Advice on Starter Tree

[moved on]

Hi Everyone,

I'm headed to a Bonsai nursery for the first time on Sunday and I think it's highly unlikely that I will leave without a Bonsai...

I'd quite like to get some experience with a very young tree that I could have more control over shaping. This is the sort of stage of development I was thinking of (image from Herons Bonsai):



My question is, what species of tree do you think would make a good first starter tree for me? The tree will be grown outdoors but I live in London, so Sun can sometimes be in short supply. I like a novel tree so something that is full of character ideally.

Any thoughts are very welcome!

 

[eryk2kartman]

I would suggest to go for something that grows locally, look what grows around in the parks.
How long exposure to full sun do you have? How many hours? That would be a big factor to consider when picking the tree.

 

[moved on]

How long exposure to full sun do you have? How many hours? That would be a big factor to consider when picking the tree.

Recently, we've been having at least 7 hours of full Sun exposure (but there are odd days of very low exposure like today).

 

[cbroad]

Are you wanting to stick with conifers?

I would go with field maples, Japanese maples, hornbeams, elms, etc. All are very vigorous, do well in your area, are pretty forgiving when it comes to pruning and chopping, and don't necessarily need full sun.

Read some threads by @BobbyLane, he lives in London, and always turns out some remarkable trees. Grow what he grows!

 

[TN_Jim]

This time of year a rough boxwood can take some work/cuts and repotting if done with care. They also can handle shade. Beware of wiring approach with them -there was a recent thread and others here on wiring them.

 

[cbroad]

Maybe even private message Bobby, he sells a lot of good starter material (I think).

 

[Crawforde]

Whatever you choose, get a couple. And something different. Try to move slowly.
Otherwise you may love it to death.
I would love to get my hands on some of the trees Bobby has posted. If he has starter material I’d jump on it. Well maybe not on it, but close enough to pick it up and buy it.

 

[BobbyLane]

if youre close to south london i would check out Ken windy banks bonsai, or Andy at the bonsaished. Kens open sat n sun only. will need to give Andy a call beforehand his number is on the website https://www.thebonsaished.com/ prices are both a little better than herons. more friendly too. Andy has a lot of raw, native trees.

favourite trees i work on are hornbeam, beech, elms, zelkova, maples, fields maples

 

[GGB]

if that's the size you are looking for I would just pluck a seedling out of the ground. I love bonsai nurserys but I feel like you'll wind up paying more for material that size. just my two cents. Maybe things are different in the UK

 

[BobbyLane]

if that's the size you are looking for I would just pluck a seedling out of the ground. I love bonsai nurserys but I feel like you'll wind up paying more for material that size. just my two cents. Maybe things are different in the UK

at herons, for a spindly pine like that, he will defo end up overpaying.

 

[TomB]

at herons, for a spindly pine like that, he will defo end up overpaying.

100% agree.

My advice would be to go to Windybanks http://windybankbonsai.co.uk/ and buy a chinese elm for about £50. They’ll help you pick out a good one if you like. That will get you the best possible start in my view.

 

[Cosmos]

I'd quite like to get some experience with a very young tree that I could have more control over shaping.

Bonsai is all about "control over shaping", whether the tree is large or small, and 2 years old or 500 years old. That’s the whole game.

Growing a seedling into a nice mature-looking bonsai requires a lot of skill and time. If you visit a bonsai nursery, buy something that looks old already, and then learn how to shape/change it to your liking.

 

[bonsaichile]

Bonsai is all about "control over shaping", whether the tree is large or small, and 2 years old or 500 years old. That’s the whole game.

Growing a seedling into a nice mature-looking bonsai requires a lot of skill and time. If you visit a bonsai nursery, buy something that looks old already, and then learn how to shape/change it to your liking.

I agree. it seems to be a newbie mistake (that we all do) to think that one should start with seedlings. that is a recipe to lose interest in the hobby. Realize that if you have a seedling, it will be years until you can prune, etc. in all likelihood, you will fail to get the tree ready to become proper pre-bonsai material and, worse, after 5 years or so you would not have learn any bonsai techniques. far better, in my opinion, would be to go to a regular nursery and buy some promising raw stock and lern first how to keep it alive, and then how to wire, get it to backbud, select branches, graft, etc. it will be more rewarding and a better learning experience that will allow you, in those same 5 years that you'd be othetwise watching a seedling grow, get the skills necessary to get a more advanced (and expensive) tree. My 2 cents

 

[moved on]

100% agree.

My advice would be to go to Windybanks http://windybankbonsai.co.uk/ and buy a chinese elm for about £50. They’ll help you pick out a good one if you like. That will get you the best possible start in my view.

That is the nursery I'm going to! I've already got a Chinese Elm that I love and that I've been growing for a couple of years. I got it when it was about 8 years old for around that price as my first Bonsai from an online shop.

 

[moved on]

if youre close to south london i would check out Ken windy banks bonsai, or Andy at the bonsaished. Kens open sat n sun only. will need to give Andy a call beforehand his number is on the website https://www.thebonsaished.com/ prices are both a little better than herons. more friendly too. Andy has a lot of raw, native trees.

favourite trees i work on are hornbeam, beech, elms, zelkova, maples, fields maples

I've already had a chat with Ken from Windybank via email. He's been super helpful.

 

[moved on]

Are you wanting to stick with conifers?

No, I'm open to whatever will work best where I live.

 

[moved on]

I should have said, I've already got four trees that I've accumulated over the last two years - all around 7-8 years old. I love looking after my trees and have already learnt a lot about maintenance, wiring, shaping etc. but I also fancied trying my hand with a younger tree - I'm a sucker for a challenge.

Perhaps you're right though and I'd be better saving my money, getting a cutting of a tree and just growing from that. I'll have to do a bit of reading as I've never done that.

I've got a gorgeous Magnolia tree in my garden that I could take a cutting from. Do they work well as Bonsai?

 

[moved on]

Do you need "rooting hormones" to propagate a tree from a cutting? There seems to be uncertainty on the internet ... surprisingly ...

 

[bonsaichile]

I should have said, I've already got four trees that I've accumulated over the last two years - all around 7-8 years old. I love looking after my trees and have already learnt a lot about maintenance, wiring, shaping etc. but I also fancied trying my hand with a younger tree - I'm a sucker for a challenge.

Perhaps you're right though and I'd be better saving my money, getting a cutting of a tree and just growing from that. I'll have to do a bit of reading as I've never done that.

I've got a gorgeous Magnolia tree in my garden that I could take a cutting from. Do they work well as Bonsai?

I would be discouraged to try and bonsai a Magnolia tree just by looking at the size of its leaves and flowers. leaves might be reduced, but those flowers... although you never know..someone might have done it

 

[Paulpash]

If you're wanting a cheap bit of starter material that you want to develop from scratch why not search the garden centres? Pyracantha, maple, cotoneaster, potentilla, crab apple are just a few very suitable to bonsai.