Beginner Activities In Autumn

[Jluke33]

So this question comes from a newbie whose interest peaked in late summer in the SE united states. What does everyone recommend in terms of getting one's feet wet in bonsai approaching the autumn season? The reason I ask is, at this point I have consumed hours upon hours of free material from various youtube channels, this site (the questions from a well studied newbie thread was very helpful), r/bonsai's beginner archives, etc. to the point where I realized I was watching a video about fertilizing double flush pines, and I don't even have a double flush pine! (I have two "trees" potted). I've done a few things "out of season" as you can see from my other posts, just to attempt some hands on experience with styling/wiring, knowing the possible consequences.

So! aside from learning from books/videos/this forum, what are some things I can do to gain experience rather than just knowledge in the fall?

Some other thoughts of things I might try: tagging specimens I'd like to collect from my wooded back yard, wiring dead branches (though this feels pricy. is it fairly easy to reuse wire?), wiring or styling some juniper saplings in-ground that I have.

Most of the clubs or bonsai gardens in my area are closed due to covid and have gone radio silent since about march. Thanks in advance!

 

[leatherback]

Go to garden centres, look in the clearance area. Get a bunch of cheap junipers / thuja / pines. Go for minimum 2 inch trunks, try to find bushy stuff.
get wire, trimmers, and.. Spend lots of time sketching the trees you could make.

Discuss the plants here.

then start working them

Growing bonsai yourself: Selecting Nursery stock for bonsai - Growing Bonsai

So.. you want to start growing bonsai. And in garden centres you have no idea what to look for? Look no further. Read this article on how to select nursery plants for growing bonsai.

www.growingbonsai.net

 

[Jluke33]

Go to garden centres, look in the clearance area. Get a bunch of cheap junipers / thuja / pines. Go for minimum 2 inch trunks, try to find bushy stuff.
get wire, trimmers, and.. Spend lots of time sketching the trees you could make.

Discuss the plants here.

then start working them

Growing bonsai yourself: Selecting Nursery stock for bonsai - Growing Bonsai

So.. you want to start growing bonsai. And in garden centres you have no idea what to look for? Look no further. Read this article on how to select nursery plants for growing bonsai.

www.growingbonsai.net

Cool! So you'd say it's worth the experience to keep it up with the cheap nursery stock for experimentation/learning as long as I'm comfortable with the fact that they might not all make it. I had a few comments here and there of folks saying things like, "well for starters it's the wrong time of year for xyz" which discouraged me a bit from continuing down that path. Thanks!

 

[leatherback]

as I'm comfortable with the fact that they might not all make it.

Well.. It is a GREAT time of the year for styling.

Then come spring, most species will be ready for repotting. I would avoid repotting by and large (Bad to say this, as I personally repot any time of the year, but judge plant, aftercare and work to be done against local conditions)

You are in zone 8, so no worries about deep frosts in winter.

 

[sorce]

Look on Craigslist and OfferUp for free giant ficus trees people don't want to bring back in the house for winter.

Don't do anything that will leave you fretting all winter if you killed something.

Sorce

 

[Jluke33]

Go to garden centres, look in the clearance area. Get a bunch of cheap junipers / thuja / pines. Go for minimum 2 inch trunks, try to find bushy stuff.
get wire, trimmers, and.. Spend lots of time sketching the trees you could make.

Discuss the plants here.

then start working them

Growing bonsai yourself: Selecting Nursery stock for bonsai - Growing Bonsai

So.. you want to start growing bonsai. And in garden centres you have no idea what to look for? Look no further. Read this article on how to select nursery plants for growing bonsai.

www.growingbonsai.net

Thinking about this advice more, what's behind the recommendation for 2inch trunks or larger? Is it because it's more difficult to style a smaller tree to start? or is it more care related? I'm all for starting with a nice thick trunk!

 

[leatherback]

Thinking about this advice more, what's behind the recommendation for 2inch trunks or larger? Is it because it's more difficult to style a smaller tree to start? or is it more care related? I'm all for starting with a nice thick trunk!

Two inch is more a reference to not come home with saplings. Most regular bonsai are shaped that the tree height is 6-12 times the trunk thickness. So a 2 inch trunk gets you a max of 2ft tall tree, normally..

 

[Kadebe]

Thinking about this advice more, what's behind the recommendation for 2inch trunks or larger? Is it because it's more difficult to style a smaller tree to start? or is it more care related? I'm all for starting with a nice thick trunk!

I takes long to grow a trunk this size...
With a thin trunk, you'll probably have to put them in the ground for a year or 2,..3 ...

