Most common beginner mistakes

[Shibui]

Starting at the inside with foliage removal, clipping away everything and leaving the outside.

Poodle cut!

 

[rockm]

Discounting "the rules" of bonsai design/horticulture/collection/etc because "I'm a rebel" and following rules is for chumps. Shows a complete misunderstanding of the rules and being a rebel.

Feeling you have "to do" something to your tree all the time. Constant futzing with a tree kills it(misting, trimming, moving).

 

[leatherback]

Assuming that traditional horticulture is all that is needed to know for bonsai.

This links in with one of the massive discussions I have had with someone who stated that people who do not know horticulture should not start with bonsai. My point was indeed: It is just part of bonsai. So learning as you go can work quite well.

 

[leatherback]

I linked some videos that show case some of the ideas I mentioned as well as @leatherback talking about this sort of error.

Did you mean to link this video?

 

[bluone23]

- styling a weak tree
- repoting every year
- not tying the tree in the pot

 

[PaulH]

Trying to learn by watching Nigel whatshisname or Bonsai Heirloom on YouTube.
Not joining a bonsai club.
Not finding a teacher/mentor.

 

[Oboedatree]

Over watering.
Under watering.
Both in turn.
Getting bored and forgetting to care for the tree.
Purchasing weak trees and then attempting to work them before recovery.

I’ve made all of these mistakes, and I know people who’ve been doing bonsai a long time who still make them.

i have some houseplants and have these same issues (to an extent) always the simplest problems that can be easely

Outside of the commonly listed mistakes, I think one of the biggest mistakes a bigger can make is practicing refinement techniques when the should be performing structural work.

I sort of fell into this mistake myself even when I was trying to avoid it. Just this year, I took a hard look at my trees and realized quite of few of them still needed major structural work to build the correct taper and branch thicknesses.

What I mostly mean by this mistake is leaving "as recieved" branches (nursery stock, collect, etc.) and removing the smaller twigs or adventurous buds. This leaves branches that are either too thick or will be too thick in the near future in accordance with the main trunk. Making for an awkward and young looking tree.

By removing the larger branches, you instead focus on the smaller and newer growth to begin building your branches for ramification/division close to the trunk and the thickness years down the line will look more appropriate.

Another aspect of this mistake is working on secondary/tertiary division when the branch is way too long and/or thick for the eventual composition.

The easiest summery of the mistake is essentially, pruning and working in the tree with a short-term outlook (as in thinking and planning for the next year or two) instead of working of a tree with a long-term mindset. Making a tree "good-ish" now instead of amazing years down the road.

I linked some videos that show case some of the ideas I mentioned as well as @leatherback talking about this sort of error. If he jumps in here, he can probably speak more on the points he talked about.

Part One of Eric's video on a beginner mistake

Part Two showing a follow up on what the trees looked like later on.

Leatherback's Video coming across this mistake

thanks so much! Watched these and they were way easier to understand than I expected.

 

[just.wing.it]

definantly going to make a calendar of all the times to do these.

Watering on a timed schedule = likely too much water.
Gotta learn to water when they need it.

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

Trying to learn by watching Nigel whatshisname or Bonsai Heirloom on YouTube.
Not joining a bonsai club.
Not finding a teacher/mentor.

I have no argument with this, but a question. What would you recommend for someone who lives in a bonsai desert, 5ish hours from any club or semi-legitimate bonsai nursery? I would love to do this, but there's nobody I know within at least 100 miles who even has any knowledge of bonsai at all. In my current situation, it's not feasible for me to travel with my family, or to leave my wife at home with my Asperger's son for extended times. If her health improves, it may become an option, but for now, this forum is my mentor. Definitely open to suggestions!
This wasn't supposed to sound whiny, so I must apologize; I really am looking for guidance.

 

[Gabler]

Watering on a timed schedule = likely too much water.
Gotta learn to water when they need it.

I've yet to hear any advice on how to manage that when you have a job.

