Bonsai for Beginners

As a beginning bonsai sculptor, you may find all the information daunting. But if you'll take baby steps toward creating your bonsai masterpiece, you'll find it a relaxing and rewarding hobby.

Many growers prefer to start their trees by cultivating seeds - but this method isn't always the best for beginners. There are many other options that aren't so intimidating and you can start right away rather than waiting for the seed to sprout into a plant large enough to begin the bonsai process.

Bonsai Survival Manual:
Tree-by-Tree Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Problem Solving

The more common method for growing bonsai is outdoors, but there are species that thrive indoors, such as the Ficus. Choose from the dwarf or weeping version to create a stunning indoor bonsai sculpture.

For a great outdoor version of bonsai, select the Bald Cypress. It's a great selection for beginners - easy to grow and beautiful to look at. It sports light and airy foliage that transforms into a burnt orange masterpiece in the fall.

Conifers such as juniper and pine are also good outdoor selections for bonsai. Be sure to place them in a good location where they get plenty of sun. If you choose a deciduous tree such as oak or fruit trees, place them outdoors so that they get some sun, but also shade - especially in the afternoon.

No matter what type of tree you choose for your first bonsai endeavor, don't make it more complicated than it is. A little information and lots of practice will have you addicted to bonsai in no time.

Bonsai trees are like having a pet. A little nurturing and care will ensure that your bonsai will become a work of art. Bonsai is defined as "a plant in a pot," but it's actually so much more than that. It's a living sculpture created by you -- and with a little knowledge can blossom into an incredible plant specimen.

The Secret Techniques of Bonsai:
A Guide to Starting, Raising, and Shaping Bonsai

A bonsai is usually grown outdoors, but there are also tropical and subtropical species that can become indoor sculptures. The outdoor species, such as various evergreens and juniper trees require a time of dormancy since their roots are exposed.

If you're a beginner to the art of bonsai sculpting, you may want to try your hand at an inexpensive nursery plant first. Practice pruning, shaping and fertilizing it before you graduate to a more expensive version.

When you're ready for the real thing, be sure you purchase from a reputable dealer. Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous vendors who sell inexpensive plants as bonsai, when they're simply potted plants. A trustworthy seller of bonsai will also provide you with information about how to care for it.

Most bonsai lovers enjoy the art as others might enjoy decorating a home or listening to music. It's a creative endeavor that you can show off to others like a proud artist might display a painting in a place of honor.

Bonsais are usually grown in small, shallow ceramic pottery that contains excellent drainage holes. There is a wide variety of types and sizes of bonsai pottery available at a nearby nursery or online sites.

As a neophyte bonsai gardener, you won't have to purchase a complete set of tools, but a few are absolutely necessary to begin your sculpture. They are:

Concave pruner - This 8-inch tool lets you remove branches in a way that helps the wound of the cut to heal more rapidly.

Bud scissors - A valuable tool for delicately trimming buds and small branches or leaves.

Bonsai Tool 10-piece Set

When you realize that you truly have a passion for bonsai, purchase other tools such as:

Root hook - As your bonsai grows, invest in a root hook that lets you remove soil from the roots and separate tangled roots.

Root cutters - Used to remove or shorten larger roots of a bonsai.

Wire cutters - You'll use wire to shape the trunk and branches of your bonsai. A pair of simple wire cutters will let you remove the wire without damaging the limb or trunk.

Knob cutters - This tool is used to severely cut into the wood of the bonsai. You can easily trim off protruding stubs too.

Using proper tools to care for your bonsaiwill ensure many years of enjoyment.