A lot of posts are daily made on social media from people who are just starting out with Bonsai on where to start. There is a big difference between going off to your local nursery and buying your first Bonsai tree, create one from garden material (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/05/30/garden-trees-to-bonsai/) or being gifted one, and then successfully maintaining and developing it further. What advice would one give to such a budding Bonsai artist?

The Advice

The first part would be to gain some knowledge and basic skills and to realise that Bonsai is an art form (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/10/09/bonsai-culture-styles-and-isms/). One of the earlier blog posts on this website discusses what a Bonsai Curriculum could be like and it is worth reading. That was more written for Bonsai teachers whereas for the person just starting out, the advice will be different.

• Ensure you understand what Bonsai is and what it is not. The first tree will probably be an under-developed and very young tree in a cost-effective pot with hopefully some care instructions. Whatever you have, it will take commitment and in most cases a daily commitment. It is very much the same as having a pet.
• Secondly, get some knowledge on basic care. Things like most Bonsai need to be kept outdoors for optimum light conditions. They are trees after-all. Water requirements will depend on the type of tree, the size of the pot, climatic conditions and the soil mix. Nutritional knowledge will come later, but the basics of fertilization should be picked up early on.
• For most people that will be the end of it, but for those wanting to take it up as a hobby, allow the addiction to flourish and before long, have a collection of trees, you will need some additional knowledge and some practical skills. This is where things like wiring, pruning techniques and repotting skills come in handy. Best at this stage is to join a club or at least regularly catch-up with like-minded people. Videos (see You Tube) will help, but it is still better to spend time with people and talking about your specific trees.
• Through all of this a sizeable vocabulary will be added to the mix and before long, the starter will move into the intermediate phase where debates about nebari, branch structure (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/04/26/branch-selection-101/), ramification and soil-medium debates dominate. Not to mention pots. Colors, shapes, sizes, textures and it goes on and on and on.
• A later but very important part of personal development as a Bonsai artist is to know some of the history and especially some of the philosophical themes attached to Bonsai. That is where you start to understand the difference between Penjing and Bonsai and some of the styles like Literati.

On that last point, there are some golden themes running through all of Bonsai and these mainly relate to the philosophical concepts (Wabi-Sabi) regardless of the structure or style of the tree. It would be wise to get to know these as well. https://bonsaiplace.net/2023/06/17/bonsai-perfection-in-imperfection/

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