NEW TO THIS HOW DO I GET STARTED?

[DeepSouth]

I recommend getting a variety of trees at different stages of development. This will ensure that you always have something to keep you busy. Pre-bonsai are an affordable way to get a tree that can become a decent bonsai within a few years. This is a good way to learn a variety of chopping, wiring, and pruning techniques. Nursery stock can sometimes work, but I prefer trees that are already setup for bonsai life. Start some seeds too - these will take a decade or more to be anything of note but it's fun and does not require many resources. I will also say, after you feel confident that you can keep trees alive and healthy, you could consider purchasing one or two more developed trees at a price point that will not upset you too badly if the trees die or you mess up. These will help you learn the more delicate pruning techniques.

Some trees will die. It's part of the game.

 

[Shibui]

I am more interested in finding and/or growing my own tree than buying an established bonsai. I am not sure if that's the best idea or not. I figure I would rather make my mistakes on something that I have put time into rather than something I put to much money into.

As mentioned earlier, each person will have different means and goals. Those will affect how and where they start. Each different starting point will have it's own pros and cons. I definitely appreciate developing my own trees. I can take credit for all the mistakes in the trees I own. Where you start is entirely up to you.

I have some kind of Juniper ground cover/bush (I think) that the previous owner of the house let get fairly over grown. I am thinking that I will try to collect a couple pieces with roots to start off my exterior collection.

Whether it will transplant easily will depend on what it is as will timing and any preparatory work. Whether it will be easier or harder to convert to bonsai will depend on what it actually is. It may or may not have pieces with roots. That's something you'll need to check.

I am hoping to purchase some smaller trees to grow in larger pots I was thinking the following:

• Dawn Redwood (always been something that I have wanted not sure if its a great idea)
• Tamarack
• A maple tree - open to suggestions
• would love some other suggestions as well

Dawn redwood makes good bonsai but not the easiest or quickest to develop good trunk and branching. Bald cypress is the US native equivalent.
Maples make great bonsai but I'd suggest starting with trident maple. Japanese maple does have 'Japanese' in the name but they are much more demanding of growing conditions and pruning to produce a good bonsai. Tridents grow quicker and respond to pruning better so if it's not looking great just cut off and start over. Move on to JM after your skills improve.
Junipers are firm worldwide favorites and can produce reasonably good beginner bonsai from readily available nursery material without the time and hassle of chop and grow that's usually needed to develop deciduous bonsai.
Chinese elm is another hardy and forgiving species that suits beginner skills but will probably need winter protection in Montana.
Look to some of your native pines too. Pines require different skills but make great bonsai. Also exotic species like Japanese Black pine.

 

[rockm]

The best way to start bonsai is to actually get a bonsai...Beginners (me included way back when) figure they want to develop trees from seedlings/seeds so they "can make their own mistakes." Admirable stance in theory, but in practice, not so much. Beginning bonsai is not about development of trees per se. It is about learning how to keep them alive THEN developing them. That first step --caring for the tree--is a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Without actual experience in caring for a tree in bonsai soil, in the location you've chosen, you're wandering around in territory without a map and you wind up in bad places a lot.

If I were beginning again, I'd opt to get a developed or semi-developed example of the species you're interested in and learn to keep it alive for a year. Doesn't have to be a rize winning example, just something that already has a root system adapted to containers and a relatively substantial trunk. Get some experience in how the tree responds to your conditions and care. Species choice is critical ("indoor" species are mostly tropical-ficus, schefflera, while "outdoor" trees are temperate climate species maple, juniper, pine, elm) Trying to adapt outdoor to indoor is a doomed effort.

Watering is the most difficult thing to learn. It's not just dumping water on dirt. It's learning when and how to to that (it changes throughout the year and as the tree grows) with bonsai soil media takes some time.

Seeds and seedlings are fine. They can be rewarding, but it's worth noting that the trees you admire were probably not created directly from seed by the grower. More likely those examples were cut down from larger stock and worked from there.

 

[StruggleBus]

Ok. I went out a few days back and got a very small willow leaf ficus and then I got a weeping fig yesterday. When I got the first one, the person who helped me at the nursery potted the tree. They said that it should stay in standard potting soil? Is this right? I have not put the weeping fig in a pot yet was curious what the recommended soil would be.

 

[Gabler]

Standard potting soil causes problems in shallow pots. Check the resources tab for more information on soil physics.

Most nursery employees are not very knowledgeable about plants. They get shipments of plants from wholesalers, and they know enough to keep the plants alive until resold to retail customers. It is more common for the owners to know what they're doing, but even that can be hit or miss, and knowledge of nursery growing does not always translate well to bonsai.

 

[rockm]

Ok. I went out a few days back and got a very small willow leaf ficus and then I got a weeping fig yesterday. When I got the first one, the person who helped me at the nursery potted the tree. They said that it should stay in standard potting soil? Is this right? I have not put the weeping fig in a pot yet was curious what the recommended soil would be.

Fwiw sellers of mass produced bonsai (which come from pop up stores, roadside sellers and online florists) mostly don’t really know how to care for what they sell. They’re just sales. Most plant bonsai in bad soil (because of ignorance mainly) and sell the tree which means they don’t have to deal with the consequence of their use of inappropriate soils/pots/etc

Bonsai soil is necessary for the long term health of trees in small containers. It drains well but retains water and allows air exchange at the roots (yes roots like air to remain healthy. Potting soil is made to retain water in volume. If it is too dense for use in shallow pots

 

[dbonsaiw]

Welcome aboard. I'm also in NYC and, as others have mentioned, it is advisable to pick species that will be comfortable in our climate. The good news is that many species can be grown in our neck of the woods and they appreciate the winter. If you are interested in tropicals, those can be rotated inside depending on the season. Otherwise, you have a ton of trees to choose from.

Developing bonsai is not only a very time intensive process, but there is a good deal of skill and experience needed to get to (and maintain) a nice product. My advice would be to get some material you can work on and that you aren't wedded to, so that you can learn and make your mistakes. Most importantly, you need to be able to keep your tree alive - you just can't develop a dead tree. That means getting used to watering, moving away from potting soil to a mix that is more appropriate, learning to fertilize and also to overwinter your tree. And with young material, that may be just about all you are doing for years to come.

Repotting is an essential skill, not just to keep the tree healthy, but because the nebari is so fundamental to the design and look of the tree.

Next, understanding how to prune the branches and trunk and the somewhat associated act of wiring branches. Here, we are learning the tree's responses and using these responses to get the material into a bonsai.

Lately, I find myself studying Kokufu trees - branch placement, taper, movement and canopy formation. Personally, I find it difficult to decide on my next moves without having somewhat of an understanding of what my potential options are. And I have a much easier time visualizing this from an award winning tree, as opposed to the mess of branches and chops I am usually working with.

Airlayering and thread grafting are two other important skills to learn - they will give you much greater control over formation and also provide you with additional material to work with for free.

Healing wounds.

And finally, how to maintain our "finished" trees as pristine little creations with pinching etc.