I feel like I have a have a good grasp of soil concepts but have no idea as far as styling and which branches to prune and why. I have a few books, bonsai heresy, bonsai principles by David van der Groot and other but I am more of a visual person. I have several trees that I just at an impass I feel like
Best online courses specifically for styling and pruning?
- Thread starter jdutton24
- Start date
roberthu
Chumono
If you have the patience and want to dedicate the time, Mirai is the way to go.
shohin_branches
Omono
Where are you located? There could be a bonsai club or nursery nearby where you can take an intro class.
Gabler
Masterpiece
Unfortunately, that's one area where online resources are not helpful. You need to get a knowledgable bonsai practitioner to guide you as you work on trees. Reading about pruning decisions—or even watching videos on a 2D screen—simply cannot compete with live, in-person instruction.
The best next step is to join a club and make friends with the experienced growers. They tend to be eager to help if you approach them with humility. A good club will also host events with professionals who can look at your trees and help you to parse the branch structure.
The best next step is to join a club and make friends with the experienced growers. They tend to be eager to help if you approach them with humility. A good club will also host events with professionals who can look at your trees and help you to parse the branch structure.
hemmy
Omono
I think for a better answer to your question it helps if you first break it categories (juniper, pine, deciduous?) and stages of development.
I liked Bonsaify.com for Eric’s juniper and Japanese Black Pine (JBP) courses on development. Bonsai Tonight’s blog on JBP is great for seeing stages and steps of development. But also for pruning techniques to ramify and develop pads.
Mirai’s premium content is wealth of information, but I haven’t ventured into the new courses to know if you could answer specific questions. The original content had video(s) on apex creation, his design principles relating trunk/primary branch/apex movement, and numerous videos of him making pruning and wiring decisions during the video.
But there is no substitute for actually getting to see bonsai trees in person and taking the time to study them. Visually work through how the trunk line and branches were formed and selected. The spacing and negative space.
Even after +15yrs, it is still the hardest aspect for me to put into practice.
Edit: @Gabler beat me to it with a more succinct and spot on recommendation!
Gabler
Masterpiece
By the way, good choices in reading material.
I'm about 45 minutes or so from a club from what I can tell.
I'm all over the place. I have around 30 Japanese maples and I'm air layering several of those. Also have some native pine I'm working with and several junipers that are smaller. Also starter cork elms and cork oaks.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Some of my videos I think might be helpful for a visual learner, even though they are videos and not in-person.
Jrmcmich
Chumono
Love the time lapse video on the cork elm!
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
FWIW I have never been to a club, or brought my trees to someone for advice on what to do next. I have inboxed 1 or 2 peeps here n there, thats about it. I can remember inboxing Maros occasionally and Smithy from another forum. There is a wealth of information available online, and its free.
I highly recommend the Mirai videos and in my earlier days I learnt a lot from the Graham potter videos.
In regards to pruning/styling
live.bonsaimirai.com
I highly recommend the Mirai videos and in my earlier days I learnt a lot from the Graham potter videos.
In regards to pruning/styling
Academy Video | Bonsai Mirai Live
Bonsai Mirai presents online live video streams of Bonsai professional Ryan Neil from the premier full-service American bonsai nursery and school located just outside of Portland, Oregon.
live.bonsaimirai.com
Brain Treez
Mame
I feel your frustration. Of the two clubs near me, one is an hour north and the other is an hour south.
NeedlesAndLeaves
Shohin
Mirai, Eisei-En and Bonsai Empire offer high quality instruction videos and courses and the possibilty to ask questions.
But you will need to pay for it.
BonsaiTonight, Bonsai4me are great resources.
Leatherback’s Growing Bonsai by Jelle, Herons Bonsai, Bonsai-En from down under, Rakuyo’s Deciduous Bonsai Channel, Greenwood Bonsai, Jonas Dupuich and Bonsai Releaf (for beautifull videos).
All great channels and resources to me!
But you will need to pay for it.
BonsaiTonight, Bonsai4me are great resources.
Leatherback’s Growing Bonsai by Jelle, Herons Bonsai, Bonsai-En from down under, Rakuyo’s Deciduous Bonsai Channel, Greenwood Bonsai, Jonas Dupuich and Bonsai Releaf (for beautifull videos).
All great channels and resources to me!
