Well that was hardly worth it.... (book suggestions?)

[TooCoys]

I figured if I'm going to give this a try, I would probably enjoy some reading. Tomorrow I plan on looking for a ficus to start a small indoor bonsai. After a quick search on Google Play, I purchased the ebook, "Ficus Bonsai Guide" by Bonsai Empire.

I finished reading it in just under 8 minutes.

It was 41 pages of generic information, most of which I knew because I've either A.) seen it on youtube B.) learned it from my mother who always had a ficus in the house or C.) was common sense. Mostly the latter two.

What other books are good beginner books? I'd like to have some suggestions from experienced folks so that I don't go broke $2.99 at a time.

 

[just.wing.it]

Many of the books you'll find are just that, a basic overview of many different species...
You might be better off finding a book specifically about ficus.

 

[Starfox]

http://www.bonsaihunk.us

Jerry Meisliks book would be better. I have been meaning to pick that one up myself but that international shipping is a killer.

 

[leatherback]

What other books are good beginner books? I'd like to have some suggestions from experienced folks so that I don't go broke $2.99 at a time.

Not sure I would focus too much on books. Rather, websites like bonsai4me, this forum and blogs of experiences growers. As care depends on species & climate, a generic book will always be fairly generic. You need a focussed book by a specialist in the species to get real new info. But most information is available online, and by meeting up with people who grow them llocally.

 

[Josiana]

The Art of Bonsai by Yuji Yoshimura, and Bonsai Techniques by John Naka. Both are classics.
But as suggested already in this thread, there are some great YouTube channels for advice.. Nigel Saunders, Bonsai Empire, Bonsai Marai, Ma-Ke Bonsai, and Herons Bonsai are all brilliant, with others.

 

[markyscott]

I’m a book person. I have many Bonsai books occupying shelf space in the library, but only a few I keep coming back to. Although I will always keep my old copies of Bonsai Techniques 1&2 because I bought them at a John Naka demo in Sacramento when I was first starting out in bonsai. He was a wonderfully kind man and did a lot to expand interest in bonsai both in me and across the US. But I keep them as collectors items and I don't refer to them any longer for information on technique - they are out-of-date with respect to how I practice bonsai today.

Where to go instead?

Important books to me

• Bonsai Today back issues, particularly the first 30 or so, are a fantastic resource containing a ton of good information.
• Principles of Bonsai Design, by Dave De Groot. Get the second edition
• Four Seasons of Bonsai, by Kyuzo Murata. He was the official gardener to the Imperial Household of Japan. This book has nearly 200 trees and kusamono in seasonal display. They are remarkable.
• Bonsai with Japanese Maples, by Peter Adams. An excellent book on developing broadleaf Bonsai focused on Japanese and Trident maples. It’s not about maple maintenance - its about developing trunks and branches
• Literati Style Penjing, by Zhao Qingquan. An in-depth look at this amazing style of bonsai
• Classical Bonsai Art, by Bill Valavanis. Bill is the man in the US when it comes to developing broadleaf trees. And he’s been doing it for 50 years. And he’s been taking pictures. And he published them in this book. 50 years of case studies documenting the development of some of his best trees. Every one of us should have a copy and be studying it.
• Anything by Kyosuke Gun. He has a collection of books by species and style. They’re all written in Japanese, but excellently well illustrated. I have a complete set and refer to those all the time

Important subscriptions to me

• I subscribe to both Bonsai Focus and International Bonsai. I look forward to getting every issue and I have a complete collection of both. They are the only magazine subscriptions I have.
• Bonsai Mirai. I’m a tier three member. I think this is a fantastic investment and I learn something from every video of his I watch.

Important video series to me

• DVD series by Boon on 1) Japanese Black Pine bonsai; 2) Scale Juniper; and 3) Deciduous trees. Skip the Bonsai 101 DVD. The others are excellently well done, with great camera work. Boon walks you step-by-step through how its done.
• Fundamentals, Intermediate and Advanced Course. The Fundamentals course is by Mike Hagedorn. About 1/2 is focused on plant physiology and the other is on Japanese aesthetics in relation to bonsai. Excellent. The Intermediate course is good, but not great. It is by Bjorn Bjorholm and is largely re-edited footage from his YouTube series, Bonsai Art of Japan. That said, that series is really good and the course synthesizes the information he goes over in the YouTube series in a digestible way. It’s just already out there if you have the time to spend watching YouTube. I’m in the middle of the Advanced Course, also by Bjorn. Big upgrade in my opinion.

Hope that helps.

