How to be a successful bonsai beginner

[badatusernames]

Sigh, I think I just had my stick in pot coming to god moment at Nationals

Of course still gonna do it but, differently and more targeted. They take up bench space better projects could occupy…

 

[Gabler]

Sigh, I think I just had my stick in pot coming to god moment at Nationals

Of course still gonna do it but, differently and more targeted. They take up bench space better projects could occupy…

If you have the garden space, put them on or in the ground, and let the grow out to thicken up. In the meantime, find a few pieces of material with thicker trunks to start developing, and maybe one or two real trees to enjoy while you're waiting for your homegrown trees to get there.

 

[Gabler]

As this thread has pointed out, the real enjoyment isn't owning a perfect tree, but in the process itself. Partly for that reason, and partly because I just got married, and my wife and I are trying to buy our first house, I've skipped that last step of buying a refined tree to enjoy while waiting on my other trees. I can't justify spending hundreds of dollars on a potted plant right now. Instead, it's the vision of my future design goals that keeps me going.

 

[badatusernames]

If you have the garden space, put them on or in the ground, and let the grow out to thicken up. In the meantime, find a few pieces of material with thicker trunks to start developing, and maybe one or two real trees to enjoy while you're waiting for your homegrown trees to get there.

I already have a good amount of older stuff, but yeah, planning on ground growing. Will likely keep the JMs in pots for now to control the roots, but I guess there's no reason not to just ground layer to address roots.

 

[xray]

Hello!
I need some advice with my Chinese Elm.

I had it outside until the fall, 3-4 weeks ago.
Now I have it inside at a window with a few hours of afternoon sun.
It looked like it was thriving first weeks, new green leaves came.

The past 2 weeks or so it's been dropping green leaves. I would guess like 40% of the leaves...
Is that normal or what is happening?

 

[pandacular]

Hello!
I need some advice with my Chinese Elm.

I had it outside until the fall, 3-4 weeks ago.
Now I have it inside at a window with a few hours of afternoon sun.
It looked like it was thriving first weeks, new green leaves came.

The past 2 weeks or so it's been dropping green leaves. I would guess like 40% of the leaves...
Is that normal or what is happening?

Sounds pretty normal for having been moved inside.

Many unscrupuolous dealers will sell Chinese elm as an indoor tree, which is only somewhat true. They are subtropical, which is quite different from the tropical designation of "indoor" trees. If you must keep it indoors for the winter, I would get a proper growlight. Sunlight through windows is far darker to plants than it is to your eyes, so it's probably feeling like it's been shoved in a closet.

If it were my tree, I would prefer to get it outside with some protection. The following resource is a good starting point on overwinter protection.

Overwintering bonsai – Theory, Planning and Case Studies Azalea Focus

Greetings! Winter is approaching and this resource is all about wintering over bonsai! The theory, planning and case studies within the guide are applicable to all temperate bonsai. While azaleas are used as the primary focus in some parts of...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[StylistBitter]

Hey folks.

I'm curious about growing Portulacaria afra indoors over the winter. As it started to drop below 50 at night in September, I brought my plants inside. The plants have adapted well to their new environment, and are putting out quite a bit of new growth. Would it be better to induce / allow dormancy, or should I try to keep to keep the plants growing over the winter months? I have some solid grow lights and was looking at getting some heat pads, but I don't know whether it might be better for long-term growth to allow them to go dormant over the winter. I would appreciate any and all advice, cheers!

 

[Carol 83]

Would it be better to induce / allow dormancy, or should I try to keep to keep the plants growing over the winter months? I have some solid grow lights and was looking at getting some heat pads, but I don't know whether it might be better for long-term

P.afra don't really go into/need dormancy. They will do fine under your grow lights, no need for heat pads. Welcome to the forum! If you put your approximate location in the world in your profile, you will get the best advice for your location.

 

[RJG2]

Hey folks.

I'm curious about growing Portulacaria afra indoors over the winter. As it started to drop below 50 at night in September, I brought my plants inside. The plants have adapted well to their new environment, and are putting out quite a bit of new growth. Would it be better to induce / allow dormancy, or should I try to keep to keep the plants growing over the winter months? I have some solid grow lights and was looking at getting some heat pads, but I don't know whether it might be better for long-term growth to allow them to go dormant over the winter. I would appreciate any and all advice, cheers!

