Bonzai Noob saying hello and seeking advice

[LostManAbroad]

Hello Bonzai people. I decided to join this community as I have always wanted to try to grow a bonzai tree and finally an opportunity has arisen.......literally.


About a year ago I found a couple acorns in a park and I planted them in a pot of dirt on my balcony and then totally forgot about them. This is what I have now. I'm not a 100% what type it is. I think it is an oak of some kind and I have some questions. Chat GPThas instructed me to carefully take the sapling out of the pot and put it in its own pot. It told me not to put it straight into a shallow bonzai pot as it said I need to first let it develop a decent root system. It also instructed me to get a small root rake, mini trowel, bonzai pruning shears and some wire for eventually shaping the tree as it grows. I am smart enough to know though that Chat GPT gets all its information from secondhand sources so I thought it would be a better idea to join a bonzai community and ask some experts. I've included a picture of the tools I already got as well the bag of dirt that I got. Anyone have any advice for me as to how I get started? Is it true that you can somehow train an oak sapling to only grow small leaves?

 

[Attmos]

Hello Bonzai people. I decided to join this community as I have always wanted to try to grow a bonzai tree and finally an opportunity has arisen.......literally.
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About a year ago I found a couple acorns in a park and I planted them in a pot of dirt on my balcony and then totally forgot about them. This is what I have now. I'm not a 100% what type it is. I think it is an oak of some kind and I have some questions. Chat GPThas instructed me to carefully take the sapling out of the pot and put it in its own pot. It told me not to put it straight into a shallow bonzai pot as it said I need to first let it develop a decent root system. It also instructed me to get a small root rake, mini trowel, bonzai pruning shears and some wire for eventually shaping the tree as it grows. I am smart enough to know though that Chat GPT gets all its information from secondhand sources so I thought it would be a better idea to join a bonzai community and ask some experts. I've included a picture of the tools I already got as well the bag of dirt that I got. Anyone have any advice for me as to how I get started? Is it true that you can somehow train an oak sapling to only grow small leaves?

I'm pretty new too but that all sounds like what I've learned here. I've also learned that from now on it gets a little more complicated, and a lot more interesting.
Wish I could be more certain but it seems you're well prepared.

 

[Wulfskaar]

You are going to have to just let it grow for several years. Some people have success with cutting down the taproot a bit at a time with successive repots while they are young. Others wait until there are a lot of fine roots closer to the surface to chop the taproot.

Most nice oak bonsai are dug up from the ground when the trunk is thick, and then chopped back, where it will put out new shoots that will eventually be branches.

 

[rockm]

Hello Bonzai people. I decided to join this community as I have always wanted to try to grow a bonzai tree and finally an opportunity has arisen.......literally.
View attachment 598013 View attachment 598030
View attachment 598032
About a year ago I found a couple acorns in a park and I planted them in a pot of dirt on my balcony and then totally forgot about them. This is what I have now. I'm not a 100% what type it is. I think it is an oak of some kind and I have some questions. Chat GPThas instructed me to carefully take the sapling out of the pot and put it in its own pot. It told me not to put it straight into a shallow bonzai pot as it said I need to first let it develop a decent root system. It also instructed me to get a small root rake, mini trowel, bonzai pruning shears and some wire for eventually shaping the tree as it grows. I am smart enough to know though that Chat GPT gets all its information from secondhand sources so I thought it would be a better idea to join a bonzai community and ask some experts. I've included a picture of the tools I already got as well the bag of dirt that I got. Anyone have any advice for me as to how I get started? Is it true that you can somehow train an oak sapling to only grow small leaves?

Welcome. And it’s great you are seeking more accurate info on bonsai (btw there is no “z” in bonsai).

What you have in your tree is a PROMISE of a bonsai. Applying bonsai techniques to a seedling are mostly counterproductive as they slow growth.
This seedling needs time to get bigger (and fwiw oak bonsai need substantial trunks to be convincing bonsai)

What you should do is let this grow OUTSIDE in the sun wind and rain. Making a bonsai is all about making a convincing looking small there (at least smaller than in ground trees).

That means they need relatively larger trunks. Those are best developed I. The ground. Containers slow growth and restrict root run.

Another thing you should learn is that most bonsai are NOT grown from seed. They are cut from large trees and have their branching regrown completely.

I have an oak bonsai begun as a 30 foot tree collected from the wild. Its trunk is about 300 years old. Yours won’t take that long but the more growth it gets the larger its trunk will become. When the trunk reaches the diameter you want you chop the top off and regrow the branches. This process can take several decades. For an oak seedling it will take a very long time.

Not trying to discourage you from trying but for the next decade or so you will only spend time watching this grow. Not much else.

If you want to get a faster start get a tree that is partially developed and learn on it. Even better Join a local club. You will learn more at your first meeting or conversation with a member than you would in a decade ago line. Hands on experience in s the best bonsai teacher

This is my oak I’ve been working on for the last 30 years or so

 

[LostManAbroad]

Wow!! That is beautiful. Thank you for the advice. I will plant the tree that I have in the garden and then I will take your advice and look for a local club and try and find an already developed tree to start with. I had no idea it would take decades. I would definitely rather start with a bonsai that was further along in its development. As it is my first attempt at a tree in years, can anyone recommend a good type of tree for a beginner to start with. Years ago I tried to start a bonsai from a little tree that I bought specifically at a dedicated bonsai shop but I chose a Tree of a Thousand Stars, and it died. I later read that it was definitely not a good species of tree to start with.

 

[Nera]

Wow!! That is beautiful. Thank you for the advice. I will plant the tree that I have in the garden and then I will take your advice and look for a local club and try and find an already developed tree to start with. I had no idea it would take decades. I would definitely rather start with a bonsai that was further along in its development. As it is my first attempt at a tree in years, can anyone recommend a good type of tree for a beginner to start with. Years ago I tried to start a bonsai from a little tree that I bought specifically at a dedicated bonsai shop but I chose a Tree of a Thousand Stars, and it died. I later read that it was definitely not a good species of tree to start with.

Serissa Foetida (Tree of a Thousand Stars) is not difficult. They are just finicky - they don't like being moved around, no direct sunlight (where I am, though this could likely be very different depending on where you are in the world) and like most Bonsai, need a good quality well draining soil.

You could start with the Ficus varieties from your local bonsai nursery. It's mostly about arming yourself with the correct care information for each type of Bonsai tree.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Since trees should be outside, the best type of tree depends on your climate.

 

[LostManAbroad]

I live in Berlin. I do have a south facing balcony so it gets a lot of sun. It would be good to start with a tree that likes sun because on my balcony it will get a lot of it.

 

[Nera]

I live in Berlin. I do have a south facing balcony so it gets a lot of sun. It would be good to start with a tree that likes sun because on my balcony it will get a lot of it.

Have a chat with someone at your local nursery for recommendations for you.

 

[rockm]

I live in Berlin. I do have a south facing balcony so it gets a lot of sun. It would be good to start with a tree that likes sun because on my balcony it will get a lot of it.

Ficus would be a good choice for an apartment. It would have to come in for the winter. They can't freeze. Schefflera is another option, also a tropical that can't freeze. If you have an open air balcony, then a chinese elm would also work. It can remain outdoors in winter if you give roots some protection.