Impediments to beginners?

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People looking down on curiosity as lack of discipline / acting like they didn’t make the same mistakes, to the point that attempting and failing at least seems like part and parcel of the growth in the hobby that we might as well embrace.

always gonna be an awkward phase as folks start to get serious
 

Emanon

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For me (as a beginner) the thing that has always held me back, without a doubt, more than anything else... is access to unfiltered sunlight and ground for growing. A large number of Americans live in larger cities where apartments, row homes/houses, or townhomes predominate. These larger cities are also the settings that are most likely to inspire a Bonsai interest. Casual interest by novices is often piqued in places like the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington D.C., Japanese Friendship Garden, Balboa Park in San Diego, the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt in Oakland. Most every uninitiated novice leaves these places wanting a bonsai tree. The majority of these (i.e. uninitiated) visitors, I would argue, are locals -- for example, Lake Merritt is not the first place tourists who have no familiarity with bonsai will go on their vacation to San Fransisco. They inevitably go home to their apartment or row house in San Francisco or on the Peninsula because...well...very few people can afford houses in this part of the world... and they try to grow bonsais on their balconies, on top of fences, on porches, in tiny gardens, or in the 4 foot or so walkway (if you're lucky) between homes .

I think more expert bonsai aficionados are less likely to be affected by these limitations because it really is hard to become expert working in these spaces. Although I did see a video on Ryan Neil at the beginning of his initial internship in Japan that showed his balcony full of specimen trees.

The push to give up is real when you have to be constantly moving and maneuvering your trees from one side of your townhome to the other, as the sun makes its way across the sky. I have a Monterey Cypress that is over 8 feet tall. In order for it to get both early morning sunlight and late afternoon sunlight to meet it's 5-6 hours of sunlight requirement, I have to carry it every day across rooms bent over so that the pot is below my knees and it still drags a good deal on the ceiling. Also if you're in a home where you share a wall with neighbors (like in a rowhome) the light on your relatively large 8'x12' back patio is never consistent throughout the seasons due to its proximity to your neighbors house or the single large pine tree managed by the homeowners association.

As a solution...I've thought about the option of ground growing trees in urban community gardens. I'm very hesitant to follow up on this though because every plot I've ever seen in one of these is dedicated to vegetables and flowers. I don't know how "neighbors" in these gardens would react to a Bald Cypress being grown to ten feet. I don't know how people go about setting up community gardens in large cities (in terms of permits, etc.) but maybe they could be set up specifically for ground growing trees with raised beds for the purpose of encouraging beginners. Another option might be a business (someone who actually has land in an urban center) where trees could be stored and watered for a reasonable price. Owners could then come in to work on the trees there. I don't like this idea. But maybe there might be some beginners out there that would actually like to see "their" tree get bigger, even if it's not kept at their private residence.
 
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19Mateo83

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I think another impedance of beginners is learning the basic knowledge of how to keep a tree alive. It’s easy to buy all the trees your heart desires and wrap them in wire and twist and contort them like a dr. Seuss wet dream. None of that matters if you can’t keep them alive. That means knowing the basics like what your growing zone is and what plants will live in it. Learning how to properly water a plant. Learning each individual trees light and nutrient requirements, soil ph preferences and just basic horticultural knowledge. It’s easy plant a tree in a pot and call it a bonsai, but getting it to grow and flourish is not as easy. And I think that’s something folks new to the hobby may not realize they need to learn first.
 

Linn01

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- Believing the treacherous vendors label 'indoor bonsai' (happened to me 2 at first)
- Lack of insight in what characteristics potential material should have before buying it / digging it up (counted for me 2, still does sometimes)
- Lack of watering skills (same remark, although skills have improved)
- Putting trees too fast in bonsai pots before giving them the chance to grow (same here alas)
- Insisting on wanting that pretty JWP or serissa, not wanting to accept that they need a skillful hand and thorough knowledge
 

MSU JBoots

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I think another impedance of beginners is learning the basic knowledge of how to keep a tree alive. It’s easy to buy all the trees your heart desires and wrap them in wire and twist and contort them like a dr. Seuss wet dream. None of that matters if you can’t keep them alive. That means knowing the basics like what your growing zone is and what plants will live in it. Learning how to properly water a plant. Learning each individual trees light and nutrient requirements, soil ph preferences and just basic horticultural knowledge. It’s easy plant a tree in a pot and call it a bonsai, but getting it to grow and flourish is not as easy. And I think that’s something folks new to the hobby may not realize they need to learn first.
Learning the horticultural knowledge and just keeping trees alive is definitely paramount for my goals this year. I got a great laugh out of the “Dr. Seuss wet dream” line. That was a good one!
 

James W.

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Still good answers, but to the wrong question. The reasons for failure has been discussed here many times. Also the reasons many people do little trees poorly.
I have met many people who express an interest, even a fascination with the hobby, but won't give it a try. Why? Are they afraid of failing? are they reluctant to commit? do they just not know where to start? are they too busy? am I too ugly and smelly?
Also I know a few who have quit after a year or two, I am pretty sure I know why they quit but I have been unable to help them.
 

