How to start? Recommendations?

[Brent99]

Hello everybody,

My name is Brent, 24 years old.
I've like most people been impressed by bonsais since a young age but never thought about starting.
But I rediscovered them last week in a Japanese garden documentary and started watching videos and tutorials.
This motivated me to learn more about it and start with planting sapling(s) in a few months.

But could you help me with a few questions please:

• Do you have some recommendations of free material/beginner guides (E-books, youtube videos etc.) or some tips.
• I really like the look of maple bonsais. Are they good for beginners or way to difficult? (I live in Belgium so its climate is similar of that of the UK)

Thank already!

Kind regards
Brent

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Well Brent, in a couple weeks there's this huge event in Genk, the biggest in Europe according to some, that's called The Trophy.
I bet you can get a bunch of advice, and books, and probably maples, at that show. I do have to note however, that the prices can be overwhelming sometimes. Don't expect to walk out of there with a nice tree if you spend less than 80 euros. My girlfriend was quite amazed that I paid 70 euros for a plant no larger than my hand.
If you're a shy person like me, and have trouble talking to relative strangers IRL, then I do recommend @leatherback his channel on youtube, I think it's called growing bonsai (with Jelle). If you miss something, let him know in the comments! He's always looking for more things to share. Then there's Eric Schrader who does awesome bitesize videos. Both Bonsai Mirai and Eisei-en are also pretty good in explanations, but they can be a bit desensitizing in the sense that these two guys work on well established and very advanced material sometimes.


Trident maples can be pretty cheap and I've heard they're easy to care for. Acer palmatum is more difficult but they can be done, by beginners too! If you're willing to pay for shipping from the Netherlands, I might be able to send you some trident seedlings if they germinate at all.

One of the most important things in bonsai is knowing plant health. The rest doesn't matter if your plants keep dying. You can be awesome at design but if it lasts just a couple weeks before the plant dies.. Yeah, the design is useless. You get good at plant health by killing a bunch of plants and writing down what went wrong, how they behaved and what actions you performed. Trial and error.
Also, googling before you do something and getting the timing right is also pretty important, it can save you a bunch of heartbreak. We're here to help, so if you plan on doing something: open a thread and people will probably give you some advice. Do add your location to your profile if you can, and also do post pictures! Threads with pictures have a higher response rate and they are answered more satisfactory because we know what we're dealing with.

Welcome to the hobby and have fun!

 

[Brent99]

Well Brent, in a couple weeks there's this huge event in Genk, the biggest in Europe according to some, that's called The Trophy.
I bet you can get a bunch of advice, and books, and probably maples, at that show. I do have to note however, that the prices can be overwhelming sometimes. Don't expect to walk out of there with a nice tree if you spend less than 80 euros. My girlfriend was quite amazed that I paid 70 euros for a plant no larger than my hand.
If you're a shy person like me, and have trouble talking to relative strangers IRL, then I do recommend @leatherback his channel on youtube, I think it's called growing bonsai (with Jelle). If you miss something, let him know in the comments! He's always looking for more things to share. Then there's Eric Schrader who does awesome bitesize videos. Both Bonsai Mirai and Eisei-en are also pretty good in explanations, but they can be a bit desensitizing in the sense that these two guys work on well established and very advanced material sometimes.


Trident maples can be pretty cheap and I've heard they're easy to care for. Acer palmatum is more difficult but they can be done, by beginners too! If you're willing to pay for shipping from the Netherlands, I might be able to send you some trident seedlings if they germinate at all.

One of the most important things in bonsai is knowing plant health. The rest doesn't matter if your plants keep dying. You can be awesome at design but if it lasts just a couple weeks before the plant dies.. Yeah, the design is useless. You get good at plant health by killing a bunch of plants and writing down what went wrong, how they behaved and what actions you performed. Trial and error.
Also, googling before you do something and getting the timing right is also pretty important, it can save you a bunch of heartbreak. We're here to help, so if you plan on doing something: open a thread and people will probably give you some advice. Do add your location to your profile if you can, and also do post pictures! Threads with pictures have a higher response rate and they are answered more satisfactory because we know what we're dealing with.

Welcome to the hobby and have fun!

Thanks for your advice!

Like you said, I first have to know how to keep the plants healthy etc. before doing the more difficult things like design.
That's why I want to start from a few seeds or saplings because that gives me more time to learn the different steps.
Without rushing everything and wasting money or even worse the bonsai. But thanks a lot for the offer.
I'm going to search for some seeds/saplings over here first but I'll keep your kind offer in mind! And I'll take a look at the sources you gave me!

