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New to Bonsai's - can anyone help?

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Ecclipse
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New to Bonsai's - can anyone help? - 2010/02/06 22:18 Hi everyone,

Im new to the forum and haven't owned a Bonsai tree before. It's been a dream of mine to own and care for Bonsai trees. I know nothing about buying and caring for Bonsai's and wanted to know if anyone can help me on my way. I don't want to even start looking until I know the basics and what I need to get my first Bonsai. I'm very excited and am a fast learner. I'm still figuring my way around the forum and the aritcles I have read seem very overwhelming. Where do I start? Would be very grateful for any advice or help.

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BonsaiChris

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New to Bonsai's - can anyone help? - 2010/02/06 22:46 You are on the right track. That is, learning how to care for a bonsai BEFORE you get one. Good for you. A good species for begginers is a juniper for outdoors, and ficus for indoors.
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Good enough is never good enough.

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digger714

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New to Bonsai's - can anyone help? - 2010/02/06 23:07 There are tons of online sources for learning about bonsai. I did the same, well, i received one for a promotional give away, and it started there. Now, i cant find enough trees to learn on. Try bonsai4me.com. they have some good lessons. The toughest part for me was learning that after they go into a bonsai pot, they dont grow much. Well, not very fast. A trees trunk in a bonsai pot wont change much in 4 or even 5 years. you found the right place to ask questions though. Good luck.

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iamurthman

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New to Bonsai's - can anyone help? - 2010/02/07 02:01 Hi eclipse, and welcome to the forum!

If you look up at the top of the cover page of this forum, you'll see some posts with black push points beside them, sticky posts, and they're chock full a goodies, how to videos, links, forum info and all kind of good stuff. When you're done there(take a couple of days) check out the team bonsai forums to ask more specific questions about trees you're interested in. Any questions just fire away. Kudos for studying up first and, if I may make a suggestion, before you spend alot of dough on someone elses bonsai, learn how and make your own. Most places that sell bonsai will also sell bonsai starters or you can buy a tree from a local nursery to train. If you work it from that end, more than likely you'll never buy someone elses bonsai, it's way too much fun making your own.

Besides, I'm a frugal country boy and for the price of one bonsai I can get 4or5 starters and have all the fun myself! Welcome aboard, hope you enjoy the forums.
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djlen

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New to Bonsai's - can anyone help? - 2010/02/07 03:08 I couldn't agree more with what's been said above. You are doing it the right way by studying up before jumping into the hobby.
It's really not as complicated as you might think and IMO no special tools are needed. I've been into this hobby for years and never bought a tool especially for Bonsai. I've always used the gardening tools one typically finds around the house.
This year I'm going to buy my first 'Bonsai Tool' and probably it will be the only one I'll ever own.
I will make one more suggestion to you. Initially I would start with plants/trees that are small leafed and native to your area. Then you will know that they can handle the environment in your particular region.
Since you are in the southern hemisphere, your growing season is a bit of a mystery to me so I cannot make suggestions as to the optimal times for you to pot, prune or re-pot. Possibly some of the others here can help you in that respect once you start to work with your trees.
Good luck to you and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Post edited by: djlen, at: 2010/02/07 03:09
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Regards,
Len

"As the twig is bent, the tree inclines"
- Virgil

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Gina
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New to Bonsai's - can anyone help? - 2010/02/07 04:35 I see you live in a flat, so you will presumably be keeping your tree indoors. Ficus is definitely a good place to start then as most bonsai species need to be outdoors. Ficus Natalensis is a really good one for South Africa as they grow really quickly. I have one I started from a very small cutting less than three years ago and it is really starting to take shape nicely.

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Ecclipse
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New to Bonsai's - can anyone help? - 2010/02/07 07:37 Wow, what a welcome! Thank you for your encouragement and all the responses. Im so excited and will go through the forum so I dont ask any questions already asked. Will check out that website - thank you. Will do my homework on the ficus in the meantime...blessings

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