Been Reading....

[whfarro]

.... As far as location, I'm in the Southeast.

L.O.G.,
You were very quick to "bump" this thread to push members for advice, so why not follow what many have said. From the very first response folks have asked you to update
your profile, yet it is still not done. Without knowing where you are and in what climate zone we can be of only marginal assistance. You say here you are in the Southeast, well that covers a pretty wide spread. Conditions in NC are quite different from GA or FLA. This impacts much of what we suggest and how we guide you.

 

[LEAVESOFGRASS]

Sorry if I don't like to give out my location to a bunch of people who I'm just getting to know. I'm in the state of Alabama.

I really didn't know it was that important. Are you the Mr. Miyagi of bonsainut or something?

 

[Nybonsai12]

Nobody is asking for your street address. It is asked because it is needed to determine what zone you are in as plants are classified by what zones they are hardy in.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

 

[LEAVESOFGRASS]

I'm in zone 8a.

 

[DougB]

Legitimate???

 

[markyscott]

Buy a couple of ficus. They're hard to kill. Learn to repot this summer and involve yourself in the daily routine of caring for your plant. Practice how to water, prune, fertilize, wire, etc... Ficus are great because they put out lots of growth and will give you lots of opportunities to practice. Grow them in full sun - so they'll need water frequently.

They're inexpensive and you can use them to practice some of the techniques of bonsai creation and development you'll read about.

In your zone you'll be able to grow the, outside 10 months a year or so - protect them from frosts and when temps dip below freezing.

Scott

 

[LEAVESOFGRASS]

Thank you!! Scott that's exactly what I was looking for. What are your thoughts on Juniper and(or) pines? Heard those two can be easy and a great way to start.

DougB - I don't know what that means.

 

[coh]

Sorry if I don't like to give out my location to a bunch of people who I'm just getting to know. I'm in the state of Alabama.

I really didn't know it was that important. Are you the Mr. Miyagi of bonsainut or something?

You also started off by asking for advice on where to go for lessons. How can someone possibly give that kind of advice without even a general idea where you're located? That's another reason people kept asking.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens has their annual Cherry Boossom Festival tomorrow; 10-4. The Alabama Bonsai Society will be there, at the bonsai pavilion in the Japanese Garden to show trees, answer questions, and promote our club. If you are interested in making an investment in yourself and a commitment to the hobby, I cannot recommend this highly enough. I moved 4 trees into the pavilion today, and we should have 45-50 on display by the morning.

 

[LEAVESOFGRASS]

Brian- I actually saw that is going to be tomorrow. I wish I could go, but unfortunately, I won't be able to make it. Hopefully they have one in the coming weeks. Thanks is for all the words of advise!

Consensus that Ficuses are the best way to start? Buddy started with Juniper, but I wanted y'all's take on that.

 

[GrimLore]

Consensus that Ficuses are the best way to start? Buddy started with Juniper, but I wanted y'all's take on that.

Depends on you honest. If you have been able to grow indoor plants and/or outdoor plants Ficus are easy. Junipers really grow ok if not "worked" a lot until they settle in. You have a decent growing season for a lot of species. Azalea comes to mind as well as most any fruit tree...

Grimmy

NOTE - It would be a lot easier if you added that 8B and Alabama where your Avatar shows so it can be seen by old guys like be when we browse a thread.

 

[markyscott]

Juniper are great also. But you should probably wait until fall to repot. Don't wire in spring. And watch out for spider mites. You can get a couple of those too - keep them in the full sun, like the ficus, but they won't require winter protection.

Scott

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Brian- I actually saw that is going to be tomorrow. I wish I could go, but unfortunately, I won't be able to make it. Hopefully they have one in the coming weeks.

Tomorrow's is an annual festival, but the bonsai club has its annual bonsai show on 5/16-17 at the BBG auditorium...same place we meet on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7:00 PM.

Start with whatever you can reasonably keep alive, and read, and practice, and work with people who have nice trees. Alabama really has some talented bonsai artists. Working in person will advance you much further and faster than hanging out here with this sketchy crowd ;-)

 

[0soyoung]

Consensus that Ficuses are the best way to start?

If a ficus interests you, then start with a ficus.

I started with a potentilla from our landscape. Then I potted a volunteer seedling I found in our garden and from there I went to air layering a japanese maple and then onward to relayering that air layer, doing more air layers and more air layers .... Several odd things happened in this process which led to me taking a deep dive into tree physiology. Now I am finally trying to make bonsai (art is hard). I've had, and continue to have, more fun than any human is entitled to have.

My point is grow what interests you. Otherwise it will just be a pit of drudgery into which to pour money.

On the outside chance you are just trying to please me, stay away from ficus. Get some mountain hemlock seeds, instead, because it would please me to know what is involved and how it differs from the well-known methods for raising P. thunbergii for bonsai.

 

[Giga]

Blogs are good too, find the blog thread here and theres a month worth of reading right there.

 

[Smoke]

Redwood Ryan, I knew there would be posters like you on here. Don't click on the thread if you don't have anything positive to add.

You won't last a year if you try to steer this place. Relax and have fun. There is a guy here who is relentless with new people. You don't want to piss him off.

 

[LEAVESOFGRASS]

Smoke- That's hilarious. You want to help me out with who it is? I'm not trying to piss anyone off, just looking for help and advise.

 

[Vin]

You won't last a year if you try to steer this place. Relax and have fun. There is a guy here who is relentless with new people. You don't want to piss him off.

I know I know I know I know (raising my hand) I know I know I know...

 

[Zach Smith]

Brian- I actually saw that is going to be tomorrow. I wish I could go, but unfortunately, I won't be able to make it. Hopefully they have one in the coming weeks. Thanks is for all the words of advise!

Consensus that Ficuses are the best way to start? Buddy started with Juniper, but I wanted y'all's take on that.

Get yourself a bald cypress; start with a cheap one from a local non-bonsai nursery. They almost can't be killed, they bud all over the trunk so you can choose the branches you want, and even if you mess up you can cut everything off and start over. Very few pests and almost no diseases.

For what it's worth.

Zach

 

[sorce]

Relentless with new people, old people, people no longer here, Trident Maples, Elms, Pines, ..........
Flo from Progressive.......

L.O.G.

Its all good see! Lil area whereabouts and you got BVF inviting you to a lil BAMA throw down!

Ficus is a good way to start!

Sorce