I did it! I potted and started pruning my first Bonsai tree. Last week I wrote about how I finally caused something to happen to get me int Bonsai. Now I’m learning that although I’ve discovered much about potting, pruning and shaping, there’s still a lot I don’t know, but that’s not keeping me from getting started.
After I got my juniper start, I was reading how to pot it and discovered that there is a lot written about the soil you should use. Apparently, there are certain soil mixtures that work best for certain trees. I found myself getting overwhelmed with what specific kinds of soil to use, where to get it, and whether I was making the right choice. Ultimately, all these questions were keeping me getting the juniper potted.
Finally, after much reading, and little success finding the perfect soil mixture, I bought a plain old bag of Bonsai soil and got it potted. Maybe the exact soil would have been a better choice, but for me, the more important point is to just get started and learn as I go.
My plan with learning Bonsai is to gather enough knowledge to take the next step… and then to take it. I can always check my results and adjust my actions as I gain experience.
I’m grateful we don’t have to have all the answers before we get started on a new endeavor. For me, a lot of the fun comes from learning as I go.