P.afra don't really go into/need dormancy. They will do fine under your grow lights, no need for heat pads. Welcome to the forum! If you put your approximate location in the world in your profile, you will get the best advice for your location.

Agree with Carol (she sent me the ones I have, and somehow they keep multiplying - can't give the cuttings away fast enough).

I cut mine back when I brought them in to make room/watering easier - assuming they'd just keep growing.

 

[StylistBitter]

Agree with Carol (she sent me the ones I have, and somehow they keep multiplying - can't give the cuttings away fast enough).

I cut mine back when I brought them in to make room/watering easier - assuming they'd just keep growing.

Carol & RJG,


Thank you both for your help! I appreciate your advice. This is a lovely community and I'm very happy to have found it.

 

[KimoGina09]

After reading a lot of beginner threads on this site over the years, I am going to create a thread of advice about how to get the best start on your bonsai journey.

Simply put - take advantage of all of the people who have gone before you!

At some level there is a bit of skeptic in all of us, and we need to fight the urge to dive in and just start doing stuff because we are excited and we want to start growing trees NOW! And plus we are pretty smart, and self-confident and think "how hard can it be?" And so we fail. A lot. Meanwhile we are surrounded by people with a lot of experience who can look at what we just did and say "well I could have told you that wasn't going to work, because I made the same mistake 30 years ago!"

So focus on repeating other peoples' successes, instead of other peoples' failures.

Find someone with experience, and use their experience as your starting point. Try to learn everything they know - and master it, even if it takes you five or ten years. Don't be the person who spends 25 years learning what other people already know doesn't work - repeating all the mistakes they have already made. Once you become experienced, you can always try to improve upon processes, or techniques, or designs. But you are starting from a position of knowledge, instead of a position of ignorance.

This site can be an amazing resource. There are people here with decades of experience, including professionals who make a living in bonsai who come here to interact with people without asking for anything in return (except perhaps a little respect). Many members here have participated in national shows and won significant recognition for their work. Wouldn't it be better to start by trying to replicate their success, instead of striking out on your own?

Listen. Ask questions. Listen some more. And then try to do what they tell you... exactly. Only when you can replicate their success should you try to improve upon it. Don't try to run before you can walk. You waste years and years of time... and get frustrated along the way.

Love this post. Wife and I are new to bonsai. Learned a lot and did our first trimming and wiring in 8 hours and I can say it was satisfying for both of us. We really enjoyed learning and want to learn more and more.

 

[BrightsideB]

Love this post. Wife and I are new to bonsai. Learned a lot and did our first trimming and wiring in 8 hours and I can say it was satisfying for both of us. We really enjoyed learning and want to learn more and more.

I like the direction you are going with on that last picture of the juniper.

 

[Mad Tabby]

Maybe I should have put my hello here. I am here to learn! YouTube has some good stuff, but one guy told me “maybe bonsai isn’t for me” when I stated my harsh growing conditions. John Palliser said in the 1850s that this region should be left to natives & cattle. Personally I think we’re doing okay. But other than spruce & pines, not much can be wintered outdoors. The photo is of my white spruces that I potted today. I also have ponderosa pine that are in need of repotting. I used a commercial bonsai mix & added a bunch of peat because white spruce like acidic (down to 4?) according to the internet.

I want to train one of my ponderosa into a Charlie Brown tree, I think their growing habits suit that. The seedlings are black locust. Oh and the company I bought a bonsai kit from just sent me a variety of seeds. The kit came with the black locust, jacardia, black pine, black spruce, and delonis Rex (yes I read the thread on the kits) the new batch they sent me are Wisteria, Crepe mertyl, and “phoenix wood” which I just sent an email to them asking what that is because there’s too many different results.

Anyway, hello.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Maybe I should have put my hello here. I am here to learn! YouTube has some good stuff, but one guy told me “maybe bonsai isn’t for me” when I stated my harsh growing conditions. John Palliser said in the 1850s that this region should be left to natives & cattle. Personally I think we’re doing okay. But other than spruce & pines, not much can be wintered outdoors. The photo is of my white spruces that I potted today. I also have ponderosa pine that are in need of repotting. I used a commercial bonsai mix & added a bunch of peat because white spruce like acidic (down to 4?) according to the internet.

