So I am totally new to bonsai, but there is just too much information.

GrimLore

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I will check out one of their monthly meetings and see how it looks.

That is a good idea and usually a good experience. I must mention as others have that if you really want to learn and eventually craft Bonsai go with raising Nursery stock that interests you right in those pots. If you like junipers get a couple small ones, quince, or whatever. Trees themselves can be obtained bare root 2 ft - 4 ft from places like Arborday and are also very affordable. If you can grow them and keep then healthy a year or two then you can go for similar plants that you have learned only more refined and/or continue to grow those and others while learning the basics hands on. My Wife understands that if I try something new we will be looking at 3 -5 small ones for t least one year sometimes longer. I have and can grow a LOT of different plants potted but everything new to me gets the same baby step treatment.

Grimmy
 

jeanluc83

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Here are a few things that are good to know from the beginning.

Most bonsai are created by cutting down larger trees not by being grown from smaller trees.
The most important part of a tree are the roots. Healthy roots = Healthy tree
Get the best material you can to work with.
A 5 year plan for a tree is a short term plan. (bonsai take time)
More trees have been killed by under watering than over watering.
 

coh

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Really, the very best thing you can do is find someone (or maybe a few people) in your area, who grows healthy well-styled bonsai, and talk to them. Do what they do, use the soil they use, water and fertilize the way they do. This way you should be getting consistent information that works well for your location. Once you've mastered the basics of keeping trees healthy and basic repotting/trimming/wiring/etc, you can start to branch out based on what you are reading in books/internet.

When you come to internet forums, you get suggestions from people all over the world who have very different levels of experience. What you'll realize is that there are many ways to do things (just look at the soil threads as an example, very different mixes work despite what some may say). But you can get into trouble if you start chasing too many rabbits...keep it simple, stick to one approach, learn to make it work, then experiment.

Well, that's how I see it.

Chris
 

Potawatomi13

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I've been luring around here, the attitudes aren't too bad. The bonsai sub reddit has threads discussing as to why there are elitists and their right to be a-holes. Yeah...

Those exist here as well. Try to ignore! Suggest your local club and members there for basic help. Will find MANY different opinions on here with some meaning to have you do it THEIR way or you will never succeed. Ignore! If can find online for decent price or checked out from library get Bonsai Techniques I & II by (Master) John Naka. Most info still currently viable, pretty comprehensive and very helpful. If interested in any special kind of tree ask club member where you can get and don't just do any tree if it is not interesting to you. Look at MANY Bonsai pictures, all styles and observe natural trees and pics for inspiration and choose style that really interests you to start your growth. Practice and learn on trees with little $$$$ value until ready and ABLE to maintain more expensive trees and grow these in growing pots or ground. Do not worry about Bonsai pots until tree is near ready for showing/display and save money;). And remember there is no instant Bonsai. Patience grasshopper.
 

ConorDash

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Well, there's been a lot of posts already with people's opinions on what to do and a load of links.
I only started few months ago too, so I'm not far off you at all. I got a Chinese Elm, a very popular starter and beginner tree. It's easy to maintain, hence why it's for beginners but of course it can still become something amazing. I think the key word is time.. It's gonna take time, no matter what.

If I can throw my 2 pennies in the ring (I'm from England, we do pennies not cents). I'd say, do initial research on a plant that would do well in your type of locations weather, find one you like online (Amazon, herons, kaizen website, plenty more but those are only ones I know), buy it and just do it.
I'm sure there are pros and cons to this approach but I think there's a lot to be said about DOING. You can be reading about bonsai for years but doing it, seeing it, being responsible for your own tree, I think, will get you going very well. And if it doesn't start a fire in your belly, then perhaps it's not what you thought it'd be? But until you try, who knows.
If it fails, the tree dies. Find your mistakes, try again. They DO grow on trees you know :).
 

ConorDash

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Welcome.

Start by reading everything here.

Also fill in your location in your profile. So much of what is done in bonsai is region dependent.

I already have a similar site, which is just super long, broken in to topics and easy to read, but this is a great other one for me to start reading when I'm finished with that! Thanks for this.
 

Maros

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Try to focus on horticultural aspect of the hobby at first. If you have any experience with taking care for any type of plants (cactus, orchids, ...) it could help. If you have no experience with plants at all, learn how to keep plant alive and happy for longer period of time (12-24 months). Watch those plants responses on your care, learn to water, fertilise, repot, basic pruning and so on. Start with local plants which grow in your area, since they will most probably make it during winter. If you plan to have exterior collection of trees , you can try to collect few trees and try to keep them alive (there is ton of info on collecting, it is not so complicated with most of deciduous species).
Do not buy finished bonsai yet. Do not care about bonsai tools and pots on beginning. Remember that doing bonsai is life time sentence, you HAVE to water your plants (almost) daily during growth season, you have to arrange care during your trips or holidays (most of the time family members does not care too much about your trees).
During this initial period of 1 or 2 years read and watch everything on web about bonsai. Make sure you see what kind of trees is producing anybody who is giving you advice. Use common sense and chose information which suits your situation best. Feel free to ask, most good bonsai folks are willing to answer and help.
 

sorce

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Welcome to Crazy!

This is the best place .

Always listen to your tree and your soul before anyone else!

Sorce
 

erb.75

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if you go soon to the cinci club, they are bringing in adam levine this month...worth it to try to meet him. he's great.

I go to the Dayton club, but live in cinci. Come to the cinci and/or columbus/ and or Dayton bonsai show and i'll see you there
 

CDufault

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Also new to bonsai, although I had started ten years ago but did not continue. True that there is a lot of contradictory info out there. I'm lucky though that in Montreal we have a very good club associated with our Botanical Garden. I have already started getting pre bonsais to get going but planning on taking the courses the club offers.
 

M. Frary

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I'm a member of a club but I only go there once a year for the annual show. I'm self taught but this forum is my main club. There are many talented members here with oodles of experience.
 

ConorDash

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I'm a member of a club but I only go there once a year for the annual show. I'm self taught but this forum is my main club. There are many talented members here with oodles of experience.

And you have become one of them by now :). 6000+ posts later lol.
 
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