Nogmaals bedankt voor je advies, ik ben er heel erg veel mee!

 

[dbonsaiw]

There's a bunch of good articles at https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/articles.htm to get you started.

 

[dbonsaiw]

My $0.02 on how to start is to just start. A Chinese elm or trident maple will work well. But it really doesn't matter. What I've learned in the my 3 years in bonsai is that there is only so much we can absorb from books and advice - we need to make mistakes and learn from them. Really no other way. It's not what newbies want to hear, but I viewed my first pieces of material as scratch paper for my "initial doodles".

I found it very helpful to view bonsai as kind of a 3 step - nebari (root flare), trunk and branches. We are working on nebari basically from day 1 and throughout the process. Much of what we are doing as newbies is growing the trunk. Developing branching is generally for once the trunk has been built (more or less). Until the trunk is further along, the branches are just fueling the tree.

Learn the basics of soil, watering and fertilizing and the relationship between the 3. Learn the main differences between deciduous, conifers and tropicals. Learn the specifics about the tree you want to work with. Learn about what these trees are doing during each season and what work can be done in these times (and why). Learn how to keep your tree(s) happy and healthy in each season. Learn the differences between life of trees in pots and trees in the ground.

 

[Ruddigger]

My advice, find a local club to join. Having a network of people to guide you and buy material is a huge advantage.

 

[Brent99]

Thanks a lot everybody! I'm a lot with all of your advice! The most important advice is "Learn how to keep your plants alive". I'll read as much about the topic as possible!

 

[hardtimes]

Buy yourself a Japanese maple already. Just get the regular one, not any of the varieties. A small one shouldn’t cost you much. Most Japanese maples are grafted, that’s something you’ll have to be careful of. In the first few years you won’t be practicing any difficult techniques on the tree until it gets bigger anyway, plenty of time to learn what you need to do

 

[leatherback]

huge event in Genk, the biggest in Europe according to some, that's called The Trophy.

Go Here.
Be intimidated by the trees there, and be inspired to learn how to do this. It really is an eye opener to understand the concept of bonsai. Study trees at these shows, really try to see where each branch comes from and how to artist built that tree. Genk might feel far away, but if you are into bonsai, it is worth every km of travel

 

[Shibui]

I second that trident maple is much easier to learn bonsai. Japanese maple seem to be a favorite but they have a number of difficulties for bonsai so not the best choice to begin with.
Growing from seed or seedlings is great fun but a very slow way to start bonsai. Need to wait 2-3 years before doing much more than water and transplant occasionally.
Many more bonsai are grown from larger trees that have been chopped to a stump.
By all means grow some seed but also keep an eye open for other opportunities to get hold of thicker trunks that you can cut down and transplant into a pot.

Juniper is another beginner favorite and you can actually do some trimming, wiring and shaping in the first year so can make you feel you are actually doing bonsai.

 

[eugenev2]

To add on to the comments and suggestions. I would rather suggest not going the seedling route, or at least not only to start with seedlings...you aren't going to learn bonsai by doing this, only growing plants in pots. Take this from someone that's been a beginner twice now. You don't have to get expensive material, but get something that has a few years on it already as growing seedling is much different to trees.

Other good suggestions for bonsai beginner videos on youtube is nigel saunders the bonsai zone, peter chan's herons, xavier's bonsai retreat, growing bonsai by jelle as suggested as well. Bluesky bonsai as well, unfortunately he doesn't post as often as some of the other, but the content is still good
I would suggest Eric Schrader, Bonsai Mirai and Eisei-en only when you have a few months under your belt as their content is more direct to intermediate and advance.