I want to train one of my ponderosa into a Charlie Brown tree, I think their growing habits suit that. The seedlings are black locust. Oh and the company I bought a bonsai kit from just sent me a variety of seeds. The kit came with the black locust, jacardia, black pine, black spruce, and delonis Rex (yes I read the thread on the kits) the new batch they sent me are Wisteria, Crepe mertyl, and “phoenix wood” which I just sent an email to them asking what that is because there’s too many different results.

Anyway, hello.

Welcome aboard! Lots of knowledge on this site , not from me but others. Do yourself a favor and add your location to your profile, it'll be helpful to people trying to help you. The ponderosa pine looks good, & Not sure what a "Kit" involves but, I thought "phoenix wood" is a bonsai technique that involves combining a living sapling with deadwood. Rise from the ashes etc.

 

[Mad Tabby]

Welcome aboard! Lots of knowledge on this site , not from me but others. Do yourself a favor and add your location to your profile, it'll be helpful to people trying to help you. The ponderosa pine looks good, & Not sure what a "Kit" involves but, I thought "phoenix wood" is a bonsai technique that involves combining a living sapling with deadwood. Rise from the ashes etc.

Yep found that response as well. My best guess is Paulowina (sp?) but the seeds don’t look right. The images I see online are pods that burst with tiny seeds. These are larger round seeds are abut 1/4 the size of a pea?

 

[Joe Dupre']

Maybe I should have put my hello here. I am here to learn! YouTube has some good stuff, but one guy told me “maybe bonsai isn’t for me” when I stated my harsh growing conditions. John Palliser said in the 1850s that this region should be left to natives & cattle. Personally I think we’re doing okay. But other than spruce & pines, not much can be wintered outdoors. The photo is of my white spruces that I potted today. I also have ponderosa pine that are in need of repotting. I used a commercial bonsai mix & added a bunch of peat because white spruce like acidic (down to 4?) according to the internet.

I want to train one of my ponderosa into a Charlie Brown tree, I think their growing habits suit that. The seedlings are black locust. Oh and the company I bought a bonsai kit from just sent me a variety of seeds. The kit came with the black locust, jacardia, black pine, black spruce, and delonis Rex (yes I read the thread on the kits) the new batch they sent me are Wisteria, Crepe mertyl, and “phoenix wood” which I just sent an email to them asking what that is because there’s too many different results.

Anyway, hello.

To make your bonsai journey easier, I would suggest you concentrate on native species from your area. Trying to grow a Ficus may be a bit of a stretch. Check out The Bonsai Zone. Nigel is from Canada, and you could pick up some tips from him.

 

[BeepBeepBonsaiSheep]

To make your bonsai journey easier, I would suggest you concentrate on native species from your area. Trying to grow a Ficus may be a bit of a stretch. Check out The Bonsai Zone. Nigel is from Canada, and you could pick up some tips from him.

This is what I went to. I’d love a maple or some other pine, but it just gets too hot here in the desert and I don’t have a place to protect them, so all my stuff is from the local nursery. If it can survive in people’s yards, it’s got good luck on my bench

 

[pandacular]

This is what I went to. I’d love a maple or some other pine, but it just gets too hot here in the desert and I don’t have a place to protect them, so all my stuff is from the local nursery. If it can survive in people’s yards, it’s got good luck on my bench

Someone else linked this list of plants from the Phoenix club, and I thought it was a really interesting resource. It might be of use to you as well.

LIST OF PLANTS AS BONSAI – Phoenix Bonsai Society

phoenixbonsai.com

 

[BeepBeepBonsaiSheep]

Someone else linked this list of plants from the Phoenix club, and I thought it was a really interesting resource. It might be of use to you as well.

LIST OF PLANTS AS BONSAI – Phoenix Bonsai Society

phoenixbonsai.com

Thanks for that. I have read something from their page, but not that specific list

One thing to keep in mind is Phoenix doesn’t get close to freezing whereas we do. I froze some bougainvillea and hibiscus before, so I know I can’t do anything tropical

A place with rare freezing could be sheltered for a night or two here and there, but we’ll get weeks of freezing night lows and I just don’t have anywhere to shelter them. Tried a cold frame one year, but the winter winds kept tearing it apart

 

[Zelmar]

Many people see bonsai and fall in love with a species that is difficult to keep and then come here and ask for advice on how to resurrect it, after the fact. Skip that first failure. As above said, find a species that will grow in your situation.

Great advice. I live in the Deep South. I’ve tried several times to grow Japanese larches and to no avail…EVER! Why is this such a problem?