Hi,
I've only recently entered the world of Bonsai growing (and it's absolutely stunning) and so I'm endevering to create my own bonsai. Naturally though I have some questions, I've searched around a lot but I've been unable to find the specific answers I need.
First, my intention is to grow (Eventually) a Giant redwood bonsai (there is something wonderful about a miniature of the worlds largest tree) from seed (I've already managed to grow some very small seedlings, but it's to early to celebrate).
I understand the commitment of time that it will take (as I understand it 3-4 years before I have anything workable, then several more years before any true beauty can be achieved)
To this end I have also decided to create another bonsai from a sapling in order to have a tree several steps ahead of my main goal, the hope is to learn the necessary skills using it. I've opted to go with (Hopefully) a Japanese wisteria.
So anyway, here are my questions;
1) Concerning my wisteria sapling, is it necessary to buy a short sapling or can I cut the sapling to the appropriate height?
2) In the same vein, I understand that, to achieve a thicker trunk, I must leave my tree's in large pots for several years. How do I control height so that they remain suitable to be bonsai instead of just young tree's?
3) are there any steps (in the future) to go from sapling to bonsai, or is it a case of putting it in the correct pot (after trimming roots) and begin shaping and pruning?
4) lastly, is there anything I can do now (seedling or sapling) to prepare my plants to be bonsai?
Any other advice would also be helpful, plus any links to sites that would help too.
Thanks for reading (and answering hopefully:) ), sorry it was so long-winded.
First, I think you're a bit off in your timeline for a redwood grown from seed. I'd venture 5-10 years, in ground, before it's a workable material.
1) Wisteria, IME, is weed-like. You can chop it to teh ground and, if healthy, it will come back. You're actually better off obtaining a well matured material as seedlings and saplings will take many years before they'll flower.
2) For some trees, like pines, controlling height is an issue as they will die without a leader and lower branches will die off gradually over time. If you wish to retain these lower branches, some pruning will likely be necessary as the tree is growing out. With wisteria, you don't have this concern, really. Just let it grow. In the ground is better than in a pot for quickest maturation and growth.
3) In some cases, you can pot a tree directly from the ground into a pot, but not usually a proper pot for the finished tree. You will want to, even with wisteria, pot down gradually over the course of a few years to minimize the chance of complete failure.
4) That depends on what you wish to acheive and how quickly you wish to acheive it. If your goal is mame or small shohin (not with redwood or wisteria, IMO) and you don't want a super thick trunk with an exagerrated taper, you can clip and grow from the beginning. This is how I grow most of my trees. But, be forewarned, it will take most of a decade before you'll have something worthy of a bonsai pot. Otherwise, just let them grow. In ground, you'll have a nice trunk size in about 5-10 years. After 3-4 years of subsequent pot downs, you shoul have a very respectable tree.
1) Wisteria, IME, is weed-like. You can chop it to teh ground and, if healthy, it will come back. You're actually better off obtaining a well matured material as seedlings and saplings will take many years before they'll flower.
2) For some trees, like pines, controlling height is an issue as they will die without a leader and lower branches will die off gradually over time. If you wish to retain these lower branches, some pruning will likely be necessary as the tree is growing out. With wisteria, you don't have this concern, really. Just let it grow. In the ground is better than in a pot for quickest maturation and growth.
3) In some cases, you can pot a tree directly from the ground into a pot, but not usually a proper pot for the finished tree. You will want to, even with wisteria, pot down gradually over the course of a few years to minimize the chance of complete failure.
4) That depends on what you wish to acheive and how quickly you wish to acheive it. If your goal is mame or small shohin (not with redwood or wisteria, IMO) and you don't want a super thick trunk with an exagerrated taper, you can clip and grow from the beginning. This is how I grow most of my trees. But, be forewarned, it will take most of a decade before you'll have something worthy of a bonsai pot. Otherwise, just let them grow. In ground, you'll have a nice trunk size in about 5-10 years. After 3-4 years of subsequent pot downs, you shoul have a very respectable tree.
10 years?! Wow, I should have figured for tree like that, still I imagine it will be worth it 
I'll buy a store-bought one in the mean-time so I don't get impatient waiting for mine, I've read that salvaging one of the depressed Tesco ones can be rewarding (and it will be a good learning experience).
I actually don't have the luxury of a garden anymore, I just joined university. Though I think my sisters garden at her new house would benefit greatly from a redwood and a wisteria
Thank you so much for your help, I'm really hoping not to maim any innocent trees, you probably just saved some lives
I'll buy a store-bought one in the mean-time so I don't get impatient waiting for mine, I've read that salvaging one of the depressed Tesco ones can be rewarding (and it will be a good learning experience).
I actually don't have the luxury of a garden anymore, I just joined university. Though I think my sisters garden at her new house would benefit greatly from a redwood and a wisteria
Thank you so much for your help, I'm really hoping not to maim any innocent trees, you probably just saved some lives
I have to agree and disagree there. I agree that these "mallsai" trees are good learning materials with regards to potting, pruning, shaping, etc. They're usually far enough along that they do look like "something". And, they're inexpensive enough that newbie mistakes causing the death of the tree are not so horrendous. With that said, the "style" of these trees is usually extremely poor. So, if you're looking to learn styling, bad choice, but if you just want to learn care and how to keep a bonsai alive, good choice.