Greetings! New in MI

[StLouisIX]

Hey everyone!

41 in Michigan and starting my first bonsai trees. The art form has always fascinated me and when I decided it was time for a new hobby to relax and give back to something, I settled on bonsai.

I ordered a starter kit from Amazon to start from seeds - I have Flame Tree, Wisteria, Pigeon Pea, Zelkova, and Japanese Maple seeds.

My hope is to keep everything outside from April - late September and bringing inside as necessary. I am reading in my region the tropicals are best kept indoors year round - is that accurate?

Anyone have recommendations on grow lights and/or display stands with the grow lights built in to help get me started?

I have seen several on Amazon and other places for $80-120, but that feels like a lot when I don't know if it will satisfy the needs of my trees.

Anyone else deal with this?

Thanks in advance for helping a complete n00b (hoping to start the seeds on Wednesday)!!

 

[BrightsideB]

I think it’s a great time to start learning. Growing tree’s from seed take a long time to develop into bonsai and isn’t the best approach to learn. But is still something most people do a long with their older trees they are creating or maintaining bonsai with.

Finding species that grow well in your area is a good thing to figure out. As well as trees that are forgiving and good to practice with as a beginner the first year or two at least. @leatherback has a good YouTube channel as well as many others for you to watch and start to understand the nuance about bonsai. It is really different than most practices in many ways. We are keeping an organism alive and using it in a creative way.

 

[StLouisIX]

I think it’s a great time to start learning. Growing tree’s from seed take a long time to develop into bonsai and isn’t the best approach to learn. But is still something most people do a long with their older trees they are creating or maintaining bonsai with.

Finding species that grow well in your area is a good thing to figure out. As well as trees that are forgiving and good to practice with as a beginner the first year or two at least. @leatherback has a good YouTube channel as well as many others for you to watch and start to understand the nuance about bonsai. It is really different than most practices in many ways. We are keeping an organism alive and using it in a creative way.

Thanks!!!

I have a 5 year old juniper on the way as well to start learning more about the art form with a more mature tree as well.

 

[19Mateo83]

 

[Wulfskaar]

Welcome! A seed kit I got as a gift in 2019 is how I got started in 2020. I still have several of the trees I grew from seeds in 2020, but they are still a few years away from being bonsai. It is quite rewarding, however, to grow from seed, and you have a lot of control over how they turn out.

Getting older trees is a good idea though. You'll get the itch to do some actual bonsai techniques, and you'll learn a lot more with older trees.

Good luck!

 

[leatherback]

@leatherback has a good YouTube channel

Thx

Let's make the connection:

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Depending on where you are located, you shouldn't be too far from a local club.
Learning hands on with those who are more experienced can save you tons of time.

Also, add your location info to your profile. It will impact any advice you are given here on B-Nut.
Welcome to MI!

 

[rockm]

If you’re starting from seeds you won’t be doing any “bonsai” for at least five probably a decade as the trunks on the trees you’ve planted grow into a workable size

Also. FWIW most of the species you’ve listed are not “indoor” trees and will die inside. There are no indoor bonsai only trees made from species (tropical) that can handle the harsh extremes of indoors (extremely low light and extremely low humidity akin to a desert and no air circulation) temperate deciduous species like wisteria maples and elms require a winter dormancy that you cannot provide insid

 

[Carol 83]

I am reading in my region the tropicals are best kept indoors year round - is that accurate?

No, it's not accurate. I'm in a bit warmer zone than you are. @Michigan Tree Murderer should be able to tell you when to move yours in and out in Michigan. Basically in and out when night time temps are 50 degrees. But I let my tropicals see a bit cooler temps. Welcome!

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Thanks!!!

I have a 5 year old juniper on the way as well to start learning more about the art form with a more mature tree as well.

Welcome aboard. I bring my tropicals inside when temps hit lows of 45F overnight, some (depending on the species) come in sooner and others come in later. You should read up on each species you have. And better safe than sorry always applies. I do have lights indoors anything from these LINK to theses LINK

FYI If you bought that Juniper from someplace warm (the South), & you live in MI, you'll not be able to just leave the tree outside, so close to Winter. The tree needs a month of steadily decreasing night temperatures to adapt. Ask me how I know. LINK

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

Finding species that grow well in your area is a good thing to figure out. As well as trees that are forgiving and good to practice with as a beginner the first year or two at least.

This is great advice that I wish I'd gotten sooner. Although we're in entirely different climates and biomes, finding species native to your area is crucial for newbies. Once you learn how to get these to thrive, you will be much more successful "branching out" to species less suitable for your area. The veterans here are amazing and very generous with their help and advice.
Welcome to the forum!

 

[rockm]

If you’re starting from seeds you won’t be doing any “bonsai” for at least five probably a decade as the trunks on the trees you’ve planted grow into a workable size

Also. FWIW most of the species you’ve listed are not “indoor” trees and will die inside. There are no indoor bonsai only trees made from species (tropical) that can handle the harsh extremes of indoors (extremely low light and extremely low humidity akin to a desert and no air circulation) temperate deciduous species like wisteria maples and elms require a winter dormancy that you cannot provide insid

I don't mean to be overly harsh, but pointing out that you're starting from a kind of a difficult place. Seeds are a way to start, but it takes a very long time to get where you want to go.

Adding a more substantial nursery grown, cold hardy larger tree will get you more "bonsai time" and experience.

 

[StLouisIX]

Thanks so much for the video link @leatherback! That was very helpful!

@Michigan Tree Murderer - I am NE of Flint, MI and it looks like most of the closest groups are in the Detroit area?

I am working full time and also a law student; so I don't have a crazy amount of time - so the idea of starting off on seeds and just letting them focus on growing for 4-5 years isn't that big of a deal to me.

My hope is that they are starting to get ready for the bonsai elements during the growing season after my finals.

What I have learned over the past few weeks is that there are literal lifetimes of information to take in and learn - I have so much respect for all of you that are out there making it happen in your own gardens and hope that one of these days I'll have something to contribute.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Thanks so much for the video link @leatherback! That was very helpful!

@Michigan Tree Murderer - I am NE of Flint, MI and it looks like most of the closest groups are in the Detroit area?

I am working full time and also a law student; so I don't have a crazy amount of time - so the idea of starting off on seeds and just letting them focus on growing for 4-5 years isn't that big of a deal to me.

My hope is that they are starting to get ready for the bonsai elements during the growing season after my finals.

What I have learned over the past few weeks is that there are literal lifetimes of information to take in and learn - I have so much respect for all of you that are out there making it happen in your own gardens and hope that one of these days I'll have something to contribute.

I'm down south of you in Monroe, & not familiar with any clubs North of Detroit and Ann Arbor. I do know of ones in Kalamazoo and other locations that are farther away from you. Sorry, not very helpful, but google might be.

Also it sounds like you're giving this hobby way more thought than I did when I jumped in head first. So, you're off to a good start. Good luck.