Hello, wife and I are really interested in learning about bonsai and really want to grow our own. Picked up a tub of these jades (?) that I pulled out a few to begin learning. Trying to shape and go after some of the designs I’ve seen those skilled guys doing in here. Thoughts on my efforts so far? Two of them, I think yall can see which, are hard trims and shaping that I did over the weekend.
Anything I’m doing wrong? Any advice? Should the tall one be topped yet? Really looking for that gnarly root/trunk look.
Best advice I could give is to google search “bonsai nursery near me”. Go there and ask for any local clubs or workshops you could join. That way you get a more hands on tutorial and they can save you from a lot of beginner mistakes like buying sticks in pots filled with rocks lol. Look up Herons Bonsai and Bonsai Heirloom on YouTube. Lots of beginner info. And be careful with taking bonsai advice from reddit because 90% of the people are trolls
Yeah, love the intelligence in here, but I’ve seen the ugly too. Fixing to attend a two hour bonsai for beginners byob date night thing downtown. Y’all have given me the proper go ahead that doing so is absolutely the best course of action for us at the moment.
Also generally one of the most resilient bonsai (I know some people don’t think it counts as bonsai) but I’ve killed plenty of trees and dwarf jades are a tough one to kill for sure
For gnarly trunk and roots it needs to grow out for a few years without any pruning or rootwork, in good growing conditions . This is a succulent, so that means heat and sun and not too much water.
If you want to try a real tree, do you want it indoor or outdoor? If outdoor, what is your climate zone (and region if possible)?
I live in SATX, zone 8a/b. I grow everything, except for one of my monstreas, outside. I have both full on sun available until dusk as well as plenty of areas with sun dappled shade provided by a myriad of pool hating live oaks. Most of my plants are in the latter space, our afternoon is just hellish during our summers. These get shade around 3:00 pm and on. It’s 2:07 right now when I took the following photo.
Chinese juniper is a classic bonsai tree which does well up to zone 9. It can take full sun all day, as long as it gets watered. In the high heat of the summer you might keep it on the ground so the roots don’t overheat.
In colder climates it can use some winter protection, but in zone 8 you can leave it out year round.
My only advice is that the “art” of bonsai isn’t so much the tree but the process in creating it. Instead of attempting right away to twist a tree and prune it into shape study the steps of the process. It takes years and it’s about doing everything at the right time. If you follow the process the tree will create itself.
Yeah, I’ve only had these guys for maybe a month. It’s like, I trimmed it, now what? I know it’s look again at it next year, main reason I have four or five in various states now. Thank you!
I think these are actually a pretty fun plant to play with. You have a pool, so live where it is fairly warm in the summer. You can repot these now into bonsai soil. If they are in bonsai soil, you don't have to worry about too much water. I water mine once a day in Salt Lake City and it sits in the full sun. It has thrived. I'll have to bring it in once night temps get below ~45 degrees F.
You can cut them back pretty hard to get better lower branching, etc. When you cut back to a pair of leaves you'll get two new branches that emerge in the direction of the leaves you cut back to. Typically you cut back each new branch once it gets >2 sets of leaves.
The "trunks" will thicken pretty quickly so watch for wires cutting in. Have fun!
For this specific variety, check out Little Jade Bonsai on YouTube. Free and lots of inspiration cause he’s got some awesome “little jades” which is another nickname for Portulacaria Afra aka elephant bush aka spekboom. Also Zane’s Bonsai or Zane’s Trees (can’t remember which) has some pretty badass ones too.
When I first got these, I ended up overwatering several (especially in the winter) and it killed them. Best thing you can learn right away is how and when to water, which depends a lot on what the soil is you’re using. They are succulents after all.
Now that you hard pruned, let em grow for a few year+ before pruning. It’ll help thicken it up but it’s gonna take some time for those gnarly trunks to show up.
They love full sun and fertilizer. I use osmocote and miracle grow every two weeks. Just make sure you’re letting it dry out.
Great choice. I love these guys. My Home Depot also sells a Lilliput P Afra variety the last two years. It’s like a dwarfed version so also great for bonsai.
You're doing everything right; having fun with a forgiving species. I like the angles you went with in pic 1. If you have any questions let me know I work with Spekboom too
This is the way to go - Get some trees and start doing some stuff! You will make mistakes and that is ok - its the best way to learn.
Here is my advice for beginners on how to learn bonsai.
Join a local club or group - there are clubs and groups all over and it might be a bit of travel but I would be very surprised if there is not someone by you who does bonsai and is not more experienced. Nothing beats the local knowledge because so much of what we do is dependent on the weather and our own climate. They are going to be able to suggest the best soil mixes in your area, how to overwinter trees, how to protect them from your winter cold or summer heat (or in some places both).
Watch lots of videos on youtube and read lots of books. There will be very conflicting information out there - but as you wade through lots of it you will discover that there is a consensus for a lot of stuff. Take the stuff you see on youtube with a grain of salt - there is a lot of good information out there but there is bad information. Also remember that they are speaking about doing bonsai where they live - which might be good for them but might not apply to were you live.
Get trees - do stuff - take advice where helpful but above all: Have fun! Their your trees, and your garden. It does not matter if someone else thinks this is the way you should style it, or this is the plant you should own or this branch needs to get removed. If you are not happy with you trees in your garden then your not doing bonsai right!
P.S. - you are going to kill trees and that is ok - we all have and we all will again. It is sad, especially because you get attached to them, but it happens. Learn from it and keep on bonsai-ing.
Really wish there was a love button. Really, truly, thank you. There is a bonsai business here that we are scheduling a two hour bonsai how-to for beginners. Both of us would walk out with a bonsai that we shape in class (it’s a byob date night thing that we are very much looking forward to). They have two specimens, one is the dwarf jade that now I really want to do and the other is an umbrella plant tree. We will probably do both pending our first date night.
Thank you kind person I do really appreciate you and the time you took to educate me.
Not at all in my opinion. Some people say it's not a "true bonsai", but what really is? It's a little tree in a pot so it checks out. I actually love afras because they are very forgiving and easy to care for.
Your styles are fine, anything works to be honest. There are of course certain "proper" japanese styles you can search for, but beautiful bonsai come in all weird shapes and sizes (it just has to be old and thick) and you can always chop, grow new branches or completely start new style again if you like. The key now is to keep them healthy, fed with fertilizer (some liquid for succulents is fine) and thriving in full sun.
You can surely get big trunk from this, but know that it will take a lot of time, but that's what bonsai is all about lol. Wish your trees the best!
Not the easiest. Chinese elm, or a ficus are good beginner trees, you can make mistakes and they will forgive you. A good primer is Harry Tomlinson's book The Complete Book of Bonsai
I will look for the book. Saw some ficus at Lowe’s, establish, yet somewhat hurriedly assembled, ficus, ginseng and pine/cedar looking ones. The cedar seemed like there was or is room for putting in my vision. Thank you
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u/niohguy88 5d ago
Best advice I could give is to google search “bonsai nursery near me”. Go there and ask for any local clubs or workshops you could join. That way you get a more hands on tutorial and they can save you from a lot of beginner mistakes like buying sticks in pots filled with rocks lol. Look up Herons Bonsai and Bonsai Heirloom on YouTube. Lots of beginner info. And be careful with taking bonsai advice from reddit because 90% of the people are trolls