Hello! Newbie here.. Advice gladly welcomed (smilie face)

[ac1986]

Hi everyone,

New to bonsai and very new to this forum. Looks like an amazing resource for info and community so excited to get involved. Just thought I'd put a post up and get people's advice and thoughts on how to get cracking. I've always enjoyed bonsai but only in passing until recently. Decided to get involved and found myself down the YouTube rabbit hole and ordering books online. As I'm sure many do I ordered a few small trees from ebay (sold by a garden centre) and now furiously scour the Web daily for local treasures.

I thought if I post a few pics of what I have id be more than happy for anyone who fancies to give me any tips or comments. Literally any small things welcome.

My biggest concern is the azelea. Its got some nasty marks from wire which it came with which I've subsequently removed. Ive read about the need for some acidic soil and have bought some kanuma soil (though not done anything with it yet). The tree also has a few leaves which have gone a bit red.

The maple looks pretty and the leaves are turning colour a little. Figured I'd just leave that be for now.. That is unless the garden centre soil is hampering it and it would benefit from something nicer to sit in!

The little forest looks good but I'm not sure where to go with it next really.. Maybe I'll just be happy keeping that healthy for now.

I bought a bougainvillea on the cheap which looks quite exciting and this little fir type thing for 8 quid on ebay in the very 80s pot. Wondering what can be done with those?

As I say, have a look at the pics and comment away. Thanks in advance. Adam

 

[sorce]

This was sent for approval, not sure why but that may be why the pics are gone?

Sorry for the delay.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[ac1986]

This was sent for approval, not sure why but that may be why the pics are gone?

Sorry for the delay.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

Thanks for the reply.. I will try and upload them again.

 

[ac1986]

Can't get the photos to upload at all! Tried phone and laptop

 

[HorseloverFat]

Hi everyone,

New to bonsai and very new to this forum. Looks like an amazing resource for info and community so excited to get involved. Just thought I'd put a post up and get people's advice and thoughts on how to get cracking. I've always enjoyed bonsai but only in passing until recently. Decided to get involved and found myself down the YouTube rabbit hole and ordering books online. As I'm sure many do I ordered a few small trees from ebay (sold by a garden centre) and now furiously scour the Web daily for local treasures.

I thought if I post a few pics of what I have id be more than happy for anyone who fancies to give me any tips or comments. Literally any small things welcome.

My biggest concern is the azelea. Its got some nasty marks from wire which it came with which I've subsequently removed. Ive read about the need for some acidic soil and have bought some kanuma soil (though not done anything with it yet). The tree also has a few leaves which have gone a bit red.

The maple looks pretty and the leaves are turning colour a little. Figured I'd just leave that be for now.. That is unless the garden centre soil is hampering it and it would benefit from something nicer to sit in!

The little forest looks good but I'm not sure where to go with it next really.. Maybe I'll just be happy keeping that healthy for now.

I bought a bougainvillea on the cheap which looks quite exciting and this little fir type thing for 8 quid on ebay in the very 80s pot. Wondering what can be done with those?

As I say, have a look at the pics and comment away. Thanks in advance. Adam

Greetings, wanderer of Woody Dwarf Moor! Always room for more caretakers in the Tiny-Forest!

Along with the mentioned pictures (once they pinnochio their way in here).. you’d be wise to update your profile information to reflect your location (however vague you’d like to be, mine just says, “NorthEastern Wisconsin”) so that others (and myself) reading this will be “privvy” to your climate zone. THIS will provide a much better understanding of your position and will result in a higher caliber of advice. (You DID say “quid”.. so that narrows it down a bit )

Can’t wait to see the images!

Pleasure to make your acquaintance.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Can't get the photos to upload at all! Tried phone and laptop

Did it “Oops” you? ...while you were trying to post the original “Thread-starting post”?

 

[sorce]

I think it has to do with the smile on the title.

I switched it, see if you can load them.


