1st post, 1st Bonsai... (Embedded Pics)

Asus101

To be honest Bob was right. If some members here remember only a few months back me posting tree's I thought were great stock. I was cut when people simply said "no". I quickly learned way to look for and what not to look for when looking at stock. Before when I would go to a nursery I would find maybe 20-30 "great" trees. Now I find one or two worth an experiment with. The better your stock the less time wasted, and better the result.

As the OP is new to the art, like many of us he made a mistake. There is no issue with it, in fact its a good one. He has a tree in which to learn the basics of the art with, while also learning what is not good stock to work with. As the tree progresses he will see why.

Now as for asking questions, this is a forum, ask away. The reason I said to read first, was so you didn't waste more time by asking the simple questions. Forums never give an instant answer when you hit "new post". Also as you read you find more and more answers to questions you hadn't even thought of.

All this aside, welcome to bonsai. Be prepared to learn, and be prepared to kill tree's as you do.

__________________
"All your pinus is belong to us!"

Shrunken heads for all occasions. Collect them, swap them, give them to your witch doctor friend.

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JayC

Maybe showing a pic or two of some beautiful nepenthes could lighten some people up? I have a few myself, stunning things they are!

JayC

PatArizona

G'day Gang...

This very active thread is a good example of what I call the "shot gun" approach...

Lots of advice...the good...the bad...and the ugly...

The bad thing about it is that there is no order/organization to it. And it is almost devoid of any "why".

Where does that leave us? Walla! The door suddenly opens...the light dawns. Why don't we, MORE OFTEN, point the beginner toward hooking up with an experienced "local", and joining a club.

With all that's gone on here...in this thread, we are very fortunate that Aaron is still with us I think we've got a winner. Let's see if we can keep him around.

Pat

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BONSAI isn't about surviving in a storm, rather, how to dance in the rain.
THE ONLY WAY: Always remember, and don't ever forget, that whatever you read here is not cast in concrete... the intent of any advice is to help. In no way should you feel that I’m saying that my way is the only way…heaven forbid! I've seen far too much of the "my way or the highway" attitude in bonsai as well as in other areas of life.

PatArizona

A couple more comments...

"...telling someone that a stick in a pot is a good start to a design is blowin smoke..."
Maybe a "stick" isn't a good start, but, why not tell a beginner what can be deone that might, just might, turn it into something good?

"...No bonsaist I know of started with material like this...". Oh? Herb Gustafson a respected American bonsai artist, teaqcher, and author, got his start by collecting flower anr tree seeds...planted them in tin cans, small glass jars...anything he could lay his hands on that would hold soil. Many a stick did he nurture.


"...Go for a thick trunk with taper. You can find them for $50...". Nice, however, not all of us can afford $50 for a starter.

"...very confused by the answers I got...". Here's a beginners thought that points to that door that opened..."locals" and "club".

Just some thoughts from the bumbling, mumbling mind of this seventysomething year Ol' Sage...

Pat

__________________
BONSAI isn't about surviving in a storm, rather, how to dance in the rain.
THE ONLY WAY: Always remember, and don't ever forget, that whatever you read here is not cast in concrete... the intent of any advice is to help. In no way should you feel that I’m saying that my way is the only way…heaven forbid! I've seen far too much of the "my way or the highway" attitude in bonsai as well as in other areas of life.

PatArizona

G'day again, Aaron...

Glad that you are still with us...

You said: "...it’ll take no extra effort for me to pot it up and let it sit with the other myriad of plants for a while...". Have at it Aaron.

And always remember that bonsai is a trip that demands time and patience. Welcome aboard, and enjoy the journey.

Pat

__________________
BONSAI isn't about surviving in a storm, rather, how to dance in the rain.
THE ONLY WAY: Always remember, and don't ever forget, that whatever you read here is not cast in concrete... the intent of any advice is to help. In no way should you feel that I’m saying that my way is the only way…heaven forbid! I've seen far too much of the "my way or the highway" attitude in bonsai as well as in other areas of life.

MarcS

Well chosen stock can be turned into an almost instant bonsai.
An example.
This is cheap stock (around $30 if I remember well) bought at the Ginkgo Bonsai Center by Marinko Beg, a Belgian bonsaist.
He wanted some shohin junipers for a rock planting.



The same trees after he worked on them for 1 hour or so. The trees are about 11cm/4.3inches high.





The real patience starts now, after this initial styling.

Marc

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Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into
action is the most difficult thing in the world.
Goethe

AncientLegend

Aaron,

Often the choice in buying stock is a trade off between how much time you want to spend developing a tree and how much cash you can spare. Spend $100 on stock and you'll have something well on it's way in a couple of years. Spend $5 at a big box store and considerably more time will be required.

Being in my sixth decade, I am not going to start any seedlings. Looking at retirement not too far off, I am not going to spend $100. The "right" choice FOR ME is shohins from $30 nursery stock.

The advice about joining a club is the best advise you can get. Besides knowledge, you can get some nice discounts on materials.

MarcS

Wise words.

__________________
Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into
action is the most difficult thing in the world.
Goethe

Cordon

i don't know for sure if my comment is well placed on this thread, but my feeling is, the hardest thing about bonsai learning to grow a tree in a pot. It's true that if you have the money you can go to a bonsai nursery, or any nursery and find good starting material that will be ready to be styled and go show off. However, learning to keep that tree alive takes a lot more kowledge and trial and error. If you jump right in and buy stock ($30 is more than I'd spend on stock in my current situation) then you may have a showable tree that may soon become an expensive watering mistake.

So do everything you want. Read anything you can find. Join that local club. Plant seedlings out to grow. Look around local nurseries for possible starter plants. Just go for it, and see if you like it. Everyone started somewhere, so just have fun with it.