#bonsaiforall : Is bonsai something that anyone can do as a hobby?
Is bonsai something that anyone can do as a hobby? The short answer is yes. As far as I am concerned there are two types of bonsai artists. The professional bonsai artists and the hobbyists. The bonsai professionals are the individuals who gets the once in a life time opportunity to go to Japan and apprentice for well known bonsai masters. These are the few that can make a living from doing bonsai demo's, selling their trees and traveling the world as honored guest speakers at bonsai gatherings.
Then there are the hobbyists. Well lets just say this is a special breed altogether. I would classify myself in the hobbyist group. Everybody wants to be a well known bonsai artist and wants to tell you what the best way is to style your tree. I really admire those type of people as they can talk the talk when it comes to everyone else's trees but when it comes to their own trees they always have some kind of excuse as to why the tree looks the way it does.
I want to tell you today that bonsai as a hobby is for everyone that has the time. Bonsai is not like any other plant in a pot that you just have to water and it will take care of itself. You need to make time for your bonsai tree every day. It's a lot like adding another member to your family. You will need to read up extensively before going out to buy a bonsai tree for you to take care of. It's also an good idea to buy something that if it dies you will not feel the financial lost as a discouragement.
Here is a photo of one of my first bonsai trees. This photo was taken in 2016. 
This tree is about ten years old. As you can see this tree does not look as great as trees you see in magazines and online when searching for bonsai trees. This is due to the fact that when I started with this tree I had no idea what I was doing. I read a lot of books and I had some kind of idea of what I needed to be done. In other word I was clueless. I have been trying to correct all the mistakes I made in the first few stylings of this tree ever since I realized that what I was doing was wrong. I just recently started to get buds on the inside of the branches closer to the trunk of the tree. I got these results by fertilizing heavily and defoliating the tree a few times every Summer. When using the correct techniques you can over time build a great branch structure. In the beginning I wanted quick results. I would repot trees out of season, wire branches with the wrong wire, prune the branches and leave ugly scares behind. All these mistakes can be rectified. It's just very counter productive.
Here is a tree I styled in May this year (2018).
I wrote a blog on this trees styling a few days ago :
https://steemit.com/bonsai/@romanolsamuels/juniper-nana-full-transformation-from-start-to-finish
As you can see the second tree looks way better than the first tree I styled when I started out. Ok, its not fair the first tree was a deciduous tree and the second tree is a evergreen. Deciduous trees gets build by regular pruning, defoliation and wiring. Where evergreens like Junipers get styled by making huge bends initially and trimming back new growth. I know its almost the same but styling Junipers are easier. Deciduous tree take more time (years). Anyway you get the point. What I was trying to show to you through the two examples was that as you improve on your skills and techniques the way your trees look will improve with it.
I like improving my designs and doing better today than yesterday. There are no short cuts! There are ways of getting the desired design faster but no way of getting to a end result by waving a magic wand.
Here are a few basic things that you need know to start your bonsai hobby career:
- What type of trees work as bonsai trees.
- How to water a bonsai.
- When to fertilize your bonsai.
- Where to place you bonsai.
- How far to trim back your tree and how often.
- Which type of soil mixture to use when replanting your tree.
These are the basics you need to master to be a bonsai hobbyist. As you can see there is a lot more to growing bonsai than the points I highlighted above. I just wanted to prove that anyone can take care of a bonsai tree.
Now go out there and share the good news!
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I hope you enjoyed it. Please feel free to leave your comments below.
Geesh this could not be more true! I so often experience the exact same thing if that makes sense. I'd definitely classify myself as a hobbyist as well. There is no way I would dare call myself a professional as I am still in the early stages of learning and would much rather prefer to stay where I am with bonsai in general. I do like the bonsai you started with though - a good few years from now it will definitely look super cool and you know what, it is unique - you get to say that you put your effort into that tree. Nobody can take that away from you!
Thanks. Your words are to kind... :-)
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Your first bonsai tree is so beautiful . I was once tempted to do the project but gave up because time consuming. I recently received a gift, a Gardenia Bonsai. Will have to learn how to take care of it. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
No problem. I find that online bonsai videos and some blog sites are great if you want learn more about bonsai. The best way to learn detailed techniques if to buy bonsai books. There are a lot of them but try and find the older one as they were wrote to share knowledge and not to make profit.
That was very good humor when you describe hobbyists who talk like they know everything, yet can't apply any of it to their own sorry-looking collection.
Perhaps the third category, is the Bonsai Master, capable or nurturing pupils to grow in their passion and application of techiques and knowledge. Often times I run into pros who are terrible teachers and generally discourage others from improving. We all want to learn from a Mr. Miyagi type of master who will show us a tree to teach about life.
That's so true. There are a few of those guys out there. I had a situation in my earlier years where I asked a well know bonsai professional if I could help him tend to his trees or work with him on our heritage collection at the botanical gardens. He said he will get back to me. He never did. To make a long story short he is now one of the people in the club that allows me to give my opinions during discussions that he facilitates.
The reason this changed was because I did not let him get to me. I just went to the next available person. That's the only way to get a seat at the table. My motto in life is keeping on fighting hard and work harder than the next guy if you don't someone else will take your place.
I know I'm rambling on here but this is just something that I have experienced and I do not think people like that need their own category. They can not help it that's how they are its part of their nature.
Let's do this we can split professionals into two groups. Enablers and disablers.
Wanted to let you know that @imagendevoz featured you in their entry to the Pay It Forward Curation Contest.
There is a first time entry bonus for those who come join the contest that you might be interested in. Read that post for how to qualify for the bonus.
The art of a bonsai tree has always amazed me. You need a certain vision for what can be and the patience to allow that vision to come to fruition.
@imagendevoz featured you in the Pay It Forward curation contest week 7 .
Bonsai is an art . as with any art it takes time to develop . I find the Bonsai to be a fascinating art .
What a very intriguing post! Your humility is impresive; I'm afraid I'm a water and cross your fingers kind of gardener, despite growing up on a farm myself haha I think your first tree is very good, even though you are probably your own worst critic, but yes, the second tree is very beautiful. Thank you for sharing this!
I found it because @imagendevoz showcased you in his entry to the Pay it Forward Curation Contest. Please consider joining us next week with and entry of your own ;)
A very nice post, and it seems like Bonsai art is coming back en vogue today. I not only read the post I generally also read the comments before commenting myself, and this line:
Is so real in a lot of respects. I found your post because @imagendevoz featured you in their "Pay it Forward" contest post.