I Need Help!

Hello, as u can see I'm in a crisis! I just got interested in bonsai and I have looked at MANY websites, finding imformation on how to make my own bonsai tree. The one thing is, I don't understand! There are many small saplings of trees at local parks where I live, soo I can get one of those. But, I want to know how do you make the plant smaller. I understand you have to trim the tree but, lets say the tree is too tall, if you cut it in half it will kill the plant. There also are some trees that are perfect to start out but, there leaves are HUGE! So, I was wondering when you "train" your bonsai if the leaves will evolve to become smaller? Please help me out! Im trying to make either an oak or maple bonsia! Sorry for typing so much.

I just became interested in bonsai trees and I want to make my own. I want to make an oak or maple bonsai but I need help. First of all I want my tree to be a pure indoor plant. But dont oaks need to be dormant (live in freezing weather a.k.a winter) to live? I am also wondering if the big leaves of these trees will shrink over time to look like a real bonsai. Also if the sapling I use is to tall how do I trim it shorter. doesnt cutting a tree in have kill it? Please give me as much info as you can becuase Im just a beginner!

Hi there,

Here are many experienced bonsaist that could help you, but it is on you to understand the basics. Best you can do for start is that you read as many bonsai books you can find and also try to join a local bonsai club that could give you directons first hand in person.
Chopping the tree won't kill it - if you do it at the right time you can get a surprising results, reducing the leaf size iz a matter of growing conditions and feeding, some species are more suitable for bonsai then others...
I hope you get the idea of what this forum can do for you and what you need to do yourself.
Good luck on your new journey!

Best...

Gašper

Where in the U.S. are you??

Not all trees that have large leaves reduce well. Oaks are an example of this. Most species tend to have large leaves that don't reduce very much, and they've also got trouble taproots. Since you're a beginner, I'd advise you to avoid starting out with an Oak. Maples can make excellent bonsai, it just depends on which species you use.

Hi
judging by your screen name you are in Minnesota. Check for local bonsai societies. The ABS website lists Clubs http://absbonsai.org/ there are clubs in Minneapolis and in West Fargo, depending on where in Minnesota you are, you might be able to visit one of these groups.

The question you raise is one I had as a beginner, and the answer is best found in actually seeing a tree go from raw stock to intermediate stages in training, and there is no good replacement for seeing it done live in person.

Most of the raw nursery stock to bonsai is usually a 3 to 1 or up to a 10 to 1 reduction in height. If you want a finished tree 2 feet tall, you really should be looking at 6 to 10 foot tall trees with them being the raw stock in mind. This is hard to get the mind around, especially for a linear thinker such as myself. Seeing it in person will help.

There is a show in Chicago if you happen to be there today or tomorrow, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, it is the biggest annual regional show for the midwest, well worth the trip.

Hope this helps.

all the foregoing is sound advice. i'm comparatively new to the art, myself, but with the help [and generosity] of local club members, the public library, and this forum, i feel substantially less daunted than i did a year ago. never be afraid to asks questions.

incidentally, i noticed in your earlier post that you spoke of maples/oaks for development as indoor bonsai. i'm afraid neither of those species will tolerate the great indoors. do you have a yard [or balcony, if you're an apartment dweller] to give your charge the fresh air and conditions for dormancy it needs?

Yes, Oaks and Maples cannot be indoor trees, ever. They need to go dormant over the winter. I wouldn't suggest you start out with an Oak since you're a beginner and want an indoor tree. I'd suggest you start out with a Ficus. They're great beginner plants.

Agree with the first response. You will also benefit from reading a basic bonsai book to give you a base of information with which to work...

Since you're already a member of the forum, I would recommend looking around and checking out some of the progression series to be found here. It's helpful to have someone documenting years of work and sharing with the rest of us so you can see exactly what happened and when. Might give you some of the insight you're looking for. Good luck on your journey in bonsai!

Hello and welcome to bonsai.

As has already been said, we can help you so far but a lot has to come from your own research and early experiences.

Have you read our tutorial on getting started in Bonsai? You can find it by clicking HERE . In that same Tutorial section you will also see some booklists and you will find some really helpful stuff there.

But as has already been said, you cant beat joining a club and getting the hands on experience.

Good luck

If you go to the " too threads, FAQ, and Tutorials" section there is a wealth of knowledge to get you started. You can also look at websites like those listed below, and as mentioned above there are several books that will help fill in some of the info you need to get started. There are trees that can be kept indoors but oaks and maples can not. Some good indoor species are ficus, fukien tea tree, and many more. Happy reading, its a very fun hobby.


www.bonsai4me.com
www.kaisenbonsai.com (articles, and videos)
www.evergreengardenworks.com

First welcome to the lifestyle!

Second A quick bit of bonsai ethics if you will. Digging, taking cuttings and in some cases (such as of protected species) gathering seeds without permission is a no no and quite possibly illegal. So if you wish to dig one up just get permission first.