Is Bonsai an Expensive Hobby?
- Thread starter srunge55
- Start date
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
When your nickname is cadillactaste...it becomes more expensive. Lol but...not outside my means. I really had to talk myself out of a $1500 tree awhile back. I do not show. The tree deserved to be seen. I have not went that high ever on a tree. But to some...that are in deeper and show. That...is cheaper material for sure.
drew33998
Masterpiece
I'm not so sure about it being cheap. They say that gardening is one of the most expensive hobbies. Anything done well is not cheap, and anything done cheap is not done well.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Give me an example of something in this hobby that HAS to be done and HAS to cost a lot of money
For example: scuba diving... you HAVE to buy a ton of expensive gear and you HAVE to travel to different locations to dive. Golfing you HAVE to buy clubs and you HAVE to pay greens fees.
drew33998
Masterpiece
Ok ok. Do we really want to unbox this? Its going to take some time. We could possibly come up with a SWAG formula for annual cost with enough information in. It wont be very accurate because of the cost of living differences per region, etc. Some possible questions to get us started:
How many trees did you start with?
How many trees do you have currently?
How long have you been in the hobby in years?
How much would you estimate you spend on consumable-Wire, soil, fertilizers, drainage screens, pesticides, fungicides, other annually?
How much do you spend a year on new trees?
How much do you spend a year on new pots, training pots, other?
How much do you make a year selling trees?
How much do you make a year selling pots?
Any other income or debt?
Are you satisfied with where you are at in the hobby?
If yes then why?
If no then why?
At what point in the hobby did you feel like you had a tree or collection worthy of showing to friends, family, or at a show that would be considered bonsai?
How many trees did you start with?
How many trees do you have currently?
How long have you been in the hobby in years?
How much would you estimate you spend on consumable-Wire, soil, fertilizers, drainage screens, pesticides, fungicides, other annually?
How much do you spend a year on new trees?
How much do you spend a year on new pots, training pots, other?
How much do you make a year selling trees?
How much do you make a year selling pots?
Any other income or debt?
Are you satisfied with where you are at in the hobby?
If yes then why?
If no then why?
At what point in the hobby did you feel like you had a tree or collection worthy of showing to friends, family, or at a show that would be considered bonsai?
namnhi
Masterpiece
Hobby is something one wants to do so it is undoubtedly you will have to spend some money on it. It starts out fairly cheap but as you eyes start to see higher quality trees, the amount of money you will pour in start to rise. Up to this point the most tree I have spent on is 305. I only use cheap tools... even now. Soil is another component that will suck a lot of money if you have too many trees in development phase. That is why I am in the process of down sizing my collection. I do this by trading several of my trees with one better tree.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
LOL No I'm not looking for an annual cash flow and income statement
I'm just saying, of the numerous hobbies I have been involved with over the years, bonsai is the least expensive. But I guess it is all in your approach and how much you want to spend. To some people, gardening is a raised bed planter in your backyard that you made with landscape timbers and filled in with top soil for less than $100. For others it's a $100,000 heated four-season greenhouse. Do the tomatoes taste any different?I just don't see anything in the hobby that REQUIRES you to spend big sums of money... Since the title of the thread is "is it expensive" I would have to honestly answer - not to me it isn't.
Andrew Robson
Shohin
It's all about time... time is money in bonsai.
Growing from seed, cutting, & air layers is a great way to do bonsai inexpensively.
Growing from seed, cutting, & air layers is a great way to do bonsai inexpensively.
Dorky_gearhead
Shohin
For me personally, I am going the cheapest rout possible. At the moment I only have one tree, a pre-bonsai Chinese elm that my landlord wanted gone. The soil I got (miracle grow potting soil) was free for the taking. My friends neighbor moved and didnt want it, so I grabbed about 15 bags. I may air layer the top and sell it for a landscape. If I do sell the air layer, that money will go straight into bonsai stuff. I purchased japanese black pine seeds for the 6 year contest, and that cost me about 15 bucks shipped. Here in a few months it's going to get a little expensive due to the seedlings, but once again I'll sell the undesirable ones for landscaping purposes. I may contact a local nursery and work out some kind of a deal.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
It can be very expensive. It does not have to be expensive however but you do need to give your trees time if you are going to make anything of them. That said you can buy time with money. An example of this would be to start out with really good material as opposed to growing from seeds. Are seeds cheap? Yes, however, you can save yourself 10 years or more starting with good stock.
With regard to time, you will often get back what you put in. So you have to ask yourself what are you willing to invest to be successful?
drew33998
Masterpiece
You are correct. It’s all about your outlook. No you really don’t need but about $20 to get started. If that. Just go collect some natives put them in some Oil dry, BC it’s cheap, and voilaLOL No I'm not looking for an annual cash flow and income statement
I just don't see anything in the hobby that REQUIRES you to spend big sums of money... Since the title of the thread is "is it expensive" I would have to honestly answer - not to me it isn't.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
As said before, it CAN be expensive. Those expenses tail off after a few years as you accumulate tools, knowledge, pots, trees and particularly contacts. I can sell off a couple of pots or a tree/trees to buy something else. Not making any money, but a little less than breaking even. which is OK by me.
BTW, collecting trees is NOT inexpensive, it requires accumulated experience and tools. Seedlings, saplings and seeds are also not any less expensive if you factor in the decades of effort and resources you're going to have to devote before you can make a bonsai from them.
BTW, collecting trees is NOT inexpensive, it requires accumulated experience and tools. Seedlings, saplings and seeds are also not any less expensive if you factor in the decades of effort and resources you're going to have to devote before you can make a bonsai from them.
my nellie
Masterpiece
miker
Chumono
As far as bonsai pots go, I had only ever owned mass produced pots over the years until I purchased a high quality tokoname pot for my trident maple from Japan last year. The high quality in comparison to the cheap, mass produced pots I had handled really surprised me at first. So light weight, yet durable and almost perfect glaze and lack of warping and irregularities in the high end pieces. I certainly cannot afford these better pots in most cases, but I will certainly go high end for my nicest trees in the future. For larger trees, the weight difference alone might very well make the expensive choice worth it.
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
IS NOT YAMADORI! Only captive grown trees/bushes!
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
Does not have to be expensive. If one wishes to display will need nice pots at some expense but completely unneeded until tree is ready for public display. If want best of trees will need to spend some for actual genuine Yamadori. This happens once one sees man grown tree can not compare to genuine age/struggle of tree from mountains.
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rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I have found that buying quality pots pays off later. warped, irregular, wonky pots don't hold value. higher end tokoname, experienced western potters DO hold value and in some cases actually appreciate. Trees will come and go. Pots can last a hundred years or more. They can't be killed unless you're a klutz or your dog isn't well behaved. It's worth the "extra" money for good to excellent pots.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Sure it is. ;-)
jeanluc83
Omono
I echo that it is as expensive as you want it to be.
I have actually kept track of what I've spent in the last 5 years. It was about $1,000. That included trees, tools, soil and pots. I also spent another ~$300 on books, classes and club dues. It works out to be about $5 a week. I've probably spent more on coffee in the last 5 years.
I have actually kept track of what I've spent in the last 5 years. It was about $1,000. That included trees, tools, soil and pots. I also spent another ~$300 on books, classes and club dues. It works out to be about $5 a week. I've probably spent more on coffee in the last 5 years.
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