How old were you when you started bonsai?

[Bonsai Nut]

I don't know when I was introduced to bonsai. I must have been really young. I remember my mom thought they were cool, but she never kept any. I remember her taking me to a nursery that had some when I was 10 or so... First bonsai I ever tried to actually make by myself and keep I was 14 and in 8th grade. I had no idea what I was doing. I kept the poor thing for several years until my parents convinced me to plant it out in the yard. It was an Eastern White Pine and is now a BIG TREE

 

[ColinFraser]

My grandfather grew orchids, and I inherited that passion from him, so I was always interested in plants. I was definitely aware of Bonsai when I was younger, but didn't get into it until I was 33.

As an aside, I was the youngest member and president of an orchid society for years. Orchid growing is a hobby whose demographics really skew toward retired men, and I think it's has mostly to do with the time and patience involved in doing it well. We were not able to bring in new younger members at a rate sufficient to replace the older ones dying off! I also think clubs in general are dying off - people go online for their information, and local monthly club meetings, regardless of subject matter are not being attended by young people.

Also, in the orchid world "trader joes" or other grocery store orchids are the equivalent of "mallsai" . . .

 

[jeanluc83]

My interest started when my older sister brought home a small maple bonsai. I was probably 8 or 9. She didn't keep the tree alive for too long. At around 12 or 13 I got in to bonsai myself. I managed to keep a couple of trees alive but didn't have the patience to keep them going long term. I dabbled on and off over the years but it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I got serious about the hobby. I'll be turning 32 in a couple of days so still the youngest in my club.

By the way, I still have the pot from that tree my sister brought home.

 

[johng]

Bought my first tree from a roadside vendor in Houston in 1988... of course I killed it... within 2 years I was pretty much into the hobby and have been going full tilt ever since.

 

[coh]

Hmm, about 4 years ago (so that would be at 48). But I had several "false starts" along the way.

In high school we spent a few weeks studying Japanese culture in social studies. My project was a bonsai tree, which seemed like a good idea because I was definitely into gardening. I bought some kind of evergreen (maybe a cypress), hacked it up, put some wire on it...really had no idea what I was doing. It didn't survive. Then later when we were living near Washington DC (around 1997 probably) we went to see the trees at the National arboretum. That spurred a false start that saw me buy a bunch of nursery stock and plant it in the ground. I also bought a partially styled Chinese elm but it languished. We moved a few years later and all the stock was left in the ground.

Then after living in Rochester for about 4 years I got the bug again. Not sure what triggered it, as I was initially unaware of Bill Valavanis and all the resources in the area. I think it was one of my trips to California (for work), and hiking in the redwood forests...so I bought a coast redwood seedling (and a few others) from Brent Walston and started growing it. Then a few years later my wife and I were at an orchid show and came across a flyer for the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now we're starting to talk about moving again (combination of this ridiculous weather and job issues) to someplace warmer so I don't know what will happen going forward...

Chris

 

[Giga]

I was around 16 when I first got involved in bonsai and collecting trees. Was u till I was 25 that I made it a lifestyle kind of change. I'm 30 now and am still diving deeper and deeper

 

[Nybonsai12]

I came out of the womb with a pair of masakuni knob cutters in one hand and a bag of double red line akadama in the other.

 

[Nybonsai12]

ok not really, started taking it serious age 32.

 

[Dav4]

I was a botany major in college and was lucky enough to spend a summer after my junior year as an internship at The Arnold Arboretum in Boston...and I got to water the bonsai in The Larz Anderson collection every day that summer. Still, it wasn't until I was finishing vet school some years later, when I was 28, that I actually got my first.

 

[PaulH]

I got married in 1978 and on my first visit to my new father in law's home I was wowed by his garden full of bonsai. I had tried bonsai about five years earlier on my own without any instruction but the old Brooklyn Botanical Garden's Bonsai Handbook and of course failed miserably. My Father in law advised me to join a bonsai club and sent me home with a little Catlin Elm he'd grown from a cutting (since departed). Thirty-seven years later the addiction continues. I'm still a member of the first club I joined, American Bonsai Association of Sacramento, and have been president twice. I also belong to The Sacramento Bonsai Club, the oldest bonsai club in the U.S., and the Gold Country Bonsai Club. I'm in a study group that meets six times a year with Peter Tea.

