New to bonsai.. what should I aspect?

[Oboedatree]

Hey all! I haven't bought my own tree yet but planing on doing that in a couple of weeks. I was thinking on a Cuban laurel for my first tree. And I was curious on what I should aspect (in the hobby and the tree itself) also planning on growing a white pine from seed that I found in my yard. By the way I live in Pittsburgh, pa

Thanks!

 

[LuZiKui]

Hey all! I haven't bought my own tree yet but planing on doing that in a couple of weeks. I was thinking on a Cuban laurel for my first tree. And I was curious on what I should aspect (in the hobby and the tree itself) also planning on growing a white pine from seed that I found in my yard. By the way I live in Pittsburgh, pa

Thanks!

Welcome! I think for a first tree you might want to get something that is able to stay outside year around. Tropical bonsai (like Cuban Laurel) in climates that get a true winter are a real labor of love. You'll need to make plans to bring it in every winter and provide supplemental lighting if you don't have a window that gets hours of direct sun each day.

Looks like the Pittsburgh Bonsai Society is a pretty good club with regular meetings and pretty good attendance (I'm sure there are others as well). I'd try to check out one of those meetings before you buy a tree. Bonsai is a pretty niche hobby and most clubs are always open to new members. I think if you go to a meeting and let them know you're new to the hobby they will be more than happy to point you in the right direction of which trees do best there. At my old club, we'd usually make sure new members would go home with trees from the monthly raffle so you might be able to get lucky that way.

You'll quickly find that most of us have bonsai sickness and have too many trees. I'm sure you can find some bonsai club members who would give you a great deal on project trees they have in their collections. Be prepared to kill a tree or 2 along the way. Your best bet is to start on some nursery plants so you can get comfortable with basic watering/care before spending significant money on more developed material.

Also, click on your profile on the upper right and update your location in your "Account Settings". I'm sure there are some Pittsburgh natives on here that can chime in with additional info.

 

[Oboedatree]

Welcome! I think for a first tree you might want to get something that is able to stay outside year around. Tropical bonsai (like Cuban Laurel) in climates that get a true winter are a real labor of love. You'll need to make plans to bring it in every winter and provide supplemental lighting if you don't have a window that gets hours of direct sun each day.

Looks like the Pittsburgh Bonsai Society is a pretty good club with regular meetings and pretty good attendance (I'm sure there are others as well). I'd try to check out one of those meetings before you buy a tree. Bonsai is a pretty niche hobby and most clubs are always open to new members. I think if you go to a meeting and let them know you're new to the hobby they will be more than happy to point you in the right direction of which trees do best there. At my old club, we'd usually make sure new members would go home with trees from the monthly raffle so you might be able to get lucky that way.

You'll quickly find that most of us have bonsai sickness and have too many trees. I'm sure you can find some bonsai club members who would give you a great deal on project trees they have in their collections. Be prepared to kill a tree or 2 along the way. Your best bet is to start on some nursery plants so you can get comfortable with basic watering/care before spending significant money on more developed material.

Also, click on your profile on the upper right and update your location in your "Account Settings". I'm sure there are some Pittsburgh natives on here that can chime in with additional info.

Thanks so much for the advice! Will definitely look and see when the next meeting is and try and go to one!

 

[Wulfskaar]

You landed in the right spot! Bonsainut is the best place for getting detailed help, and also to see what others are doing with their trees. There's a wealth of information and very nice experts that are willing to help.

I'm 4 years into the hobby. Here's what to expect:
*Come to terms with patience. Bonsai requires a lot of it.
*Don't quit if you kill some trees. Just learn from it.
*Trees native to your area will feel right at home and will be easier to care for.
*I encourage people to grow from seed, but it takes a loooong time, so get trees in different stages of development.
*Enjoy the process of development. It's not only about the end goal.

I look forward to seeing what you do!

 

[Oboedatree]

You landed in the right spot! Bonsainut is the best place for getting detailed help, and also to see what others are doing with their trees. There's a wealth of information and very nice experts that are willing to help.

I'm 4 years into the hobby. Here's what to expect:
*Come to terms with patience. Bonsai requires a lot of it.
*Don't quit if you kill some trees. Just learn from it.
*Trees native to your area will feel right at home and will be easier to care for.
*I encourage people to grow from seed, but it takes a loooong time, so get trees in different stages of development.
*Enjoy the process of development. It's not only about the end goal.

I look forward to seeing what you do!

Thanks for the advice! I love this place already I've learned more in the past 6 hours here than I learned in 6 days on reddit haha!

 

[Lorax7]

Aspect? Oh, somewhere around (1+sqrt(5))/2 to 1 is generally a pretty good ratio for most things, aesthetically.

 

[Kievnstavick]

Welcome to the nuttiest bunch around!