Scott

 

[Anthony]

Read at the library first.
Then decide if you need the book.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Clicio]

Important books to me

• Bonsai Today back issues, particularly the first 30 or so, are a fantastic resource containing a ton of good information.
• Principles of Bonsai Design, by Dave De Groot. Get the second edition
• Four Seasons of Bonsai, by Kyuzo Murata. He was the official gardener to the Imperial Household of Japan. This book has nearly 200 trees and kusamono in seasonal display. They are remarkable.
• Bonsai with Japanese Maples, by Peter Adams. An excellent book on developing broadleaf Bonsai focused on Japanese and Trident maples. It’s not about maple maintenance - its about developing trunks and branches
• Literati Style Penjing, by Zhao Qingquan. An in-depth look at this amazing style of bonsai
• Classical Bonsai Art, by Bill Valavanis. Bill is the man in the US when it comes to developing broadleaf trees. And he’s been doing it for 50 years. And he’s been taking pictures. And he published them in this book. 50 years of case studies documenting the development of some of his best trees. Every one of us should have a copy and be studying it.
• Anything by Kyosuke Gun. He has a collection of books by species and style. They’re all written in Japanese, but excellently well illustrated. I have a complete set and refer to those all the time

Important subscriptions to me

• I subscribe to both Bonsai Focus and International Bonsai. I look forward to getting every issue and I have a complete collection of both. They are the only magazine subscriptions I have.
• Bonsai Mirai. I’m a tier three member. I think this is a fantastic investment and I learn something from every video of his I watch.

Important video series to me

• DVD series by Boon on 1) Japanese Black Pine bonsai; 2) Scale Juniper; and 3) Deciduous trees. Skip the Bonsai 101 DVD. The others are excellently well done, with great camera work. Boon walks you step-by-step through how its done.
• Fundamentals, Intermediate and Advanced Course. The Fundamentals course is by Mike Hagedorn. About 1/2 is focused on plant physiology and the other is on Japanese aesthetics in relation to bonsai. Excellent. The Intermediate course is good, but not great. It is by Bjorn Bjorholm and is largely re-edited footage from his YouTube series, Bonsai Art of Japan. That said, that series is really good and the course synthesizes the information he goes over in the YouTube series in a digestible way. It’s just already out there if you have the time to spend watching YouTube. I’m in the middle of the Advanced Course, also by Bjorn. Big upgrade in my opinion.

Thank you, @markyscott , very useful list for bookworms like me.

 

[Toshi]

I've purchased a few books and got a few free from a local club and like has been suggested by some, a lot of info can be easily found on this site as well as many others. The only book that I loved and learned a lot from was Modern Bonsai Practice - https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Bonsai-Practice-Principles-Horticulture/dp/0692521399.

I'm a beginner this is only my 3rd summer with bonsai so I can't definitely tell you whether or not it's a good resource but I found it to be an excellent text combining good horticultural practice and knowledge with the nuances of bonsai. I'm also a huge fan of Harry Harrington's 2 books I learned a lot from those as well as his website.

 

[Adair M]

Read at the library first.
Then decide if you need the book.
Good Day
Anthony

That’s a good way to stay 40 years behind the times.

 

[Anthony]

Sifu, shhh,

biology, chemistry, physics and other stuff that go into
doing bonsai -------- shhhhhhh
Happy 4th
Slow student,
Anthony

And - Kamuti

 

[0soyoung]

That’s a good way to stay 40 years behind the times.

Like bonsai is a 'disruptive technology'.
It advances at a snails pace.
Get real.

 

[Adair M]

Like bonsai is a 'disruptive technology'.
It advances at a snails pace.
Get real.

Hardly.

Compare the information and techniques in the books vs the magazines.

Quantum differences.

 

[coh]

I’m a book person. I have many Bonsai books occupying shelf space in the library, but only a few I keep coming back to. Although I will always keep my old copies of Bonsai Techniques 1&2 because I bought them at a John Naka demo in Sacramento when I was first starting out in bonsai. He was a wonderfully kind man and did a lot to expand interest in bonsai both in me and across the US. But I keep them as collectors items and I don't refer to them any longer for information on technique - they are out-of-date with respect to how I practice bonsai today.

Where to go instead?

Important books to me

• Bonsai Today back issues, particularly the first 30 or so, are a fantastic resource containing a ton of good information.
• Principles of Bonsai Design, by Dave De Groot. Get the second edition
• Four Seasons of Bonsai, by Kyuzo Murata. He was the official gardener to the Imperial Household of Japan. This book has nearly 200 trees and kusamono in seasonal display. They are remarkable.
• Bonsai with Japanese Maples, by Peter Adams. An excellent book on developing broadleaf Bonsai focused on Japanese and Trident maples. It’s not about maple maintenance - its about developing trunks and branches
• Literati Style Penjing, by Zhao Qingquan. An in-depth look at this amazing style of bonsai
• Classical Bonsai Art, by Bill Valavanis. Bill is the man in the US when it comes to developing broadleaf trees. And he’s been doing it for 50 years. And he’s been taking pictures. And he published them in this book. 50 years of case studies documenting the development of some of his best trees. Every one of us should have a copy and be studying it.
• Anything by Kyosuke Gun. He has a collection of books by species and style. They’re all written in Japanese, but excellently well illustrated. I have a complete set and refer to those all the time

Important subscriptions to me

• I subscribe to both Bonsai Focus and International Bonsai. I look forward to getting every issue and I have a complete collection of both. They are the only magazine subscriptions I have.
• Bonsai Mirai. I’m a tier three member. I think this is a fantastic investment and I learn something from every video of his I watch.

