Today, I had my spirit broken.

This time of year, I dont do much bonsai-wise. Ive also had a slow time regarding posting here too. Ive been mostly at work, or working on making knives. Since thats one of my hobbies too. But every now and then, I go out to the garden, and look at my trees, and check how they are doing.
Its been a few days since last time, since with this wet weather I dont have to water them at this time of year.
My bonsai's are standing in a rock stair behind the house. Sheltered from others, and you have to go about 30 metres around the house to see it.
When I just checked it, a few trees has been moved. One knocked out of the pot and just placed back on top of the soil.
One were in a pot at the bottom of the stair, and loose in the pot. The pot was whole. And my favourite tree, standing on the top, was now at the bottom. Pot broken, moved a metre away from where it landed. It cannot have been wind, since the three has a shallow and very wide pot. And one small tree stranding next to it was fine. Either someone have gone up the stairs in the dark and tripped over some, or they have been victim for someone just randomly ruining things. Ive not had a problem in any other way here. I dont know it it happened today, or up to 3 days ago. can just beg the trees will be fine. Kinda destroys the fun, when things cannot be left alone, even in this sheltered postition in a small town like this.
Why keep on doing this then? When someone could come back tonight and do it again... Either Im going over to the knives, have a break from this for a while, or I have to hide them untill I can have an alarm on a bonsai "house" or something.
Its impossible to shelter this area with a fence and a lock.
Just had to let out some steam here..

Storm.

Oh. Bad news. It's too bad those kinds of things have to happen.

But don't give up.

You can buy motion sensors -- they're not expensive -- that can sound an alarm in your house. I live in a fairly remote area, and have one in my long driveway. No one can get here without sounding a warning.

You can also set up the sensors to sound an outdoor alarm, or turn on lights.

Hi Storm

Bad luck - but not sinister I hope.

I have trouble with the neighbours' cats sneaking around on the benches and shelves late at night knocking pots off so don't overlook the local wildlife.

Deer can be a problem in the USA/ Canada/ UK even especially getting near to winter and there are some tasty green leaves or twigs about.

You have moose, deer, bear and all sorts in Norway

If you scatter some dust around you may be able to see tracks or footprints.

Just a thought

TimR

Hi Storm, I really feel for you... if it is 'vandals' they would have had their fun and that's that, they will only usually come back if it is a vendetta. Nothing Stolen?

There is no fun in making your garden into a fortress. A few small deterrents like wire and lights will help keep undesirables away.

You are naturally hurting right now and I am sure I speak for all IBC members when I say 'don't give up'

Cheers guys.
I dont think it could be an animal. Cause the broken pot had landed one place, and "put together" a metre away from that location. It had landed on a bit of rock, so theres no chance this is a natural coincendence. And a different tree stood right beside it, which havent before.
Nothing was stolen no, luckilly.
Nice to get support here. The weird thing is, that if someone did go into the garden, they had to go pass the window in the livingroom, and I sit there working most of the evenings. Lights are a good idea. Since I would see it right next to me.

So sorry to hear about this. Put up motion lights, even small animals can set them off, but who cares as long as it gives peace-of-mind.

You can also purchase inexpensive motion detector cameras that hunters use...some have flash and some use infrared to avoid detection. Sorry for your troubles.

Hey Storm, the person did not mean to do it as they tried to put the plant back ,as you said.

Pitty they did not apologise.

Lights a good option as someone can see where they are going, and you them.

Mick

Really disheartening Storm. I have similar things happen all the time but it is usually my wife, kids or cats. I just returned from working out on a job for two weeks and when I went back to check on things I found a major branch had been kicked off of a boxwood that had few branches to begin with. Probably my wife or kids trying to crawl over it getting around the car that was pulled up too far in the driveway. Not much I'm going to do about it I guess so I just write it off and hope I will soon have a better place to put trees in the future well out of harms way. Don't let it get you too down.

Hi Storm,
I'm sorry to hear about your loss; our trees are our children and we hurt when anything happens to them. I see a lesson here. If you keep your trees on stairs, where there is foot traffic and despite people's best efforts to not step on them, then there will be accidents. Having flora on stairs makes for nice "curb appeal", but is not practical; people's safety comes first. Any safety agency will say "don't put items on stairs, fire escapes, paths, sidewalks, etc... where people need to walk..." Unless of course that this is your own personal space.
Since they tried to replant the tree says that they were sensitive to your trees. Maybe they were drunk and fell or stumbled and did the best they could and were embarrassed to tell you directly. The other thing that came to mind was children playing ball near your trees and the ball may have hit a tree - they went to get it- step stepped on another tree, etc., etc.
Who knows, lesson learned and be thankful that no one was hurt from the accident. Did you move your trees to a safer place?
Best,
Todd

Who or what did it is beside the point, I understand your angry, I would be aswell and now the feeling of giving up all to well.

DONT GIVE UP, STAY IN THE HOBBY!!!!!!!!!!!


Peter