The other people have posted some good information and tips.

My advise to a new entry into the hobby is to take the time to learn what interests you in this hobby. The winter is a perfect time to get your ducks in a row before you start acquiring trees in the spring.

Take a look around here in the forums, watch YouTube videos, buy some bonsai books (show albums and informational), and travel to local gardens (botanical or bonsai). Try to identify what captivates you. Below are some example questions.

-Is it keeping your favorite type of tree small?
-Do you enjoy watching the deciduous cycle throughout the year?
-Do conifers hold a special place in your heart?
-Do you forge your own path or walk along the trails?
-Do you have a good idea on the eventual size of trees you'd like to manage?
-Do you enjoy the process of growing and caring for things?

I understand that you'll probably not find the answers to those questions or similar lines of thinking over the next few months, but starting to identify your specific interest in the hobby will help focus your learning and avoid wasting time on the less interesting things to you. It took me a couple years to really identify the path I'd be walking although I did have an idea early on.

Once you have an idea of what you are interested in, try to find someone near you who has trees that you like the look of. Preferably a professional o or an enthusiast due to their (potential) depth of knowledge and experience of teaching others. A fellow club member can also work. The important thing is to get your hands working on some trees. Having someone to talk with and work with vastly helps out in learning the different aspects of this hobby.

Here is my advice as a grower and what you should expect.

If you are planting seeds, do them in bulk. Having multiple trees of the same species helps you identify potential health issues or technique failures through the growing process.

Growing from seed can a very long pursuit. Don't expect to have anything "interesting" for at least 5 years while you are growing out the tree.

Have a plan for your eventual size of tree as this will dictate the size of bends to put on the seedling and how you'll be managing the young branching (cutting off or doing everything you can to keep the branch alive)

Lastly, as this is the internet, keep an open mind on the advice given here. For the most part, the information on here is a very good resource. You'll need to figure out for yourself how it applies to your situation and environment.

 

[Oboedatree]

Welcome to the nuttiest bunch around!

The other people have posted some good information and tips.

My advise to a new entry into the hobby is to take the time to learn what interests you in this hobby. The winter is a perfect time to get your ducks in a row before you start acquiring trees in the spring.

Take a look around here in the forums, watch YouTube videos, buy some bonsai books (show albums and informational), and travel to local gardens (botanical or bonsai). Try to identify what captivates you. Below are some example questions.

-Is it keeping your favorite type of tree small?
-Do you enjoy watching the deciduous cycle throughout the year?
-Do conifers hold a special place in your heart?
-Do you forge your own path or walk along the trails?
-Do you have a good idea on the eventual size of trees you'd like to manage?
-Do you enjoy the process of growing and caring for things?

I understand that you'll probably not find the answers to those questions or similar lines of thinking over the next few months, but starting to identify your specific interest in the hobby will help focus your learning and avoid wasting time on the less interesting things to you. It took me a couple years to really identify the path I'd be walking although I did have an idea early on.

Once you have an idea of what you are interested in, try to find someone near you who has trees that you like the look of. Preferably a professional o or an enthusiast due to their (potential) depth of knowledge and experience of teaching others. A fellow club member can also work. The important thing is to get your hands working on some trees. Having someone to talk with and work with vastly helps out in learning the different aspects of this hobby.

Here is my advice as a grower and what you should expect.

If you are planting seeds, do them in bulk. Having multiple trees of the same species helps you identify potential health issues or technique failures through the growing process.

Growing from seed can a very long pursuit. Don't expect to have anything "interesting" for at least 5 years while you are growing out the tree.

Have a plan for your eventual size of tree as this will dictate the size of bends to put on the seedling and how you'll be managing the young branching (cutting off or doing everything you can to keep the branch alive)

Lastly, as this is the internet, keep an open mind on the advice given here. For the most part, the information on here is a very good resource. You'll need to figure out for yourself how it applies to your situation and environment.

It amazes me how much time an effort people like you put into helping beginners like me get our stuff in line and ready to go! Thank you so much for the info can't wait to start this spring!

I've gone through a lot of Hobby's most being pretty complicated, so a lot of the time that steers me away. But in the case of bonsai so many people have been completely open on what strategies they use to get a certan trunk size, or style of the tree overall!

Such a cool community.

 

[Paradox]

I responded to your other thread.
Ill repeat the advice that winter is a good time to start learning the basics by reading all you can get your hands on.
You might be able to find something online at one of the holiday sales from places like Brussels Bonsai or Eastern Leaf but depending on what you get, youll have to be very careful about how you take care of it over the winter. Most trees are dormant now for the winter. Tropicals like Brazilian Rain tree, willow leaf ficus or tiger bark ficus are good beginner trees BUT youll need to keep them inside over the winter under supplemental lighting. No they wont do well if you just put them in a sunny window