starting from seed

[Christa]

Hi! I am as new to bonsai as can possibly be and I don't have much gardening experience either. I always wanted to grow bonsai's though, so it is time. Me and my cousin got this package deal with 16 different kind of trees and about 90 seeds.
So any tips on where to start?
I suppose it won't be a good idea to plant all 16 trees at the same time, does seasons matter? It's spring here by us now.
Should we plant it in the pot it's gonna grow in or can we start in any container? How temperamental are they? (I grew an avo from seed once and when I repotted it it lost all its leaves. Same location, just moved it from water to soil.)

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Plant on!

Sorce

 

[AlainK]

Different species require different ways of planting, and cultivation.

Whether they should be stratified or not, this is not the right time to plant anything - sorry, I just checked your location and saw that you live in SA, so listen to Sorce :

Plant on!

 

[Christa]

AlainK the seeds I got is:

Common Boxwood
Siberian Elm
Crape Myrtle
Wisteria
Japanese Red Pine
Umbrella Thorn
Sea Buckthorn
Karroo Sweet Thorn
Common Juniper
American Elm
Chinese Holly
Coast Redwood

I was thinking of maybe trying 3 or 4 to start with, rather than planting everything at once.

 

[Quince]

Common juniper can be a decent subject, but their seeds require a long stratification period. I would plant these late summer, cover the pot to prevent seed predation and expect them to start popping next spring.

This may be true of some others on your list as well.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Realize that seeds are a SLOW way to get into bonsai. It'll take several years of growing before the trees are ready to begin any kind of bonsai work.

 

[ajm55555]

Realize that seeds are a SLOW way to get into bonsai

I agree with Ryan. Nothing prevents you from planting those seeds and at the same time buying some inexpensive trees on which you can make some experience.
If you manage to keep them in good health, that's one major step you'd have achieved ;-)

 

[ajm55555]

I always wanted to grow bonsai's though

Tip #2: if you're so passionate right now, don't wait on the seeds only. You might be disappointed by some unfortunate but common events (drought, pests, flooding, asteroid, just joking) and you would give up without actually never even having started working on a plant.

 

[j evans]

Welcome, plant your seeds and get some trees to work on. Warning though, please realize you are going to have a few that you will push too far and they will not make it. Happens to all of us.

 

[Christa]

Tip #2: if you're so passionate right now, don't wait on the seeds only. You might be disappointed by some unfortunate but common events (drought, pests, flooding, asteroid, just joking) and you would give up without actually never even having started working on a plant.

I see your point, i think before i start growing them i'll have to build a bunker, i assume someone will warn us when the asteroid come, that's just good planning i think....

 

[Christa]

Thanks you guys, i knew it would take years to get them going, but you're right, i should get some inexpensive ones and go for it. I killed one a long time ago and i still feel bad about it, i think that stopped me. I feel sorry for the plants i have to remove from my garden, everything just wants to live at the end of the day.... I know i personalize it way to much but a bonsai is even worse, someone actually got it growing to that size, i really don't wanna mess it up. But you've convinced me, i'm going to do it!

 

[ajm55555]

I killed one a long time ago and i still feel bad about it

That will happen all the time but I think no one is happy to see even an ugly plant die.