Bonsai for Beginners
Growing bonsai is a very rewarding hobby but it can be daunting for those just starting out. To help those who are keen to learn more here are my 5 ‘Bonsai for Beginners’ tips.
1. Don’t be put off by information overload. In the world of bonsai lack of information is not the problem! If you put the word ‘bonsai’ in an internet search engine you will get millions of results. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by all this information and to give up before you get a chance to start. Please don’t! What you need is some help to direct you to the appropriate reliable information. That leads me on to the next tip.
2. Find a more knowledgeable person to help you. The ideal scenario would be to find one or two bonsai enthusiasts who live in your area. Such people are usually only too happy to answer your questions and to give you advice e.g on what type of trees grow well in your climate. If you can’t find someone locally then you can join a bonsai forum on the internet. Such sites vary in quality so it’s best to get a recommendation for a helpful forum.
3. Build up your bonsai collection, toolkit and knowledge gradually. Don’t try and learn everything or acquire an extensive bonsai collection with every possible tool in 6 months. Go for the gradual approach – acquire or buy one or two or three trees. Perhaps one fairly mature bonsai and a couple of specimens at an earlier stage of growth so that you can fashion their development. Start with a basic toolkit. Read and acquire information on a ‘little and often’ basis.
4. Practice, practice, practice …. No amount of theory can compare with the hands on experience of working on bonsai trees. That is how you will learn to grow and style bonsai in your particular environment, be that indoors or outdoors. Once you have enough basic information and tools to get started don’t be afraid to get going – and to make mistakes. That happens to everyone and it is the best way to learn.
5. Don’t ‘over fuss’ your bonsai. For the novice with one bonsai tree there is a huge temptation to give it too much attention. Certainly its moisture requirements need to be checked regularly but it doesn’t need to be pruned every time a new leaf appears. There are times when bonsai trees need to be allowed periods of growth to develop properly. That is why it is often a good idea for those new to bonsai to have more than one tree so that the risk of giving too much attention to one bonsai is reduced.
If you take on board these 5 tips you will quickly move on from the ‘bonsai beginner’ stage and become more proficient.
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