Beginners, Enthusiam, and the Study of Species

Joanie

When you first get into bonsai, if you have some time and some funds, you quickly find yourself buying most trees and stock that catch your eye. A wide array of species will begin to appear in your yard, and you will delight in reading about each one. You will see no reason to limit yourself, because every one of them is delightful and interesting.

However, there is one very good reason to limit yourself, at least somewhat.... you can't study all of the needs of each tree.

Each species has different requirements, and you need to study not only books and websites and ask questions of knowledgable people, but you need to study the tree YOURSELF. What does it respond to? What needs does it have? When is the best time to fertilize, pinch, prune? If you cut a branch back too far, does it die off? How far is too far? What do you do with the roots, when and how? When you do that with your tree, was it successful or not? Could you have done something better in regard to that particular species, or in your local climate?

Sure, you can know a little about a lot of species, but you cannot quickly learn a lot about a lot of species. And your ignorance will hold your trees back. I have trees that were owned by someone else, who dabbled with them. They could be well developed by now, but he was unable to go past the basic horticultural needs of the trees, so five year old cuttings still look like... cuttings. Big scars didn't heal. He couldn't do the work well, because he was overwhelmed by the sheer number of species that he attempted.

Consider working on just a few species, but more trees of each species. Focus on them, learn from them. Choose species with similar watering needs and fertilizer needs. Watch and learn from the smaller interactions that you have with each tree. The trees will teach you quickly if you are in tune with them.

Joanie

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"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says,
'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'" ~ Dave Barry

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Bonsai Barry

I'm not sure I agree, Joanie. For example, I have the unique ability to kill a tree of nearly any species.

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Bonsai Barry

"Our talent lies in our choices."

andrew lenden

Nice idea, however having a collection of similar trees does not efficiently spread the workload, repotting, major pruning and even flushes of growth are crammed into short time spans, with not much to do in between but be tempted to attempt tasks at the wrong time. my opinion is to learn from as many species as possible,then specialise when you know which species appeal and which you find satisfying to work with. Ideally i,d like a collection where at least one tree was showing its best features at any point in the year, regards Andrew

dracothered

So Barry, are you saying that you have a brown thumb instead of the Green Thumb that every Bonsai artist wants?

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Corbin
Draco the Red

dracothered

Sooo ... sorry!

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Corbin
Draco the Red

zube

Joanie, that's a valid argument, and not the first time that I've heard it. It's a narrow line that many of us walk. I have too many trees in pots, just as you describe, but I don't think I will change too much. Actually, my main regret is the opposite. For years I heeded more knowledgable peoples advice, and didn't have any pine trees, because they were 'too difficult for the beginner, etc, etc.'. From what I can tell, all that I got from that advice was no pine trees for ten years. I will say that I might be content with fewer trees if I had ready access to regular input and activities at a club, but the nearest one is a two hour drive away. To be honest, I feel as though I have maybe 20 trees that I am seriously working on to one degree or another. The others, which probably total 200 pots, most of which are 4", I consider my 'inventory'. Things that I will play with in the future.
Take care,
zube

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Sorry doesn't put thumbs back on the hand, Marge.
H. Simpson

Joanie

Well, I have upwards of twenty different species, about about seventy total things-in-pots. And I've only been serious about bonsai for about a year! The problem is that a person has a hard time truly understanding the cultivation needs of so many species. (and I am stressing the difference between "keeping it alive" and "really understanding the application of technique".) Five species would be much better, with trees in different phases and perhaps different cultivars in each species. It just seems to me that you can learn more in depth technique if you focus and apply your time and energy to fewer species of trees. And you can be more successful if you have, say, five of each type of tree so that you can be willing to learn and make mistakes, or take the trees in totally different directions, and actually have something to compare them against. If you only have one gingko, for instance, then you can only apply one technique at a time. If you have five, you can apply different techniques and see which works.

Also, for ease of watering and fertilizing... so many different needs!! How do you know for sure that you are doing the best for them? If you have five of the same kind, you can vary the application and actually see results.

Just a thought.... I wasn't suggesting that everyone only go for one or two kinds of trees!!

Joanie

__________________
"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says,
'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'" ~ Dave Barry

andrew lenden

Hi Joannie, this is the first time i,ve counted but i have at least 60 different species, (not including cultivars or varieties), most of them are purely the result of being a propagation nerd but I feel i,ve learnt more from the growth habits of these and trees in general than if I had specialized at the start. One thing I do from time to time is to buy or propagate at least two of one species, one goes in the ground for trunk development whilst the other is potted and experimented on and branches and ramification developed on a spindly trunk. by the time i lift the field grown tree I have learnt the specifics on the development mule which can be discarded, sold or used for propagation, regards Andrew

Joanie

Hi Andrew....there are sixty species that grow in Wales? Holy cow, that's amazing! You must be very busy!!!

Well, it was just a thought this morning as I once again tried to figure out who needs what kind of fertilizer and spent half an hour judging the watering needs of things in little plastic pots. Planting them out works really well, they need less care and can grow freely for a while. I planted a bunch of little guys into a wire mesh fireplace screen, so it's wire all the way around and the drainage is perfect. They are all looking much happier than they ever did before, and this next spring they will hopefully put on some girth.

Joanie

__________________
"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says,
'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'" ~ Dave Barry