 

[johng]

Bought my first tree from a roadside vendor in Houston in 1988... of course I killed it... within 2 years I was pretty much into the hobby and have been going full tilt ever since.

Hmmm...seems I missed the point....I was 24 in 1988. Wow...just realized I have been doing bonsai for more than half my life!

 

[lordy]

I guess it's been 20 years plus since I started in bonsai. A customer of my shop was instrumental in the organization and starting of the National Bonsai Foundation. I would drop stuff off at his house and could see his trees in the back yard. The more I saw, the more I got the bug. I joined his club, which also had numerous members who were also part of the original cast and crew of the NBF. I just had no idea at the time that they were the who's who of not only the local, but national, bonsai community. Sadly, many have departed without my being able to 'interview' them. I did hear stories of how much fun John Naka was when repotting some of his trees, like Goshin, at the National Arboretum.
Now I happen to be the pres of that same club. Only a couple of the grizzled vets are left. I vividly recall when I was the young buck in the club at 40 years old. Sheesh!

 

[Paradox]

I was older than I would have liked to be. Wish Id started earlier then maybe Id have a decent tree or two.

 

[brewmeister83]

Saw "Karate Kid" as a teenager (don't remember when, 12, 13?) and got a juni mallsai shortly after - killed it by keeping it indoors. got discouraged

Got a few ficus a few years later, tried growing a forest after seeing Peter Adams' Bonsai Landscapes book - killed by constantly pruning. got discouraged

Picked up interest again in my late 20's, seriously started with a chinese elm at 29. Now I'm 31 with over 40 trees in various stages of development and loving it!

 

[LanceMac10]

I'm still coming to grips with the fact that I am in a demographic that includes 50 year olds!! Should I start practicing, "Get off my lawn!!!"

 

[symbiotic1]

I started about a year ago at 31 after having a long-time appreciation for the craft. I randomly found a pair of yoshiaki trimmers in the gardening tools at my house and decided to seek out some classes at the local bonsai nurseries to get started. Now I'm at about 20 trees and have built my own tiered display bench so it's safe to say I'm hooked!

 

[coh]

I'm still coming to grips with the fact that I am in a demographic that includes 50 year olds!! Should I start practicing, "Get off my lawn!!!"

No practicing needed, it comes naturally. But right now it needs some modification, so GET OFF MY SNOW BANK!

 

[Vin]

29, bought my first tree on my honeymoon to my current wife. Wasn't sure which wood I was more proud of.

Ewwww, TMI Al, TMI. I'm sure you could ask the wife as I'm sure she would lie for you.

 

[f1pt4]

I've gone camping since I was 2. Nature was always a part of my life, thanks to my parents. Got a juniper mallsai around 12. Killed it like brewmeister83. Around 13 years later I found a book about bonsai basics at the Toronto Botanical Gardens. Purchased it, but it seemed intimidating, yet fascinating. Killed a ficus indoors. Kept on playing with various houseplants, tropicals and succulents. Visited a friend of mine 7 years after that. He showed me his bonsai collection, and explained some things in laymens terms. In the fall of 2013 I picked up two Junipers in the end of season pile at the box store. Trimmed and bent and broke and didn't over winter properly = dead. Winter 2013/2014 bought books, read articles, absorbed as much info as possible. Spring 2014 started various airlayers on friends and family trees, stopped at every neighborhood garden center, and went to my first bonsai show. Joined a club, and started to develop patience. Now 34, and consumed by the hobby.... still hiking, camping and always searching for material and inspiration.

 

[Vin]

For as long as I can remember I was fascinated by trees and mountains. I have been involved in gardening at some level since I was about 7 or 8 years old. Acquired my first bonsai from a roadside vendor in my early 30's and watched it slowly die over a years period. Didn't start the hobby up again until I was 54.