 

[dbonsaiw]

ooooh, I have a list:

1 - starting with poor material that will likely never be a nice bonsai (even in expert hands)
2 - working with species that are not right for their climate/not right for bonsai altogether
3 - Not having a game plan for their tree (and then either growing wildly or cutting too hard)
4 - expecting to water on a schedule
5 - not appreciating the actually timeline trajectory of bonsai
6 - not having some sort of variety (can't just have seedlings and expect to stay interested)
7 - not taking the time to study other bonsai (and then being somewhat clueless on design possibilities)
8 - wanting to break rules before even knowing what the rules are
9 - underestimating the time and skill that went into that tree you admire (no, a newbie can't do that)
10 - Being scared to fail/kill & ruin trees (and, therefore, not experimenting or learning or pushing one's boundaries)
11 - Believing that if one didn't grow from seed/seedling, the tree really isn't your creation (very wrong)
12 - expecting hard and fast answers for every issue (it depends)

 

[leatherback]

I've yet to hear any advice on how to manage that when you have a job.

You missed a thread I think.

Bring your bonsai to work day.

 

[just.wing.it]

I've yet to hear any advice on how to manage that when you have a job.

I didn't say it was easy.
It's not easy.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

what the most common beginner mistakes are

Others may have already mentioned it above -- sure buy a tree or two and have fun, kill it, but I tell all beginners to invest in yourself first - invest a lot more in yourself than in your material! Learning bonsai is like learning a language, immersion is best:

- Expose yourself to as many bonsai as possible through pictures and in-person visits to nurseries, exhibitions, and public collections. Take the time to appreciate each tree. Think about how that trunk line came to be. Look at where the branches are located. Don't fall for pretty silhouettes, and don't go in thinking everything is beautiful. Every tree has faults. Every tree can be improved. Distinguish species and build category distinctions. A pyracantha is not expected to look like maple. An ume is not expected to look like a pine.

- Make time in your day, every day, for bonsai. Only have 30 minutes, then 30 minutes it is. When I learn a language, I try to do 15 minutes every hour at first. For bonsai, I might do two 1-hour sessions per day. How to use that hour? Browse this forum, blogs, youtube, magazines, etc.

- Find good teachers - today, we have the luxury of learning simultaneously in-person and online. Join a local club, take their courses, find a mentor, but also subscribe to online teaching (e.g Bonsai Empire, Mirai Live), read blogs (e.g. Bonsai Tonight, Michael Hagedorn), get your hands on magazines, books, etc.

- Find casual conversation partners - I have 4-5 buddies that I talk bonsai with every day. I learn something new from them every day. They also keep my spirits open. I chose to specialize in Japanese species. When they talk about North American species, I listen just the same. I like 90's kokufu aesthetics, they like Hagedorn and Ryan Neil and Walter Pall and when they talk about it I listen just the same. There is always something to learn. We trade pictures of trees every day. When I send them a picture it doesn't have to be staged like it I would for social media. We see each other's real trees. We give each other real feedback positive and negative. Nobody is shy and it's always taken the right way

 

[Oboedatree]

ooooh, I have a list:

1 - starting with poor material that will likely never be a nice bonsai (even in expert hands)
2 - working with species that are not right for their climate/not right for bonsai altogether
3 - Not having a game plan for their tree (and then either growing wildly or cutting too hard)
4 - expecting to water on a schedule
5 - not appreciating the actually timeline trajectory of bonsai
6 - not having some sort of variety (can't just have seedlings and expect to stay interested)
7 - not taking the time to study other bonsai (and then being somewhat clueless on design possibilities)
8 - wanting to break rules before even knowing what the rules are
9 - underestimating the time and skill that went into that tree you admire (no, a newbie can't do that)
10 - Being scared to fail/kill & ruin trees (and, therefore, not experimenting or learning or pushing one's boundaries)
11 - Believing that if one didn't grow from seed/seedling, the tree really isn't your creation (very wrong)
12 - expecting hard and fast answers for every issue (it depends)

this is going in the notebook, thanks!

