Where to start??

JDN

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So I've given this some thought and here's what I come up with.
I'm going to get and indoor ficus for my more immediate wants and go from there. What i'd like to do is get some type of nursery plant to see if I have the patience to stick with it until it's something interesting. I've had boxwoods and have 2 currently (Chinese) in my front flower bed so I know I can keep them alive in general. Would this type of shrubbery be able to to be turned into good subject matter? I've also started staking notice of small trees while outside, what is it that you'd look for in a collected tree? I'm not sure the qualities that I should see in a young untrained tree. I'm going to try to use this as something I can do with my girls and force myself to enjoy the outdoors! Thank you guys for all your input!
 

Tycoss

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Boxwoods make very nice trees, just do a couple of searches on the site. Bonsai can start out simple and cheap (relatively speaking), but be aware that if you are like most of us, you will want more and better trees before long. I thought I just wanted a pair of indoor ficus a few years ago. Now my interests are primarily in collected outdoor trees. I guess it comes down to what you expect of the hobby. Without time and money, you won't be entering a white pine in the Kokufu though.
 

Tycoss

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In terms of young, untrained trees, it really depends on what you envision for the end product. Keep in mind that you will probably need to remove most of th crown. Focus your attention on the surface roots and lower trunk. Things to look for include strong taper, root flare, evenly radiating surface roots, and curves in the lower trunk. Once you have found a tree, post pictures of multiple angles here. People will give you lots of interesting feedback for styling and growing your material.
 

JDN

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In practicing bonsai I have found money is negotiable - time is not. However, there is a sliding scale between them.
I like this post! Sometimes money is available sometimes not. Lol. I always have time of some sort it's just a matter of how I spend it. And with this worst case scenario is I have another couple plants if I decide I don't in fact have the time. If I don't commit to it I'm not really going to be out much.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Bonsai can be expensive, or not, depending how you approach it. Having tried in the past to keep trees inside, I have much better results keeping everything outside (with the exception of some cacao trees that are not bonsai).

However there are plenty of other candidates to consider if you want to try the indoor route. One area of possibility would be woody vines like English Ivy or a creeping fig. They have lower light requirements and a more compact growth habit that lends itself to indoor cultivation.

Additionally, if you are worried about "killing trees" just start taking cuttings. Soon you will find that you are creating more trees than you know what to do with. This Spring I have 6 air-layers planned on some unusual cultivars. Without too much effort you can easily become a net creator of plant life :)
 
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JDN

Sapling
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Bonsai can be expensive, or not, depending how you approach it. Having tried in the past to keep trees inside, I have much better results keeping everything outside (with the exception of some cacao trees that are not bonsai).

However there are plenty of other candidates to consider if you want to try the indoor route. One area of possibility would be woody vines like English Ivy or a creeping fig. They have lower light requirements and a more compact growth habit that lends itself to indoor cultivation.

Additionally, if you are worried about "killing trees" just start taking cuttings. Soon you will find that you are creating more trees than you know what to do with. This Spring I have 6 air-layers planned on some unusual cultivars. Without too much effort you can easily become a net creator of plant life :)

Ivy huh? I've never had luck with it. One plant that thrives then just dies on me. But interesting none the less.

I'm not sure why but I'm awful at rooting plants. I can't even get my pothos to take while others I've given it to have great luck. I e done water, soil and even a sad attempt at air layering on my ficus alli.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Ivy huh? I've never had luck with it. One plant that thrives then just dies on me. But interesting none the less.

I haven't seen many great examples, but one that was worth noting was an English Ivy cascade that won Best in Show at the MidWest Bonsai Exhibition in 1995.

I'm not sure why but I'm awful at rooting plants. I can't even get my pothos to take while others I've given it to have great luck. I e done water, soil and even a sad attempt at air layering on my ficus alli.

Have you tried rooting your pothos in water? Just take a cutting, put the cut end into a clear glass jar/vase (treat it like a cut rose) and put the glass container in a sunny window. You should see roots within a week.
 
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