New to Bonsai, wanting to get started

[nickmyster16]

Hey everyone I'm looking to get started in this fantastic hobby of bonsai. I've got plenty of experience in growing things and have quite a "green thumb", however I've never done trees before, other than persimmon...

I live in Indiana so the type of bonsai I can grow will be sort of limited I am guessing, however I was wondering what you recommend me to start out with. I am limited on budget but I was wondering if you would recommend starting out with a seedling that I start from around here? Or something cheap to buy...
I'm looking forward to learning and growing as a bonsai enthusiast along with you all.
Thanks for any tips you may have for me

[linlaoboo]

Yes, start something that grows in your region will be better for the tree's survival. Think about if you have space for outdoor trees in addition to indoor ones. I'd recommend starting out with ficus starter trees. They are cheap to buy and grow like crazy. I leave them outside from May to October. I propagate them from cuttings and air layers and I need to move from my condo to a single family home so there's space for them.

[nickmyster16]

ok.. so for something around indiana that would work..... anyone know where to find this? or should I just find a sprout of a maple tree or something? heh .. sorry I can't find anything when I search indiana bonsai trees.. other than clubs and stuff.

[SvetSad]

Any tree can be made into a bonsai. there are many different type of trees in Indy that can be used. I think maples aren't very good trees for beginners. But why not give it a try and see what happens, if it dies... oh well onto the next.....

And with good indoor light, you could have a tropical tree

[tomc]

Blueberry, both upland and lowland cultivars. Quince, all. Japanese maples, all. Shorter needle spruce, like picea glehnnii. White oaks. Azalea with smaller leaves. Boxwood. Bald cypress. Larch.

Pines, and red oaks can be done, but are slow to develop.

Everything on this list is hearty in Indiana and can & should live out doors.

This last is probably where I'm going to wound you. Nothing you think you know about the horticultural needs of trees in shallow pots is true. I say this not as someone who is superior. But as someone who killed their first two hundred odd trees.

Either you train your trees in very fast draining soil specifically for trees, or you will simply kill them untill you give up.

If you really want to get started with bonsai get the dirt right before you collect a single pot or tree. I was not able to successfuly grow trees in shallow pots untill I got the dirt right.

[Gnome]

Nick,

Please take Tom's advice to heart.

This last is probably where I'm going to wound you. Nothing you think you know about the horticultural needs of trees in shallow pots is true. I say this not as someone who is superior. But as someone who killed their first two hundred odd trees.

Either you train your trees in very fast draining soil specifically for trees, or you will simply kill them untill you give up.

If you really want to get started with bonsai get the dirt right before you collect a single pot or tree. I was not able to successfuly grow trees in shallow pots untill I got the dirt right.

I too killed trees for years until I began using a proper, free draining, medium, the importance of which cannot be overstated. Please take the time to read this thread.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422

Other species that are suitable would be Chinese Elm, Zelkova and Crab Apple.

Norm

[djlen]

I will chime in with the same as Norm and Tom above. I can't tell you how many trees I killed learning what NOT to do with them.
But that was way before we had the internet an sites like this to go to for information and advice. Best advice I can give you is follow Tom's above and keep asking questions of us here.
Here is a site that I go to all the time for quick reference:
https://www.bonsai4me.com/index.htm
Scroll down a bit and you will see sections on "Basics" and "Species Guides" that will help you some, I think.
Although it is an English site the guides are very helpful.

[Intriguedbybonsai]

Any tree can be made into a bonsai. there are many different type of trees in Indy that can be used. I think maples aren't very good trees for beginners.

I'm going to have to disagree with that. Not all trees can be made into bonsai. At least not believable bonsai. Certain trees have leaves that are much too large for ramification. In the world of bonsai, you want to make it look as believable as it would look in nature. Take the "sugar maple" for example. While maples are a popular study for bonsai, this particular species has leaves the size of the palm of your hand. A more suited species would be the Japanese, Trident, or Amur.

And maples are most certainly a good beginner tree. As opposed to the more advanced trees (pines, larches, cedars, etc...), they are far more forgiving than most conifers.

[djlen]

I agree with "Intrigued's" post above. I find that Amur and Trident Maple make very nice first attempts for beginners. Also, I would recommend Zelkova (also called Gray-barked Elm) for a starter.
I would stay away from needled evergreens. Japanese Holly and any small leafed Holly is pretty sturdy. In Jersey, Yew is plentiful and I've had good sucess with that.
I personally have not had much success with the needled evergreens, but that doesn't mean you will follow suit. Some people can grow species with ease that other people kill just by looking at them.
It's just that the above named species are the ones that I've heard from many people were easier to work with.

[djlen]

I agree with "Intrigued's" post above. I find that Amur and Trident Maple make very nice first attempts for beginners. Also, I would recommend Zelkova (also called Gray-barked Elm) for a starter.
I would stay away from needled evergreens. Japanese Holly and any small leafed Holly is pretty sturdy. In Jersey, Yew is plentiful and I've had good sucess with that.
I personally have not had much success with the needled evergreens, but that doesn't mean you will follow suit. Some people can grow species with ease that other people kill just by looking at them.
It's just that the above named species are the ones that I've heard from many people were easier to work with.

[TomM]

I would pull larch off of Intrigued's list of 'advanced trees' and say it is very good for beginners along with boxwood and hornbeam.

Larches are very cold hardy, should do better in Indiana than in So.Cal.