 

[Brent99]

Thanks a lot for the tips people! I'm going to watch some videos and read a book about it. And after that I'll start with seedlings and a plant of a few years old to learn more about how everything works.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

First, think about whether you have the time and resources to do this. Bonsai are about as demanding as children. You have to water them every day in the growing season, and when you are away on holiday you will need someone to take care of them. Ignore them for a day and they may die. Pots are not cheap, so consider taking up pottery so you can make your own. Learning how to care for them requires a major investment in time reading articles here, on internet websites, YouTube videos, and buying books. You also need tools, and fertilizer, and various insecticides, and fungicides just to keep them healthy. You’ll need some benches or stands to keep them up off the ground and away from dogs, and other animals. Chewing rodents will gnaw on them, birds will rip out your carefully manicured moss, and insects of all kinds will descend on them for a meal. The soil is not just garden soil but expensive bonsai soil. You’ll quickly find that anything prefixed with the word “bonsai” (e.g. pot, soil, tool, wire, fertilizer, etc.) will cost twice as much just because. In winter you’ll need a means to protect them from those cold North Sea winds, and in spring you will need to move them every day from a protected location such as a shed or garage to your outdoor benches, then back in again at night to protect them from late season freezes. If all of this appeals to you then go see a psychiatrist because you really are a bonsainut, and start looking for bonsai!

 

[Brent99]

First, think about whether you have the time and resources to do this. Bonsai are about as demanding as children. You have to water them every day in the growing season, and when you are away on holiday you will need someone to take care of them. Ignore them for a day and they may die. Pots are not cheap, so consider taking up pottery so you can make your own. Learning how to care for them requires a major investment in time reading articles here, on internet websites, YouTube videos, and buying books. You also need tools, and fertilizer, and various insecticides, and fungicides just to keep them healthy. You’ll need some benches or stands to keep them up off the ground and away from dogs, and other animals. Chewing rodents will gnaw on them, birds will rip out your carefully manicured moss, and insects of all kinds will descend on them for a meal. The soil is not just garden soil but expensive bonsai soil. You’ll quickly find that anything prefixed with the word “bonsai” (e.g. pot, soil, tool, wire, fertilizer, etc.) will cost twice as much just because. In winter you’ll need a means to protect them from those cold North Sea winds, and in spring you will need to move them every day from a protected location such as a shed or garage to your outdoor benches, then back in again at night to protect them from late season freezes. If all of this appeals to you then go see a psychiatrist because you really are a bonsainut, and start looking for bonsai!

That's true but nothing sounds fun if you only sum up the negative/ harder parts. You also get a lot of positive things in return. Plus a lot of what you mentioned are thing you just have to learn how to deal with it.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

That's true but nothing sounds fun if you only sum up the negative/ harder parts. You also get a lot of positive things in return. Plus a lot of what you mentioned are thing you just have to learn how to deal with it.

Well, since all you were getting was the good side I wanted to make sure you were aware of a few of the issues you may face down the road. It’s amazing how many posts we get from newbies asking why their new bonsai is dying, etc.

 

[Brent99]

Well, since all you were getting was the good side I wanted to make sure you were aware of a few of the issues you may face down the road. It’s amazing how many posts we get from newbies asking why their new bonsai is dying, etc.

I really appreciate your comment! Because it's indeed important to know all the points that you mentioned above (and probably even a lot more).
I have to be aware that it won't always be easy and that it takes a lot of time, perseverance and responsibility. But I'm sure that it'll still be a lot of fun.
But thank you for showing me the more difficult side of keeping bonsai. It's less fun to hear but very important to know!

 

[BrightsideB]

I think winter is a great time to start. It gives you time to read up and prepare to get a couple tree’s for spring. I really think finding a club or others involved in bonsai near by is good as others said.

You also learn from experience and practice. I think it’s normal for people to overwork a tree as a beginner. And there is a lack of knowledge and knowing what you can and can’t get away with doing. This takes time to learn. Specially if you aren’t taking first hand classes or working at a nursery with a professional.

 

[brentwood]

The beginner's section of those articles posted above (evergreen garden) is a great place to look around, I really appreciate his suggestion to get nursery stock and not work on roots, repotting initially. Local club is a good idea, finding shows, exhibits - seeing things up close, talking to artists always helpful.

Good luck,
Brent, not 24

 

[flor1]

My opinion only before buying a tree take a class or find a club to work with.
You’ll end up with better material and more knowledge which in the end will save time and money.

 

[Brent99]

I think winter is a great time to start. It gives you time to read up and prepare to get a couple tree’s for spring. I really think finding a club or others involved in bonsai near by is good as others said.

You also learn from experience and practice. I think it’s normal for people to overwork a tree as a beginner. And there is a lack of knowledge and knowing what you can and can’t get away with doing. This takes time to learn. Specially if you aren’t taking first hand classes or working at a nursery with a professional.

I was thinking the same. To learn a lot at the moment (theory) and start with practice in spring. But classes/a club are indeed very useful!