No gardening experience at all .just would like more. Healthy knowledge!!!

[Ramman]

Trying my hardest to get nursery and Home Depot plants, judging wether. To keep in same pot and just let go,1 yr or should I do some pruning repot with good bonsai soil then put out for 1yr!!!! I am no familiar with plants and there seasons or zones. I live in st Augustine fl zone 9b end of march.

 

[Tums]

I think this article hits a lot of your questions: https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaibe.htm

 

[Gabler]

Trying my hardest to get nursery and Home Depot plants, judging wether. To keep in same pot and just let go,1 yr or should I do some pruning repot with good bonsai soil then put out for 1yr!!!! I am no familiar with plants and there seasons or zones. I live in st Augustine fl zone 9b end of march.

The short answer is, "it depends."

One of the biggest factors is the species. A ficus can handle all kinds of abuse, so you could pick one up, chop the roots, chop the trunk, and stick it in bonsai soil, and it should bounce back soon after. If you're trying to grow Japanese maples in the Florida heat, you're going to have trouble if you cut the roots right now, since the tree needs those roots to supply water to its leaves to keep it cool.

Check out the resources section of this site, and search for other old threads that provide advice for topics you're learning about. Many YouTube channels give poor advice, but a few are very good. Mirai and Esei-en are excellent. @leatherback and @Eric Schrader also have good channels.

 

[pandacular]

The best thing you can do to learn is find some local enthusiasts and start collaborating and learning from them. The Bonsai Society of Florida looks like a great resource, and I think North Florida Bonsai Club in Jacksonville is the nearest to you.

The next best thing you can do is just try out a bunch of things and see what works! I would advise mostly to pick either repotting OR styling (wiring and pruning) in a given season. If a tree is doing well in the fall after a repot, or in the spring after styling, you can do the next step.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Trying to learn everything at once is impossible. Each season, pick a broad topic that applies to your trees and focus on it. This season, maybe focus on repotting. next season fertilizing, next, wiring... so on and so forth.

A good rule is no more than one major offense a year. (repot, hard chops, drastic wiring, defoliation).