Small trees in shallow pots. That’s the art of bonsai. It looks delicate but the work is brutal. You cut branches. You chop roots. You force these ancient species to live in tiny boxes and accept it. Most people think it’s complicated. It’s not. You just need the right tree and the will to kill a few before you succeed.
Start with the forgiving stuff
Junipers. Use them. They take abuse. Heavy pruning, twisting wire, ignoring them for a weekend? No problem. Ficus? They survive indoors and don’t mind if you forget to water them. Maybe three times a week. Red maple. Cheap. Forgiving. You’ll mess up the cuts, sure, but the tree lives. Chinese elm thrives everywhere, inside or out. Learn your cuts there.
“Most trees grow best in bonsai soil” which isn’t just dirt. It’s akadama. Pumice. Black lava. Minerals, not soil. Buy it.
So many options. Flowering trees? Shrubs? It depends. Pick one. Start cutting.
What’s the rush anyway? 🌲