MSU JBoots

Shohin
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Also, the second part of the question is as important as the first:
"What can we do to help them"
One thing that has been very helpful to me is seeing one trees progression over the years. As a guy who plans to start from raw material this year threads like Brian VanFleets trident he ground grew have been fantastic!
 

James W.

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Would it be helpful in our recruitment efforts to show a raw nursery tree, a similar tree after it's 1st work-over, what it will look like in a year, two years, etc?
 

MSU JBoots

Shohin
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Would it be helpful in our recruitment efforts to show a raw nursery tree, a similar tree after it's 1st work-over, what it will look like in a year, two years, etc?
Absolutely! I plan to start a few of my own like this. They are uncommon but I’ve seen a few streams on mirai live like this but Ryan tends to work with more field grown and collected trees.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Still good answers, but to the wrong question. The reasons for failure has been discussed here many times. Also the reasons many people do little trees poorly.
I have met many people who express an interest, even a fascination with the hobby, but won't give it a try. Why? Are they afraid of failing? are they reluctant to commit? do they just not know where to start? are they too busy? am I too ugly and smelly?
Also I know a few who have quit after a year or two, I am pretty sure I know why they quit but I have been unable to help them.
Sounds like you’re asking “how can I make this horse drink the water I’ve led him to?” Bonsai, gardening, and plants aren’t for everyone.
I am interested in paintings, even fascinated by some, but I have no desire to start painting. No matter how excited my docent might be about it.
 

dbonsaiw

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People generally do not like pursuing anything they cannot excel at instantly. I try to teach my children that nobody is naturally great at anything the first time they try it. Rather, a desire to improve/learn, practice and some humility are essential tools for progress. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe any of the gorgeous specimens I've seen here are first time attempts. Rather, they are the results of countless failures and stupid mistakes. At my former jiu jitsu gym there was a big sign on the wall that read "a black belt is a white belt that never quit." (I quit). Essentially, the bonsai masters are newbies who never quit and decades later have awesome trees. Perseverance cannot be easily taught.

That said, some of us will be better at a particular endeavor than others. We can't all be Walter Pall. We may begin painting on the same day and put in the same effort, but if you turn out to be the next Rembrandt there's not much I can do about that. And some will find this fatally discouraging. Outside of exhibitions, bonsai is not a competition. We should be developing these trees because we enjoy the journey (and mangling trees).

Bonsai has it's own peculiarities, particularly the long time line. Personally, most of what I did last season was wrong and I may have killed many of my trees. That's a gut punch - time, effort, money all wasted, unless this is viewed as a price of entry into the world of bonsai. I'm sure I will look back on my work in the years to come and regret many more of the choices I made. These are all opportunities to call it quits. Some call these natural setbacks, but I view them as the path forward. The path forward is never a straight one.

As a newbie, the willingness of more experienced practitioners to field newbie questions is priceless. The fact that this thread even exists is a testament to this fact. Keep up the good work and remind newbies that although you may be Rembrandt now, you once struggled with the finger painting like the rest of us pleebs. Newbies can then choose to take it on the chin and get back up when the inevitable mistakes are made or simply throw in the towel. Can't make a horse drink the water, but if a horse asks where the water is you can always tell him "it depends."
 

Mr.Dr.K

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I'm a beginner and do not have any spectacular specimens. My personal experience of impediments are: initial lack of patience and overall knowledge such as, when to and when to not work on trees, feeding, water, pruning, basically just understanding the particular species you wish to grow and ensure you choose trees that work in your climate/placement, I.E. research your species. For me, personally, choosing a species that tolerates mistreatment or is forgiving to neglect while learning is very helpful as someone stated earlier—"Chinease Elm" is great to start with and learn. I also read a book 'The Complete Practical Enclclopedia Of Bonsai' which was helpful to me for basic general knowledge. Also, study trees you admire, but don't compare your skills or trees to them, as a beginner, because after all—you're still learning and need to practice and put the time in to get to that point. Take advice from experts. Know what it is you wish to gain from the experience and don't bite off more than you can chew. I enjoy learning of the different species peculiarities and how to care for them, but I'm also relatively busy with limited space, which is why I have only a few small trees to learn on. So for now, keeping the few young trees alive and well as I learn on them is sufficient for me.
 
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People just need to see and learn the why otherwise they’re staring at a stick for ten years

and guess what

they’re gonna prune that stick, they’re gonna wire it, they’re gonna “do they hobby”

it’s on us to deal with that. Stop putting it on the beginners, IMO. Make it pleasant for beginners. Let them do dumb shit sometimes. If they care, and are paying attention, they’ll get better. It ain’t a Bjorn apprenticeship ;)
 

Njyamadori

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I know many people say getting too many trees is not a good idea such as Bjorn. Technically I have had a bonsai tree for 3-4 years but recently I have been buying tons and I'm totally a beginner. I have bought one real project(Shohin Trident Maple) and tons of pre-bonsai such as Japanese beautyberry and Kishu junipers. They are mostly seedlings but I have the time and I would like to understand the process of bonsai stock. And of course, I will try collecting some pitch pine and blueberry. Let's hope the excessive buying isn't gonna turn into a disaster 😂
 
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