Diary of a Noob
- Thread starter MSU JBoots
- Start date
Loved reading this as I’m about a year behind you in the journey and it was fun reading the thread and seeing many of the same steps taken. Fun seeing the same passion I am experiencing develop in another. Good luck with everything and keep the updates coming!
pandacular
Omono
Man, I was reading this and felt very much the same. Read through the whole thread about to post basically the same thought.
I wonder if you've looked into doing some lessons or woskshops with local bonsai folk. it seems like you've connected with the local bonsai club, so might be some people there doing such things. Some of my classes with my teacher have effectively been just doing stuff I already needed to do (such as wiring, pruning, repotting) and getting live feedback on it. It's been immensely helpful!
Adamski77
Shohin
What I liked when I watched the thread is how your taste and selection of materials changed from year to year… really nice…
MSU JBoots
Shohin
I have done workshop at the state show over a year ago. If it didn’t make it in the thread I will add it. I wish I had time to join the club but with a toddler at home and another baby on the way it’s just not in the cards right now. I hope to do a workshop again next year where you bring your own tree to work on. By the time I went to sign up this year it was booked. The other trouble with that is it’s always Mother’s Day weekend unfortunately. Thanks for the input and I’ll definitely keep the updates rolling.
Orion_metalhead
Masterpiece
MSU JBoots
Shohin
Not sure I had a dedicated post for this sorry tree but figured I would rekindle it’s original post and link it here for future beginners to follow.
Thread 'Overwintering new Austrian Pine'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/overwintering-new-austrian-pine.51800/
Thread 'Overwintering new Austrian Pine'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/overwintering-new-austrian-pine.51800/
MSU JBoots
Shohin
I bought this cedar almost a year ago and thinned it a bit. It hadn’t really inspired me to work on it but the wind kept knocking it off my bench. I finally decided to just go for it. I’m not in love with it but at least it seems worth looking at now and gave me some good practice pruning and wiring. Here’s the before and after.
MSU JBoots
Shohin
I figured I should link the thread about air layers to this beginners diary.
Thread 'Watering air layers?'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/watering-air-layers.60544/
Hopefully other beginners can glean some wisdom from here in the future. I have a new baby coming in December so we will see how much work gets done on my collection in the next growing season.
Thread 'Watering air layers?'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/watering-air-layers.60544/
Hopefully other beginners can glean some wisdom from here in the future. I have a new baby coming in December so we will see how much work gets done on my collection in the next growing season.
pandacular
Omono
this next growing season might be tough, but maybe you'll get an apprentice out of it!
MSU JBoots
Shohin
Haha well I kind of already have an apprentice in my 3 year old son. He likes to help me water and has been misting my air layer after it started to struggle.
MSU JBoots
Shohin
New tree. New post. Here’s the latest addition to the bench!
Thread 'Another Procumbens Cascade Just What the World Needs'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/another-procumbens-cascade-just-what-the-world-needs.61756/
Thread 'Another Procumbens Cascade Just What the World Needs'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/another-procumbens-cascade-just-what-the-world-needs.61756/
MSU JBoots
Shohin
As the growing season is winding down I’ve taken stock of my collection and am overall pleased with where it’s headed. I might add to my collection if something draws my interest at the local club show vendors next weekend. I also realized this tree didn’t have its own progression thread so I made one today.
Thread 'Not bad for a box store juniper'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/not-bad-for-a-box-store-juniper.62068/
Thread 'Not bad for a box store juniper'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/not-bad-for-a-box-store-juniper.62068/
MSU JBoots
Shohin
As always here’s the link to future progression thread for my newest tree.
Thread 'Finally a trunk!'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/finally-a-trunk.62130/
Hopefully in a few years this will serve as a resource for beginners to see what some simple nursery material cultivated by a very simple bonsai hobbyist can become.
Thread 'Finally a trunk!'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/finally-a-trunk.62130/
Hopefully in a few years this will serve as a resource for beginners to see what some simple nursery material cultivated by a very simple bonsai hobbyist can become.
MSU JBoots
Shohin
Three years in and I’m quite pleased where my collection is. I have been lately and will continue to be much more selective with my new trees moving forward. The one new thing I did this year with success was perform 3 air layers. My benches are pretty close to full and there are two more small tables not pictured. At this time my collection includes 5 maples, 5 pines, 6 junipers, 2 spruce, 1 hinoki cypress, 1 cedar, and 1 ficus.
Today I tucked them in for winter and in the coming days will finish the wind screen and add the mulch. I might have been able to wait a bit longer but with a new baby due in 6 weeks and holidays on the horizon it had to get done today.
Today I tucked them in for winter and in the coming days will finish the wind screen and add the mulch. I might have been able to wait a bit longer but with a new baby due in 6 weeks and holidays on the horizon it had to get done today.
MSU JBoots
Shohin
With a larger collection I needed an upgrade from the burlap. I opted for an 8x10 tarp that I cut in half then duct taped the cut edge in hopes to preserve it. Finally topped off with mulch per usual. I realized today though I buried some pots too close to the lip of the pot and quite a bit of dirt had made its way in. I won’t make that mistake next year.
MSU JBoots
Shohin
The fountain my wife bought me for my birthday is serving a nice purpose beyond just aesthetics. It actually does slightly help with the humidity for my ficus while it over winters in the basement.
MSU JBoots
Shohin
I’m thankful for the 10 inches of snow we got yesterday as we dive into the single digits next week over here in west Michigan.
MSU JBoots
Shohin
First repot of the year and first bare root I’ve done. I was pretty happy with the lateral to spread except for the one side that had a very thick downward growing root I cut off.
I’m trying to decide how to handle the cold nights coming up with this Japanese maple. The first night it spent in the attached garage. The other options are the shed and just setting it on the ground. I have about 9 more trees to repot in the coming weeks so not really wanting to shuffle them in and out all the time if I don’t have too.
I’m trying to decide how to handle the cold nights coming up with this Japanese maple. The first night it spent in the attached garage. The other options are the shed and just setting it on the ground. I have about 9 more trees to repot in the coming weeks so not really wanting to shuffle them in and out all the time if I don’t have too.
Orion_metalhead
Masterpiece
temps arent bad. just bring in on the nights temps are dropping below 30deg.
Also:
Also:
