Beginner needs some advice

[Tjm9331]

Hello all, I’m new to the forums and new to Bonsai. I live in Maine, zone 5b. I’m currently working on growing some trees from seed, in the meantime I have bought some nursery stock, a forsythia, boxwood, azalea, cryptomeria and Japanese pieris.

I’m a bit confused on where I should start. Worth it being the second week of April, should I work on the roots and repot first, shape and wire first or do both at the same time? I know it depends on the species which is why I listed what I’m working with. I’ve read several conflicting answers and am hoping I can get some clarity here.

I appreciate any help and/or guidance anyone can provide. Thank you!

 

[sorce]

Pics first!

Sorce

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

It's part of the learning curve to do everything, kill a couple plants and learn more before you try it again.
It's very species specific but if you want to play it safe, do only one 'insult' per season; so either prune or repot.

 

[Tjm9331]

Pics first!

Sorce

Here you go.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Here you go.

Looks like fun!
Enjoy!
Like @Wires_Guy_wires said, pick one major insult per season.
First, know what size of a trunk you’ll be happy with.
If you choose to work on roots and/or getting the tree into “better” soil, you need to repot it in the appropriate container to allow for maximum or restricted growth.

A grow out trainer like an Anderson flat or wood box are decent options for vigorous growth.
A bonsai pot or small container for stunting growth.

I kind of like to do the pruning/styling part first.
With all roots intact and in the bigger nursery container, I believe the tree can respond better to major cut backs. Branch cuts heal faster, and back budding is stronger.
Good luck.

 

[sorce]

Proven losers are better for bonsai.Cheap places like Walmart.

Proven winners are too nice and expensive.

Sorce

 

[JackHammer]

Welcome to the club! First step is to keep them alive. Maybe go a little slower with the cutting.

 

[Tjm9331]

Looks like fun!
Enjoy!
Like @Wires_Guy_wires said, pick one major insult per season.
First, know what size of a trunk you’ll be happy with.
If you choose to work on roots and/or getting the tree into “better” soil, you need to repot it in the appropriate container to allow for maximum or restricted growth.

A grow out trainer like an Anderson flat or wood box are decent options for vigorous growth.
A bonsai pot or small container for stunting growth.

I kind of like to do the pruning/styling part first.
With all roots intact and in the bigger nursery container, I believe the tree can respond better to major cut backs. Branch cuts heal faster, and back budding is stronger.
Good luck.

Thanks everyone and thanks Eck, I’ll look into the Anderson flat or wood box, I definitely would like the trunks to be bigger than they are. I also plan on going slow, nothing good happens fast right!

 

[Eckhoffw]

Thanks everyone and thanks Eck, I’ll look into the Anderson flat or wood box, I definitely would like the trunks to be bigger than they are. I also plan on going slow, nothing good happens fast right!

If bigger is your goal, and you have room to plant, I’d put them in the ground. I know, not as fun, but you can plant some and maybe pot up some.
I wish I did more of this right when I got into this hobby.

 

[coltranem]

Not sure where you are in Maine but there is a pretty active group in Southern Maine. They post a bit in the New England Bonsai Facebook group.

 

[RJG2]

Not sure where you are in Maine but there is a pretty active group in Southern Maine. They post a bit in the New England Bonsai Facebook group.

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[Zelrod]

If bigger is your goal, and you have room to plant, I’d put them in the ground. I know, not as fun, but you can plant some and maybe pot up some.
I wish I did more of this right when I got into this hobby.

I’d second the in ground recommendation for at least a couple of your trees. It’s the only way to get a big trunk fast, you may have to deal with a big scar for a while though.

 

[Gabler]

It depends on your goals. If your main goal is to get some instant bonsai, then go ahead and repot and prune all at once. You'll lose a couple of trees that way, but some will survive, and then you'll have something pretty to enjoy while you learn to do it the "right" way with other trees. That's how most people do it, and how I did it. I messed around with trees, killed a bunch, and then started to figure out how to do it right.

If your goal is to do it the right way from the start, I commend you for your superhuman patience. Sort out the roots right now while the trees are still waking up from dormancy. Then, put the trees in the ground or in big grow-out containers to let the trunks thicken. After a few years of thickening the trunks, prune the roots to keep them in check and "chop" the trunks to start building taper. When in doubt, don't do both a root prune and a trunk chop on the same plant in the same year. After about five to ten years, depending on the species, you'll have excellent pre-bonsai to begin styling and refining into proper bonsai trees. It's a long road to success, but don't let that scare you away. The process is the fun part. It's therapeutic to just mess around with tiny potted trees, even if they aren't artistic masterpieces yet.

 

[Gabler]

Also, check out the resources section on this site. In particular, the "progression threads" are a great source of inspiration, and of course the more technical instructional materials are invaluable. Overall, the more time you spend hanging around here, the more second-hand knowledge you'll manage to absorb from the experts.

 

[ShadyStump]

Proven losers are better for bonsai.Cheap places like Walmart.

Proven winners are too nice and expensive.

Sorce

Well, he's not wrong.

 

[August]

Proven losers are better for bonsai.Cheap places like Walmart.

Proven winners are too nice and expensive.

Sorce

Worth it for the white nursery pot. I wonder if they trademarked the white pot as a kind of industry warfare.... Its almost cruel to grow trees in black plastic pots... then again Colorado is extra hot and dry so maybe not as big of a deal in better climes

 

[Gabler]

Worth it for the white nursery pot. I wonder if they trademarked the white pot as a kind of industry warfare.... Its almost cruel to grow trees in black plastic pots... then again Colorado is extra hot and dry so maybe not as big of a deal in better climes

Black pots don’t break down as fast with UV exposure. It also helps warm the roots in the winter. In the summer they might need watered more often, but it’s not like water is hard to come by—it literally falls out of the sky.

 

[ShadyStump]

it’s not like water is hard to come by—it literally falls out of the sky.

Only on good days.

 

[August]

@ShadyStump gets it. The weather is just crueller here

there's a tree farm in Oregon that grows all their trees in pond baskets basically, which I think is pretty cool... but would not be practical here

 

[sorce]

Worth it for the white nursery pot. I wonder if they trademarked the white pot as a kind of industry warfare.... Its almost cruel to grow trees in black plastic pots... then again Colorado is extra hot and dry so maybe not as big of a deal in better climes

I do appreciate the white pot.

I wonder if part of their growing nicer plants(for landscapes) includes giving them more space, hence, the need for the white pot.

Our best head starts come from things accidentally butchered and left to grow again.

As a goose, I'll take everything the gander don't want!

Sorce