Am I just bored, or do I need more patience?

kreashun

Alright, I know bonsai takes a long time to grow. I completely understand that and am willing to embrace it to get the results I want. My issue is that I don't know what to do in the mean time while I'm waiting for my trees to mature enough so that I can work on them. Is it that I am just impatient and missing the point or is there something else that I can be doing to keep my involved while I wait for my other trees?

This following scenario is not too far fetched, but let's say I'm just starting out. I went out, bought my pots, my tools, my soil, my trees. Now what? Am I supposed to go out, dig a few holes, plant my trees and just wait?

Help me out people. I feel lost.

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TreeBay

Having some trees in different stages of development is one idea that you might look into to keep you active in different aspects of the hobby while you wait for certain material to mature.

Here are a couple of other ideas:

1) Becoming involved in shohin (mini bonsai) can be a great way to hasten along the process of having some material to work with sooner. A three-quarter inch trunk on a twelve inch tree is not very impressive. But on a three inch tree, it can convey a massive scale.

2) Get involved in creating forest bonsai and landscape bonsai. These are two areas where you can use a collaboration of elements (multiple trunks with or without stones) to create a tray landscape. These trays can actually be a great growing ground for materials, because they will grow faster with room to spread. Although forests improve as they mature, the fact is: if you can apply the principles with an artistic flair, you don't need mature materials to create a convincing forest.

3) Join a club in your area - this will keep you active in other aspects of the hobby, like display and refinement.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Matt

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susieq

Greetings Kreashun,
Looks like you took the plunge some where....at a convention maybe? and bought a bunch of stuff and don't know where to start? Might I suggest that you join a club first. Make friends in the hobby. Learn to nursery hop and shop for potential bonsai. Growing and training your potential trees is not boring and will be a lot of work. Pinching here, pruning there, a season for each step you need to take. But usually during the growing season there is always some pinching or light trimming to do. You don't say what kind of trees you bought or how much of a trunk they have, or branching. You could be deciding branch placement and be getting rid of unwanted branches (again, in the correct season for that type of work.) It also helps to have a variety of different tree species to work on. Tropicals, junipers, deciduous trees like elms or maples.....each with it's own set of rules and time tables for different work. There might be wiring to do, then watching carefully to make sure the wires don't tighten too much and mark the tree. Cut off and rewire.... Take classes somewhere. California is prime bonsai country from what I hear. There has to be something close to you in the way of a club or teacher. Maybe another member from your area can fill you in on some places to go. You won't be bored if you make the effort.......
Kindest regards.
susieq

kreashun

Thanks for the suggestions.

To answer some of the questions, I started after I found a couple of bonsai websites about 3 years ago. At that time, I was going around and experimenting with nursery stock, but got frustrated because they didn't look anything like the bonsai's I would see in pictures. That's when I learned that I had to grow them out and chop them to get the taper and size that I was expecting.

My dogs made quick work of those first few trees as well as a maple I had until recently. Currently, I'm only taking care of a Chinese Elm grown in my front yard. It is about 1 inch thick and 8 feet tall right now. I'm waiting for the tree to grow thick enough to chop it down to size. I'm also looking to get a sweet gum and another maple for the fall color.

As far as the clubs go, I moved to the high desert here in California and I don't know of any clubs near by. Everything near is around 50+ miles away. I saw one "bonsai" place around here, but I can't seem to find it now. Perhaps it's just who I know and where I live, but I almost feel as though I am the only in the area that loves this hobby.

Joanie

Kim's Bonsai Nursery in Phelan looks close to you.

Clubs may be harder. You could ask at Kim's.

Joanie

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kreashun

Thanks Jonie!

I think that's the place off of Main Street I would assume. I'll get the address and check it out on my drive home today.

Joanie

You're welcome! Good luck!

Joanie

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Joanie

And Matt is right on with his post. There are lots of ways you can enjoy bonsai and learn from it while your bigger trees grow out. Forests are fun and rewarding, and always impressive to your family and friends!

The GSBF convention is next weekend in Los Angeles. Might be worth the trip for you, especially Saturday.

Here is a thread about it. Sure would be nice to see you there!

Joanie

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TreeBay

Here's a great article on How to Get Started in Bonsai by Lesley from last year's articles contest

Regards,

Matt

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