Advice for an 'old' newbie back in the hobby again

[99 Mile Creek]

I'm back in the hobby after a few years away from my last bonsai dying. I'm still the newbie I was years ago. But I found this little guy on eBay from New World Bonsai. I'm not a fan of s-shaped bonsai, personally, and love the straight trunk and broom style bonsai. This one seems like a good start, compared to other available elms that I found and also that fit my budget. I know it's been in its pot since last year and the photo was a year ago, so there should be some more growth -- very excited for it to arrive!

Specs: Height: 10" Width: 11" Trunk Diameter: 1.25" Nebari (root spread): 3"
I want to promote more trunk growth and maybe a little more height, though I'm not sure what height I should reach for (15 inches)?

After it gets acclimated from Florida to its new home in Kentucky -- zone 6, should I re-pot it in a bonsai pot, or leave it in the nursery pot for trunk growth?
I was instructed to find a mentor (or bonsai club). Where that's great advice, it doesn't seem like there is anything conveniently close to me or available immediately for instruction, but I'll try to attend a course when I can. It doesn't sound like the elm needs any immediate attention, upon speaking with New World Bonsai (very nice gentleman, BTW). I'll have to wait to get hands on it to look at its roots, which I will also need to look into how a bonsai looks when it's root bound to begin with.
That being said, is there a good all-around bonsai soil recommended in the meantime if/when it needs to be re-potted? I also have a few junipers, a Japanese maple I found on clearance I cut to size, and have a boxwood I recovered from a bad winter -- all currently in nursery pots to promote more growth (I hope) before placing in a bonsai pot. At least I think this is what I should do. I'm not sure if keeping in a bonsai pot slows growth or not, but I feel it would due to restricting root growth and what I;ve read in the past.

One of them (boxwood) for sure needs a better soil mix, as it holds water and isn't draining as it should.
Tl;dr Sorry for the lengthy post. Any advice any on when I should replace soil and what kind to use for Chinese elm, Japanese maple, and juniper nana, when to move from nursery pot to traditional bonsai pot, and how to grow thick trunk best -- I'd appreciate any info. Thanks, everyone!

 

[TrevorLarsen]

Welcome. With the leaves already fully out I would wait to repot until next spring. You want to do it just as the tree is waking up in spring. For growing out stock I use a mix of 70% perlite 30% coco coir. Make sure you sift the perlite and remove all the dust. I also use a top dressing of sphagnum moss so when you water you don’t move the perlite.

 

[We're all Mad Here...🎩]

Welcome back to the hobby, it can be frustrating when times get tough or you see little progress. My advice is this, and I say it very politely, especially as a relative noob myself. Many of the questions you're asking can be found on the forum, and in doing so, you'll oftentimes discover even more information about topics you're interested in. It's fun to ask questions and get responses, so don't think I'm discouraging that, but the insight gleaned from scouring the forums can be great.

Lastly, in my opinion, there's nothing less satisfying for me than buying a young starter tree that's been started by other hands. Inevitably, in this hobby, more often than not, the acquisition of a butt-ton of nursery material on the cheap(ish) provides the framework for learning, failing and growing as a hobbyist. As you desire, and as @Leo in N E Illinois once told me, buy trees that are in all ranges of completion so you have different ranges of learning experience.

Maybe it's just me, but come springtime, there is nothing more fun than terrorizing every HD I can drive to, to get in on the early fresh material. Theres something like a great rush I get when I see a nice juniper with a bit of movement, and think just what that tree could become years down the line. Half the time I think the HD staff thinks I'm a lunatic picking up every plant and inspecting it's trunk, setting 20 them off to the side for final appraisal, and then only leaving with a few of the best selections after an hour. A few days ago this happened in the pouring rain in maryland for an hour when the first nursery carts had yet to be put out, and today was also no exception as the only person in the garden center in the drizzle rain, in a military uniform, on my lunch break, digging through junipers like a psychopath.

Anyway, sorry for the long post, best of luck, enjoy the hunt, and stick with it...and yes, for a thick trunk to grow, a bonsai pot won't get you very far at all.

 

[99 Mile Creek]

Welcome. With the leaves already fully out I would wait to repot until next spring. You want to do it just as the tree is waking up in spring. For growing out stock I use a mix of 70% perlite 30% coco coir. Make sure you sift the perlite and remove all the dust. I also use a top dressing of sphagnum moss so when you water you don’t move the perlite.

Thank you! The person I spoke to sounded as though it would be fine whatever direction I decided, but I think letting it grow and leaving it alone was what they were alluding to. I'll let it be and wait till next spring for sure.

Great info on the soil. I'll jot it down and at the very least get the drowning boxwood into safer territory. Thanks!

Welcome back to the hobby, it can be frustrating when times get tough or you see little progress. My advice is this, and I say it very politely, especially as a relative noob myself. Many of the questions you're asking can be found on the forum, and in doing so, you'll oftentimes discover even more information about topics you're interested in. It's fun to ask questions and get responses, so don't think I'm discouraging that, but the insight gleaned from scouring the forums can be great.

Lastly, in my opinion, there's nothing less satisfying for me than buying a young starter tree that's been started by other hands. Inevitably, in this hobby, more often than not, the acquisition of a butt-ton of nursery material on the cheap(ish) provides the framework for learning, failing and growing as a hobbyist. As you desire, and as @Leo in N E Illinois once told me, buy trees that are in all ranges of completion so you have different ranges of learning experience.

