Bonsai Material Acquired... What Now?

[Just Rosie]

Hey guys!
I stopped by Lowe's today to ravage the houseplant section, but found my way to the garden center and snagged these beauties for $3 each! I'm so new to bonsai that my plan was to stick with "pre-made", but the more I learn about the hobby, the more I'm itching to work a tree myself. Anyway. I purchased one variegated Chinese privet and two Japanese boxwood. Mind you I have no experience with either but plan to research up tonight. I've already pruned them all back just to get a little shape and expose the trunks/branches. My questions are:
Should I wait until spring/summer to really cut these guys back? As I've said, I'm very new to bonsai. I have no sense for shape, style, or balance. Any general ideas of where you would start with these trees shaping-wise? (I know the pics aren't great to show the whole tree, esp. on the boxwoods.) When to repot? (I haven't even touched information on pruning roots yet)
Really any info or links to info about training bonsai would be great, but those are my main questions.
Thanks!

 

[Warpig]

Now you keep them alive! Start your research with what your trees needs as far as overwintering for your climate.

 

[j evans]

Welcome!

 

[Warpig]

Welcome!

Yes! Rereading my last post, i hope i didn't come acrossed as rude!

Welcome to the crazy!

 

[Johnathan]

What now?



Kill em. ‍♂


Research, learn, study, come up with a reason they died. Get a couple more.

Try to kill them in a different way.



Repeat process until you're no longer killing trees.

 

[sorce]

trees needs as far as overwintering for your climate

Meaning.....

They have to be outside.

Are you aware of this?

Just checking!

That would be a bad way to kill em!
But kill em sure!

Sorce

 

[Rid]

Good choices!

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

As some would say, welcome to crazy! You look like you're just jumping into this hobby around the same time I did a few years back. While the temptation is there to get cutting and wiring and styling, I would suggest just working on keeping these guys alive through winter and really observing what they do come springtime. Get them in a spot on the ground out of the wind and then start studying. Start with identifying your USDA agricultural zone if you haven't already. Then start reading up on the growth habit of the species you picked out. Here are some beginner resources I found to be helpful:

Articles About Bonsai

<---click this link

Bonsai4Me – Devoted to the art and practice of bonsai.

www.bonsai4me.com

Foundations of Bonsai by Harry Harrington - First Edition

Harry Harrington is a unique force in our world bonsai community. What he accomplishes with inexpensive, undeveloped and sometimes unattractive material is nothing short of bonsai wizardry. And his combination of horticultural and bonsai knowledge, coupled with his willingness to experiment and...

stonelantern.com

(I wish I had picked this book up at the beginning)

There is also so much you will learn just off of videos and books. I found that joining a club and really making an effort to participate in club meetings and workshops has gone far to getting my confidence up and having good soundboards for my ideas.

Bonsainut is also full of awesome and helpful people. Lurk around and find some folks with trees you like and then pay attention to advice they give to you and others.

Have fun!

 

[Just Rosie]

Thank you guys for the advice! I will work on both preserving them through winter and killing them in my naïveté
@Warpig You didn’t come off as rude at all!
@sorce Yes, I’ve begrudgingly given up the idea that I will have only indoor bonsai. I want a juniper too much! So these guys will go outside. I was just trying to figure out if they’d be safe outdoors in 7b, which based on what I read they will be ok. (?)
@cheap_walmart_art Thank you for all of the material! I look forward to reading it tonight and learning some stuff!

 

[sorce]

they will be ok

Should be.

Usually the only things to succumb to winter have been severely overworked.

Sorce

 

[coltranem]

Great to see you avoiding the newbie trap of the Mallsai. As everyone said work on learn to keep them alive. Just learning to water is a skill and most critical.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Your boxwood looks to have nice potential and good movement in the trunk.

Look up the care others have given the species youve purchased in the forums here and take some notes for next year.

Repotitng for both should be spring time as buds swell. Root pruning shouldnt be much of a concern on these trees.

 

[Just Rosie]

Great to see you avoiding the newbie trap of the Mallsai.

To be honest, I think most of my trees are mallsai, based on what I just read xD But I also read that I can "rescue" them, which is definitely something I'm up for the task! I love "rescuing" discount plants and trees alike!

 

[BuckeyeOne]

Don't do anything!! They are probably stressed this late if the year.
I see you're in Georgia. When is your first frost? If you can, find a location on the north side of the house and plant it pot and all!!
Don't bury it too deep. Just to the top of the soil line in the pot.
Grab a bag of mulch. Hardwood/pine, doesn't matter. Pile the mulch an inch or two deep around the trunk.
A light watering if no heavy freeze is in the forecast.

Now the best part!! Wait for it!











WAIT!!!!
I've killed any trees being over anxious. Keep it alive first. Read about the species.
Watch the water. I've drowned some great trees!!
Best of luck!!

And if @sorce hasn't said it.

Welcome to Crazy!!