grows a large number of potatoes (for winter storage and eating) and ask her to try a few different varieties (she has a B&B and I will suggest that it has a lot of value in it for her!).MaggieM
-- posted by MaggieM
» Cottage_Garden - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: My potato bonsai
In response to message posted by MaggieM:These were just red potatoes from the grocery store that I had planned on cooking, nothing special at all.
The book cautioned strongly against picking an "evil" potato. So my daughter considered the selection we already had and picked one special potato for the formal bonsai tray. (Yes, the same kid who wrote and photographed the Duckeys story.) She set it "just so" in the gravel she collected from the driveway. Then we placed the tray in the cupboard and shut the door.
I have to admit we were giggling pretty hard at the time, but we tried to take it seriously. One would not want to make a good potato turn evil by lack of respect.
Her selected potato has done better than the random leftovers from the same bag. I kept them, too, because they were sprouting a bit and I wanted to see what would happen. These also-rans are pictured in the plastic container in the shot with the kitty.
They have all been left sitting in the same cupboard, but the special show bonsai has been in its display stand the whole time.
Maybe the anchoring gravel allows better air circulation or maybe rolling around loose is not good for them. The formal display potato bonsai certainly has a totally different growth pattern!
Gosh. I am not sure what B&B guests would think it they knew the kitchen harbored such special potatoes? Our guests look at us very strangely when we offer them a peek of our bonsai potatoes.
Then and again, maybe an excellent PR opportunity and surely a distinctive activity to offer guests. Maybe their own living souvenir to take home? So many possibilities!!!
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
» MaggieM - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: My potato bonsai
Barbara and Natalie - my B&B friend and potato grower loved the potato bonsai - she admits she gets them all the time. As for the B&B aspect, I suspect that the Health Dept would not look too favourably on it, she had to take a number of courses and workshops about "food safety and being clean" before she got her license. There was a lot of concern about the fact that she gets her eggs from a neighbour (salmonella sp?), makes and serves her own jams and jellies and freezer and put-up vegies (her eating and flower gardens are superb) and because she uses her own produce for meals. She does more than breakfast if asked, like dinners and picnic baskets because they live way out of the local serviced town, well, its about 15 minutes if you know the way. It adds nicely to the B&B tarrif and she's just a year old B&B so it all helps. They will also serve their own homemade wine to certain guests. BTW - she always had/has the most organized, lovely and spotless home, is a very gracious hostess (swears like a trooper, too), and when her husband is home with her (he has to work away from home four days a week due to the economy on the prairies) its probably like when we go to visit - so much fun, good food, lots of laughs and good music, dogs, horse, farms and crops all around: very "little house on the prairie" without the kids. He's working on an Indian reservation in NE Alberta (age 30). She also says all the varieties of spuds they grow bonsai naturally - especially the ones stored for winter when they come up to the kitchen. Must convince her to do a gow and then a display and give keepsakes (there russets are so good, I want a bonsai. I expect that folks who stay with her just want her jams, jellies, vegies and wine (very good) to take away! So they can take away a spud bonsai!What's the next Cottage Garden story? - all my love to you and Natalie and Piggy. Sent my letter to the newspaper for Gay. If you go to Sask. Can. and Tasmania Oz, I have first hand knowledge of "great places to stay". Both will take you in. LOL
-- posted by MaggieM
» Burwell47 - Re: Re: My potato bonsai
In response to message posted by Lynda04:Yes..not a lot of skill required here........if the poor thing could speak it would probably say,` for god sake let me out of here , so that I can lead a normal potato type life`.....what is happening is nothing short of terrorism....the poor spuds are being tortured to a slow death, will wilt and suffocate when the last dregs of moisture have been sucked out of the poor spud.
Burwell47
-- posted by Burwell47
» Cottage_Garden - Re: Re: Re: My potato bonsai
In response to message posted by Burwell47:(Laugh) Oh yeah. Normal potato life. Out of the pot, into the fire! Or boiled in oil! Poor potato.
I mean, what's quote unquote normal for a potato?
I had some perennial potatoes in the garden for a while, they kept coming back! Guess that's as close to being put out to pasture as a potato can get.
Smile.
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
» desertblue - Re: Re: Re: Re: My potato bonsai
In response to message posted by Cottage_Garden:Well, I love this Bonsai idea and your pix! I refernced it and put a link to your article in my houseplant course for SuiteU!
-- posted by desertblue
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