名媛直播

Hi I'm from the UK
Just bought a '7 year old chinese elm' (mail order) still awaiting delivery
Bought for my fiancé for her beauty salon as a tranquil piece for her therapy room
After reading up as much as I can in the meantime sort of got hooked reading up and watching online videos and I shall be purchasing my own after the arrival of this first to see what condition it arrives
So yeh I'm a complete beginner as beginners come but very much interested in learning this trade so any newbie help, tips and advice anyone has to offer would be much appreciated
What key things should I be looking into and looking out for with my new trees?
Kind regards the guy across the pond

Or does anyone recommend another good starting tree? The Chinese elm is apparently in the typical S shape would be nice have 2 varieties I guess

Toonstar87 wrote: Just bought a '7 year old chinese elm' (mail order) still awaiting delivery

tips and advice anyone has to offer would be much appreciated

First advice would be: don't buy trees via mail order.

You've been reading up and watching video's, so I'm sure what a good bonsai looks like.
Buy better quality material - depending on your budget that may be a good tree, or good starter material.

Was a rush buy and since reading up seen a lot of bad press about buying via mail which has made me a little hesitant in going straight for a second
Where would you recommend?

Toonstar87 wrote: Was a rush buy and since reading up seen a lot of bad press about buying via mail which has made me a little hesitant in going straight for a second

You already mentioned that it is "apparently in the typical S shape" - such trees are a mass product and you can buy them anywhere. They are not real good bonsai and usually not even good starting material.

Where would you recommend?

Before you buy, I'd recommend to visit bonsai nurseries and maybe an exhibition. If you are really interested in this hobby, you could consider joining a bonsai club. Wouldn't know what's available in your area (you didn't tell us where you live...)

I think it is important to decide whether you want to 'get into growing bonsai', or whether you just want to give your partner a nice plant.

In the first situation: Listen to Auk
In the second situation: Go visit any gardening centre. However, I would recommend you read up on water requirements, light requirements. Trees are not meant to be indoors, and have a hard time living inside. Some species (Like ficus) do fairly well. Others, such as elm, need a bit more convincing to stay healthy..

If you are really serious about this art, then you might find these advises helpful by the time you decide to pick up your new tree or starting material. I had posted it in another thread but I think you'll find them useful:

David Benavente is a Spaniard 名媛直播 Artist and these are his recommendations:

1- Do not pay future at the price of the present (We should not have to pay for the tree that could be, but for what it is at that moment.)

2- Do not underestimate the risk of buying a weak or diseased plant (do not buy a plant in poor condition but if you do, the price should be so appealing that justifies the risk.)

3- Blessed are those who have found a reputable supplier (It is good to have a regular supplier, who over the years, have proven to be worthy of trust.)

4- A tree does not have to be more expensive because of being recovered (yamadori) (Sometimes trees that should not have been recovered by his lack of interest as a bonsai are charged with unjustified quantities of money only by the fact that they are yamadori.)

5- So, what is valued in prebonsai?
* Cultivation phase
* Phase of education of the rootball (nebari)
* Tapering of the trunk
* Texture of the bark and wood
* Proportion and movement
* Ramification
* Species
* Pottery

Alain

Great feedback thanks a lot guys
I shall see what unfortunate state my 'first' tree arrives in maybe post a picture for all you amusement
One aspect that's been quite appealing and the fore reason I wish to take this on myself and not just buying one for my partner is the training and shaping of a tree so on that what age tree should I be looking for?
Is the 7 year old one that's on it's way not suitable?

Toonstar87 wrote: maybe post a picture for all you amusement

Hopefully it doesn't look like this:


(USD 4,00 - supply capacity 100.000 per year...)

One aspect that's been quite appealing and the fore reason I wish to take this on myself and not just buying one for my partner is the training and shaping of a tree so on that what age tree should I be looking for?
Is the 7 year old one that's on it's way not suitable?

It depends on the final size you want it to be, but in almost all cases 7 years is too young.
I'm not really going to explain why, it has been explained often enough and there is loads of information readily available for you to go through.

A 7 year old tree, that's already shaped to look like a bonsai (but hardly is a good bonsai) is practically useless material, especially for a beginner.

A 7 year old tree however CAN be good starting material, provided it is trained to become a good tree in the future.
Depending on the species, making a good bonsai out of it, still will take many years.

This is a 9 year old chinese elm. It's just a stick with twigs, it does not have the characteristics of a good tree (and it's 40 USD... too expensive imho):



This is a 30 year old chinese elm:



I guess the difference is obvious.

Well here's a pic of what I'm supposed to be receiving for ?17