Curious about Bonsai, but unsure where to start.

[f1pt4]

The sticker on mine says its a Blue Point, but it is from Home Depot so who knows. Thanks for the reassurance, maybe I can keep this one alive

Either you or the neonicotinoids will!

Who needs bees anyways.

 

[GrimLore]

@GrimLore is this what you meant by the stickers? I took a picture last night, it says 'Blue Point', on it!

Yes - this will help me when we chat

Grimmy

 

[sorce]

sea green.

I think you are correct...

My blue point is like blue rug how it flops right over...

I got a 3gl...but I don't see this even being juvenile blue point.

I saw a foliage tag marked correct as birds nest spruce, with a wrong Mugo pot sticker...

Speaking of pot stickers....

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Speaking of Sea Green...
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/sea-green-juniper.24352/

That makes more sense!

Thanks @Stickroot !

Sorce

 

[Adair M]

My advice is to start with either a Procumbens Juniper, or even better, a shimpaku. All the ones sold in the landscape trade are usually sold as ground covers. They usually have rather coarse foliage.

For bonsai, we're looking at trees as if they are under a microscope. We want nice, fine, compact foliage.

Procumbens does that. But the various forms of shimpaku are even better.

Where do you get them? You can find Procumbens at landscape nurseries. But shimpaku will mean you need to get some at a bonsai shop, usually. Once you have one, you can take cuttings off your tree and have as many as you want.

 

[Qomsday]

My advice is to start with either a Procumbens Juniper, or even better, a shimpaku. All the ones sold in the landscape trade are usually sold as ground covers. They usually have rather coarse foliage.

For bonsai, we're looking at trees as if they are under a microscope. We want nice, fine, compact foliage.

Procumbens does that. But the various forms of shimpaku are even better.

Where do you get them? You can find Procumbens at landscape nurseries. But shimpaku will mean you need to get some at a bonsai shop, usually. Once you have one, you can take cuttings off your tree and have as many as you want.

I'll have to look for a procumbens somewhere, maybe I can find one soon! Maybe this tree I've got right now will just be an exercise in learning how to keep a tree alive! I'm also looking out in different places to maybe find a deciduous tree that might be a little easier to start out with. I've been reading and they seem much more forgiving in a lot of ways!

 

[Adair M]

Trident maple.

Junipers are not hard to keep. They like full sun. Watch for spider mites. Don't remove too much foliage at once.

 

[Qomsday]

Trident maple.

Junipers are not hard to keep. They like full sun. Watch for spider mites. Don't remove too much foliage at once.

Thank you for the advice, and I'll keep all of that in mind. Hopefully the one I've pruned already won't die, but I'll definitely be picking up another (different species) hopefully sometime soon!

 

[Melospiza]

I'll definitely consider a Chinese elm, and where would I get one, if not online? The only Bonsai nursery near me hasn't got any for sale I don't believe.

Chinese elms are common in Atlanta as a street tree, maybe you could buy a 7-8 foot tall one and start chopping it down into shape.