 

[LanceMac10]

Study soils, monitor your "winter weather" where you'll keep your trees during dormancy, save all your change.....


Buy some "cheap material" now, I guess....better to wait until spring.

 

[Jluke33]

Well.. It is a GREAT time of the year for styling.

Then come spring, most species will be ready for repotting. I would avoid repotting by and large (Bad to say this, as I personally repot any time of the year, but judge plant, aftercare and work to be done against local conditions)

You are in zone 8, so no worries about deep frosts in winter.

ONE last question on this thread. What would “styling” include? I assume wiring and some pruning, but let me know if I’m off on that. The question is how much pruning? I’ve heard “not more than 1/3 of foliage” quite a bit, but then all the video tutorials it seems like they take almost 2/3rds or more! And I styled a tree a few weeks ago and quit before I got to the too for fear of taking too much off (and some folks said I might kill it if I take anymore.

just trying to get my terminology down as well. Thanks in advance!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Now is a great time to wire conifers. If you can get good deals on junipers and such, just get some aluminum wire and have at it! Aluminum is cheap, and you could get some interesting starts on stuff for the future. I did this with a juniper which i bought not expecting anything to come of it but the styling gave me new ideas and vision later on. Thread on it here:

Juniperus Horizontalis (Blue Rug Juniper) #1

I picked this Juniper up back in spring for a club meeting to practice wiring. Back then, it was my first attenpt at wiring and I did... ok?? Well, I got the itch to mess with it again today so here's it's official thread. @mak9, this is the tree I mentioned I would post for you. I am sure that...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[leatherback]

ONE last question on this thread. What would “styling” include? I assume wiring and some pruning, but let me know if I’m off on that. The question is how much pruning? I’ve heard “not more than 1/3 of foliage” quite a bit, but then all the video tutorials it seems like they take almost 2/3rds or more! And I styled a tree a few weeks ago and quit before I got to the too for fear of taking too much off (and some folks said I might kill it if I take anymore.

just trying to get my terminology down as well. Thanks in advance!

This is a dificult one.
I have always takent he 1/3 as an indication that the tree afterwards should have a substantial amount of foliage. Not exact terms per se. If you do not repot and the tree is healthy often a much larger reduction is not an issue. But for juniper it will mean a lot of juvenile foliage. In first stylings I routinely take off more.

that being said.. The more you remove, the longer it takes to recover. See e.g., https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ittoigawa-juniper.45784/

But then again.. The first tree in here: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/milestone-project.35797/ saw massive reductions in foliage, and did not really seem to care.

So prune and wire away. Keep in mind that you reduce branches from the outside inward: You want to get the green as close to the trunk as possible. Do not remove all the inner growth to only realize when you start wiring: I needed those small branches! I normally take off all the dead stuff first. Then I inspect the surface roots (You might have to dig a little) to see whether there is a clear angle defined by them for final potting. Then i look for the main trunkline I want to use and see which branches I need and which not. Often yuo will find there are 1-3 VERY heave branches in the top which you just cannot use. After trimming these out you get a much clearer view.

Go slow. Take your time. Make a plan. What has been cut, can take years to regrow. Think twice, cut once.

There is no reason why a tree must be styled in one sitting...

 

[Jluke33]

Thank you so much.all this has been super helpful!

 

[bwaynef]

FYI: I went to Jefferson Primary and Harold C. Johnson Elementary schools. Welcome!

 

[Jluke33]

FYI: I went to Jefferson Primary and Harold C. Johnson Elementary schools. Welcome!

Oh cool! I grew up in fort mill and technically live in rock hill, but both York county! Thanks! Happy to be have found this new interest and this community!

 

[brentwood]

Curious, for us cold weather folks, I would not be removing foliage on junipers, right? That would stimulate growth, weaken roots going into winter, right? It's a good time here for cheap stock, but I also know it has to sit and wait....

Brent

 

[hinmo24t]

Two inch is more a reference to not come home with saplings. Most regular bonsai are shaped that the tree height is 6-12 times the trunk thickness. So a 2 inch trunk gets you a max of 2ft tall tree, normally..

How dare you. Jp

 

[leatherback]

How dare you. Jp

excuse me? What is wrong with my post?

 

[leatherback]

Curious, for us cold weather folks, I would not be removing foliage on junipers, right?

For me, fall and winter are good times to clean out & wire my junipers. I do remove foliage.

 

[hinmo24t]

excuse me? What is wrong with my post?

Lolol I was kidding. I agree w it