any help for a beginner?

[Greenhorn]

Hi all,

I'm interested in beginning bonsai but have absolutely no idea where to start. I think I'd prefer to go with native variety's, so any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Jamie]

hi green horn, welcome to ausbonsai

being a beginner i would recommend reading as much as you possibly can about the care of trees, keeping them alive is the first and foremost thing you have to learn! then once you can do that you can think bout styling and working trees

i recommend you start with figs QLD small leaf figs are native and tough as cast iron, on top of that you can collect them with ease! shannon on here and his dad have heaps and heaps that you can buy at a good price

good luck and feel free to ask anything

Jamie

[Greenhorn]

Thanks Jamie much appreciated mate. I've been researching quite alt over past few days on the internet but the amount of info on offer is so confusing so hopefully I'll go well here where i can ask Australians about bonsai in Australia. Also if you guys ever go out on another dig or something I'd be great full to tag along.

[Jamie]

the other thing i just noticed was you are in the sunny coast! so is shan and his dad i would give him a pm, he will be abel to help you get some trees and he also does some classes to help beginners along

[Greenhorn]

cheers have done. will let you know what happens

[kcpoole]

Step 1 Learn what constitutes a Bonsai - A stick in a pot is not a bonsai, but a tree Styled to look like a mature tree is. There are many varying degrees and styles of which we really only need do know the basics to get started. Formal / informal Upright, Cascade / Semi Cascade and Literati.

Step 2, Learn to keep a tree alive and growing healthily. - Can be harder than you first think, but usually requires Daily attention, even if only to water

Step 3, Learn how to maintain the shape of an existing tree. - Unless you are attending Structured classes, then usually you will have an established Bonsai given to you or purchased that will need maintaing in its shape.

Step 4, Learn how to create a Bonsai from a Nursery tree, or one you have grown yourself. - this entails learning how Identify a nice trunkline and branch structure of some stock, and to wire a tree to shape.
This last step can take ony a couple of hours from a suitable ursery tree, to many years for a Self grown or collected specimin

Step 5, Enjoy sharing the new found Knowledge and skills with all the people on here like the us

Bonsai can be a lifelong journey but the most important skill to learn is to listen or read ( or both) and have patience

Ken

[Handy Mick]

Hi greenhorn and welcome, one of the most important things to do is join a bonsai club of society. In these clubs you can find all types of people at all levels of bonsai, and all can help at some level. You can also find some new friends with common interests.
Mick.

[Krusty]

Its a good idea to start on natives, as most of them are so much more forgiving than other species. I recommend starting on a fig or callistmon, (not sure what is good in QLD, as i am in VIC). If you are serious about getting into bonsai, also get yourself some good quality tools and equipment. I would start with some wire, concave cutters and some wire cutters.

Also searching around Ausbonsai is a good idea, as there are many people here that like to push the boundaries and you can get some really great and easy ideas for projects that you might wish to start on.

Oh, and when you do finally get started on a tree, don't forget to take pics and post them here along with any questions you might have. The ausbonsai community are really good with helping as long as you provide lots of info on what you need.

[anttal63]

hey mate welcome, Yes shannon's a bomb! You'll be in the good hands hookn up with him!

[Greth]

Hiya greenhorn and welcome.

Oops it was step 3 I missed, Ken, noone gave me an established Bonsai and I cant afford to buy one! Still if I master the other steps, I will have something to maintain one day.

[Chris]

hello greenhorn

[Greenhorn]

Thanks for the effort everyone. I'll surely take everything you have to say on board.

[kcpoole]

Hiya greenhorn and welcome.

Oops it was step 3 I missed, Ken, noone gave me an established Bonsai and I cant afford to buy one! Still if I master the other steps, I will have something to maintain one day.

Sorry Greth, Did not mean it had to be an expensive one

Plenty available to cut your teeth on for only a few weeks worth of Lunch money

Just an observation that Many of our Newbies' first post seem to be "I was given a tree", Not mandatory but if possible I think it is a good idea to have at least 1 "decent tree" in a bonsai pot that can be admired. It is usually a long time before anything we do ourselves it worthwhile putting in a pot, so can help keep the interest up.


Ken

[Jamie]

so very true there ken!

having a tree or two in a bonsai pot that is nice to look at whil learning and practicing is definately the way to go, i am positive it is you that advises to beginners to buy two trees, one to grow on and the other to work and style as is?

as the enthusiast continues along there path they will eventually have changes of taste and likings and those that started in a pot when they started might end up in the ground or a box for a while maybe five years after they got it, how i wish i could go back to then and get everything in the ground or grow boxes, ohwell making up for lost itme now

jamie

[Rhiannon]

Just an observation that Many of our Newbies' first post seem to be "I was given a tree", Not mandatory but if possible I think it is a good idea to have at least 1 "decent tree" in a bonsai pot that can be admired. It is usually a long time before anything we do ourselves it worthwhile putting in a pot, so can help keep the interest up.


Ken

I was given a tree and that's what started off this madness for me, but it was a stick in a pot. So I don't even have a bonsai to admire while I learn how to do it from scratch lol.