Important video series to me

• DVD series by Boon on 1) Japanese Black Pine bonsai; 2) Scale Juniper; and 3) Deciduous trees. Skip the Bonsai 101 DVD. The others are excellently well done, with great camera work. Boon walks you step-by-step through how its done.
• Fundamentals, Intermediate and Advanced Course. The Fundamentals course is by Mike Hagedorn. About 1/2 is focused on plant physiology and the other is on Japanese aesthetics in relation to bonsai. Excellent. The Intermediate course is good, but not great. It is by Bjorn Bjorholm and is largely re-edited footage from his YouTube series, Bonsai Art of Japan. That said, that series is really good and the course synthesizes the information he goes over in the YouTube series in a digestible way. It’s just already out there if you have the time to spend watching YouTube. I’m in the middle of the Advanced Course, also by Bjorn. Big upgrade in my opinion.

Hope that helps.

Scott

Good list. Love the penjing book, Bill's book and DeGroot's book and refer to all of them quite often. I've been subscribing to Bonsai Focus for a couple of years now and really enjoy it. And yes, I'm also a bonsai mirai tier 3 member though I'm probably going to drop back to 2 before long.

The fact that someone with as advanced skills (and trees) as yourself, believes that Mirai and some of the other online courses are worthwhile investments, says a lot. People should pay attention.

 

[Anthony]

Sifu,

the idea was, read for free at the library.
You might see images/ideas you can use.
But it is free ----------- use a notebook, take notes.
Save money.

Then you can afford to sample the magazines, Scott
recommended.
Cheap, cheap, cheap.
Have 5 to 7 years of Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
Our education allows us to jump two years of university
on your side.

Allows faster grasping of ideas in Science.
How fast are you ?
Happy 4th.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Adair M]

Sifu,

the idea was, read for free at the library.
You might see images/ideas you can use.
But it is free ----------- use a notebook, take notes.
Save money.

Then you can afford to sample the magazines, Scott
recommended.
Cheap, cheap, cheap.
Have 5 to 7 years of Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
Our education allows us to jump two years of university
on your side.

Allows faster grasping of ideas in Science.
How fast are you ?
Happy 4th.
Good Day
Anthony

Both Owen Reich, and Ryan Neil had college degrees in horticulture BEFORE they went to Japan to study bonsai.

A great many people can produce lovely bonsai without having a degree. Of any kind.

And there is stuff we do in bonsai that would never be taught in a botany program or forestry program! Like taking JBP seedling cuttings. They would say it’s setting the tree back. And it does! But it makes the tree better... for bonsai. Not for timber, not even as a landscape plant. No, pretty much only for bonsai.

If it were not for Bonsai Today issue number 20, (and it’s subsequent reprint in the Pine Masters book), that technique would be lost in obscurity. Other than the Pine Masters book ( a book comprised of “greatest hits” of Bonsai Today magazine), that technique is not documented anywhere else that I am aware of. Does your library have back issues of Bonsai Today? Does it have the Pine Masters book?

I love libraries. They just don’t carry books with current bonsai techniques!

 

[Ironbeaver]

I've noticed there are a lot of bonsai e-books available, for cheap. After trying a few, I've realized they are cash grabs. I Google the authors names now to eliminate the poseurs.

 

[TooCoys]

The Art of Bonsai by Yuji Yoshimura, and Bonsai Techniques by John Naka. Both are classics.
But as suggested already in this thread, there are some great YouTube channels for advice.. Nigel Saunders, Bonsai Empire, Bonsai Marai, Ma-Ke Bonsai, and Herons Bonsai are all brilliant, with others.

I’ve been binge watching all except Ma-Ke... hadn’t stumbled upon that channel yet.

 

[Anthony]

Actually Sifu,

it is Bonsai Today 12 that you want - How to grow to a Bonsai
from seed.
BT 20 is about a chap growing small Bonsai.
Sent a few copies of relevant pages, BT 12 out to a few folk many years ago.

And softwoods naturally produce above surface roots.

Yes, the - " We grow our Bonsai for Beauty, not produce or
lumber ".

In the J.B.pines you want the soft wood types, faster trunk
fattening, the slimmer trunks that grow to 36 inches or so,
stay around 1/2 an inch are harder wood. Not as useful for Bonsai.
Left images of that example in the pine section.

Have 30 or so J.B.pine seedlings for the contest.
About 10 are soft wooded. The rest are harder wood.
The soft wooded are already further down the road.
Look for images in September.

Yes, I met Owen on B.S.G, and knew that, also mentioned it
here a while ago.
As usual a pleasure chatting.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[TooCoys]

People should pay attention.

Better yet, pay a visit!! @markyscott we used to live in Sanger and still go up there all the time to visit! Do you accept visitors?