 

[Oboedatree]

Others may have already mentioned it above -- sure buy a tree or two and have fun, kill it, but I tell all beginners to invest in yourself first - invest a lot more in yourself than in your material! Learning bonsai is like learning a language, immersion is best:

- Expose yourself to as many bonsai as possible through pictures and in-person visits to nurseries, exhibitions, and public collections. Take the time to appreciate each tree. Think about how that trunk line came to be. Look at where the branches are located. Don't fall for pretty silhouettes, and don't go in thinking everything is beautiful. Every tree has faults. Every tree can be improved. Distinguish species and build category distinctions. A pyracantha is not expected to look like maple. An ume is not expected to look like a pine.

- Make time in your day, every day, for bonsai. Only have 30 minutes, then 30 minutes it is. When I learn a language, I try to do 15 minutes every hour at first. For bonsai, I might do two 1-hour sessions per day. How to use that hour? Browse this forum, blogs, youtube, magazines, etc.

- Find good teachers - today, we have the luxury of learning simultaneously in-person and online. Join a local club, take their courses, find a mentor, but also subscribe to online teaching (e.g Bonsai Empire, Mirai Live), read blogs (e.g. Bonsai Tonight, Michael Hagedorn), get your hands on magazines, books, etc.

- Find casual conversation partners - I have 4-5 buddies that I talk bonsai with every day. I learn something new from them every day. They also keep my spirits open. I chose to specialize in Japanese species. When they talk about North American species, I listen just the same. I like 90's kokufu aesthetics, they like Hagedorn and Ryan Neil and Walter Pall and when they talk about it I listen just the same. There is always something to learn. We trade pictures of trees every day. When I send them a picture it doesn't have to be staged like it I would for social media. We see each other's real trees. We give each other real feedback positive and negative. Nobody is shy and it's always taken the right way

so many notes to take here, thanks a ton!

 

[Cmd5235]

Not being humble and taking offense when someone with years of experience offers advice that may be counter to your perceptions or plans. It’s nothing personal about you, it’s about what’s best for the tree to give you the best possible future with it. Trust the process, trust experience, and don’t be afraid of big changes. It’s a living art.

 

[PaulH]

What would you recommend for someone who lives in a bonsai desert, 5ish hours from any club

Subscribe to Bonsai Mirai and Bjorn's Bonsai U.

Follow Facebook Bonsai Auctions to seek out good material only after you have learned how to recognize potential. Caveat... much of the stuff on auctions is overpriced.

Check out GSBF's zoom demos and also those from ABAS

 

[Oboedatree]

Not being humble and taking offense when someone with years of experience offers advice that may be counter to your perceptions or plans. It’s nothing personal about you, it’s about what’s best for the tree to give you the best possible future with it. Trust the process, trust experience, and don’t be afraid of big changes. It’s a living art.

Gotta admit I was guilty with this in a lot of other hobbies, here it feels so easy to take in new info and correct old ideas. Thanks!

 

[Glaucus]

This links in with one of the massive discussions I have had with someone who stated that people who do not know horticulture should not start with bonsai. My point was indeed: It is just part of bonsai. So learning as you go can work quite well.

I'd agree with that person. How can you grow a certain species as a bonsai if you do not know how to grow it in the most basic way?
Many people in the bonsai hobby are only interested in growing bonsai. Which is understandable. But it also leads some of them to think they are above horticulture. And they start to pretend the two are separated things.
You need to know all the horticultural stuff. Plus a few additional steps.

It is a bit like those mountaineers that are only interested in climbing Everest. And everything else is below them and a waste of time. Rather than people who just want to climb their local hills, then travel to see more hills, then go to mountains. And when they have done a bunch, they may want to do Everest. Or those who start running with the sole goal to run a marathon.