Sorce

 

[ac1986]

Fingers crossed these have uploaded. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Haines' Trees]

Welcome to the party 1986! I often get the answers/opinions I want from this forum!

I find that books are a great resource! If you learn well from literature then read everything you can get your hands on! I recommend this book

The first book I read on the subject and frankly, the one I reference back to most often. A good mix of interesting history and practical skill. Pictures accompanied by snippets that give a good explanation of how to do this or that. It also has a handy compendium of species often used for bonsai and how to care for them!

As far as the trees you have....

The azalea, I have never had one of my own, but a few miscolored leaves here or there are not necessarily anything to worry about with most species. Trees often drop a leaf here or there and spit out a new one. The wire scars will just be there until they grow out. If you’ve removed wire that has been biting in then you’ve done all you can do. As far as acidic soil, just look for something advertised as a mix for rhododendrons that is also fast draining. Someone else can give a better answer on soil.

The maple seems fine. Seems to be a variety of Japanese Maple (A palmatum) and they sport leaves of all sorts of different colors. Not a bad looking tree honestly! Maples grow like crazy, generally tough to kill. Just watch out for leaf burn on Japanese maples. Think sunburn, but on trees. During the hottest summer months take care to keep the tree in a place that doesn’t have all day sun exposure.

The forest is good looking too! Are they cypress? Can’t really tell.

What the hell is a bougainvillea??? Never heard of those lol. Someone else will have more to say.

 

[ac1986]

Thanks for the reply and warm greeting HorseloverFat. You rightly picked up on the 'quid' - I'm from Windsor in the UK. Just down the road from old Queenie but her garden is somewhat grander than mine, for now!

Finally managed to get my pictures uploaded - not quite sure what was going on there.
Cheers

 

[ac1986]

Welcome to the party 1986! I often get the answers/opinions I want from this forum!

I find that books are a great resource! If you learn well from literature then read everything you can get your hands on! I recommend this book
View attachment 308187
The first book I read on the subject and frankly, the one I reference back to most often. A good mix of interesting history and practical skill. Pictures accompanied by snippets that give a good explanation of how to do this or that. It also has a handy compendium of species often used for bonsai and how to care for them!

As far as the trees you have....

The azalea, I have never had one of my own, but a few miscolored leaves here or there are not necessarily anything to worry about with most species. Trees often drop a leaf here or there and spit out a new one. The wire scars will just be there until they grow out. If you’ve removed wire that has been biting in then you’ve done all you can do. As far as acidic soil, just look for something advertised as a mix for rhododendrons that is also fast draining. Someone else can give a better answer on soil.

The maple seems fine. Seems to be a variety of Japanese Maple (A palmatum) and they sport leaves of all sorts of different colors. Not a bad looking tree honestly! Maples grow like crazy, generally tough to kill. Just watch out for leaf burn on Japanese maples. Think sunburn, but on trees. During the hottest summer months take care to keep the tree in a place that doesn’t have all day sun exposure.

The forest is good looking too! Are they cypress? Can’t really tell.

What the hell is a bougainvillea??? Never heard of those lol. Someone else will have more to say.

Thanks for the message! I will definitely check out that book and see what else I can get my hands on. As you say I'm happy with my little maple and will make sure it doesn't get burned (I live in the UK so frankly that's fairly unlikely - though we've had some really hot days recently!).

The little forest are metasequoia and I'm really pleased with how they look. Not sure what do do but maybe they just need time to grow and settle and this will become clear as I go.

I'd never heard of Bougainvillea earlier - I literally googled 'Bougainvillea bonsai' while I was in the shop and saw some great pics (obvs of much more established and trained specimens) but that filled me with hope so I grabbed it. It has a nice little trunk.

Good talking to you! Thanks

 

[sorce]

grander than mine, for now!

Great attitude!

You should steal a cutting from one of their bushes for Bonsai! Replicating their usual trimming schedule should be easy!

Sorce