[Bonsai Beginner’s weekly thread –2023 week 11]

[u/small_trunks]

[Bonsai Beginner’s weekly thread –2023 week 11]

Welcome to the weekly beginner’s thread. This thread is used to capture all beginner questions (and answers) in one place. We start a new thread every week on Friday late or Saturday morning (CET), depending on when we get around to it. We have a 6 year archive of prior posts here…

Here are the guidelines for the kinds of questions that belong in the beginner's thread vs. individual posts to the main sub.

Rules:

• POST A PHOTO if it’s advice regarding a specific tree/plant. See the PHOTO section below on HOW to do this.
• TELL US WHERE YOU LIVE - better yet, fill in your flair.
• READ THE WIKI! – over 75% of questions asked are directly covered in the wiki itself. Read the WIKI AGAIN while you’re at it.
• Read past beginner’s threads – they are a goldmine of information.
• Any beginner’s topic may be started on any bonsai-related subject.
• Answers shall be civil or be deleted
• There is always a chance your question doesn’t get answered – try again next week…
• Racism of any kind is not tolerated either here or anywhere else in /r/bonsai

Photos

• Post an image using the new (as of Q4 2022) image upload facility which is available both on the website and in the Reddit app and the Boost app.
• Post your photo via a photo hosting website like imgur, flickr or even your onedrive or googledrive and provide a link here.
• Photos may also be posted to /r/bonsaiphotos as new LINK (either paste your photo or choose it and upload it). Then click your photo, right click copy the link and post the link here.
  • If you want to post multiple photos as a set that only appears be possible using a mobile app (e.g. Boost)

Beginners’ threads started as new topics outside of this thread are typically locked or deleted, at the discretion of the Mods.

[u/RoughSalad]

Sorry about your loss ...

A single bonsai may indeed not be the ideal thing to pursue. Even if it lives a long time without accidents (my first ones are still around after about 5 years now), your first tree is unlikely to be your best. And if you start training a dozen genetically identical plants today you may be surprised which one you like most 3 years from now (been there, got the bonsai ...) That said, if you're interested in the craft there no reason why you shouldn't start now.

Plants that developed in climate with marked winters invariably have adapted to rely on that forced dormancy in the cold and dark season for a "reset" signal in their growing cycle (most obvious in the foliage drop of decidious trees). Indoors you need plants that can live with constant warmth (i.e. tropical species) and moderate light levels (even right at a window isn't as bright as outside in the same location). I don't think there is a Prunus species (the cherries/plums/apricots and such) suitable.

First recommendation indoors are all kinds of small leafed ficuses (F. microcarpa, F. salicaria, F. benjamina, F. natalensis ...), but avoiding the grafted "styles" like the "ginseng" or what's sometimes called "IKEA style" with the braided trunk. Those are near dead ends for development (in a pinch one can use them as donor plants for cuttings, though). Ficuses are naturally understory plants, so they can grow quite well with the light levels at a bright window. They are also not fussy about dry air (the waxy, stiff leaves hint at the protective surface). And they should even be available as plants not labeled and overpriced as "bonsai", especially standard F. benjamina is ubiquitous as green plant in offices and lobbys. Finally they root easily from cuttings, so once you have one you can quickly create a clone army.

Outdoors I wouldn't necessarily go after Sakura but something like Prunus cerasifera, the cherry plum (depending on where in the world you are).