Maybe it's just me, but come springtime, there is nothing more fun than terrorizing every HD I can drive to, to get in on the early fresh material. Theres something like a great rush I get when I see a nice juniper with a bit of movement, and think just what that tree could become years down the line. Half the time I think the HD staff thinks I'm a lunatic picking up every plant and inspecting it's trunk, setting 20 them off to the side for final appraisal, and then only leaving with a few of the best selections after an hour. A few days ago this happened in the pouring rain in maryland for an hour when the first nursery carts had yet to be put out, and today was also no exception as the only person in the garden center in the drizzle rain, in a military uniform, on my lunch break, digging through junipers like a psychopath.

Anyway, sorry for the long post, best of luck, enjoy the hunt, and stick with it...and yes, for a thick trunk to grow, a bonsai pot won't get you very far at all.

I understand completely. I'll peruse the forums a bit more to gather more info. And you're not discouraging in the least. I just wanted to show off the new elm and finally made an account.

I can see how not starting a bonsai from its very beginning could be veiwed like that. In time, I'm sure I will too. Interesting take on different stages of bonsai. I certainly enjoy tending to them and won't pass on that advice -- I'm no spring chicken anymore.

I had a laugh at, "...staff thinks I'm a lunatic picking up every plant and inspecting it's trunk..." as this is also me from time to time. Can't say I've experienced it in the pouring rain yet...but never say never.

No worries at all. It's always great to hear from someone with similar interests. I'm an oddball in my small community, I feel sometimes, so it's good to hear your experiences and take on everything. And sounds like I'll be leaving them in their nursery pots a little longer then. Thanks for the information and encouragement!

 

[19Mateo83]

Welcome to the nut house!… and…

 

[99 Mile Creek]

Welcome to the nut house!… and…
View attachment 537736

Thank you for the warm welcome!

And you've reminded me to give my furry friend, Thor, some much-needed pets.

 

[pandacular]

It looks like you’ve got some really good stock to give back in to bonsai with! I’m hopeful that you’ll stick around and keep us updated on your garden. I think starting with a mix of materials, some or even most of it already prepared and worked by others for the purpose of bonsai is one of the most important things you can do to accelerate both your learning and results.

I was instructed to find a mentor (or bonsai club). Where that's great advice, it doesn't seem like there is anything conveniently close to me or available immediately for instruction, but I'll try to attend a course when I can.

I think that conventions or similar events are a great way to meet this need with no local options, if you can manage the travel and time away. Bonsai Central is coming up in May in St Louis, and I understand some of the organziers are members of this forum. Chicago seems to have one or two big events a year. I know Cincinnati has an active club, and I’m sure the big cities in Kentucky have them as well.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Welcome home my friend.

 

[99 Mile Creek]

It looks like you’ve got some really good stock to give back in to bonsai with! I’m hopeful that you’ll stick around and keep us updated on your garden. I think starting with a mix of materials, some or even most of it already prepared and worked by others for the purpose of bonsai is one of the most important things you can do to accelerate both your learning and results.


I think that conventions or similar events are a great way to meet this need with no local options, if you can manage the travel and time away. Bonsai Central is coming up in May in St Louis, and I understand some of the organziers are members of this forum. Chicago seems to have one or two big events a year. I know Cincinnati has an active club, and I’m sure the big cities in Kentucky have them as well.

I'm very excited about all the materials as well! It's certainly more than I've juggled before, but it's a good time for me to take more on, as I need things to occupy my mind. A BRT was added to the mix as well and my daughter is learning with me.

I'll have to look into some conventions then. I'll bring pen and paper and a few bonsais, if I can.

I finally received the elm. It's bursting with growth. I'll have my hands full pruning this summer.

 

[pandacular]

It's certainly more than I've juggled before, but it's a good time for me to take more on, as I need things to occupy my mind.

In my first half year or so doing this, I had about 3 trees, and one of them was really just a stick in a pot (wired into a pig's tail, of course). I've found now that that number is about 10x, my trees actually get a much more healthy balance of attention. When there were just a small handful of trees, they go overworked halfway to death!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Welcome back!

I had an s-shaped Chinese elm once... and then I did this to it

 

[99 Mile Creek]

In my first half year or so doing this, I had about 3 trees, and one of them was really just a stick in a pot (wired into a pig's tail, of course). I've found now that that number is about 10x, my trees actually get a much more healthy balance of attention. When there were just a small handful of trees, they go overworked halfway to death!

Ha! Yeah, I pruned my first jade to death and overwatered another, years ago and see the wisdom in that. I plan to get a few more before the summer is out.

 

[99 Mile Creek]

Welcome back!

I had an s-shaped Chinese elm once... and then I did this to it

View attachment 539549

View attachment 539551

View attachment 539555

And a beautiful tree it turned out being. I have nothing against the s-shape, I too have one -- just love the broom style/traditional upright.

Yours turned out great! Was this a happy accident or is this by design and the function for the s-shaped trees, so they might achieve this one day?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Yours turned out great! Was this a happy accident or is this by design and the function for the s-shaped trees, so they might achieve this one day?

I just had it sitting in a weed-covered pot for several years because I really didn't like it. Finally I decided that I was never going to be happy with the lack of taper and the fake curves, so I cut off the top of the tree and all of the branches with the exception of the stub of one branch - which in turn became the new trunk line. The tree today has very cool bark, and I've been working on improving its surface roots.

 

[99 Mile Creek]

I just had it sitting in a weed-covered pot for several years because I really didn't like it. Finally I decided that I was never going to be happy with the lack of taper and the fake curves, so I cut off the top of the tree and all of the branches with the exception of the stub of one branch - which in turn became the new trunk line. The tree today has very cool bark, and I've been working on improving its surface roots.

View attachment 539561

That bark is amazing, you're right. It was simply an uncut gem before now.