About Old Guy Bonsai

Bonsai is a hobby that is about blending art and nature to create something beautiful. While the pursuit of art is always a noble goal, the hobby of Bonsai comes with one, special issue. The subject matter we use to make our art, meaning the trees and shrubs and flowers, take a great deal of time to grow into the vision of the artist. Years if not decades are invested in watering and fertilizing and caring and pruning 

Why would an Old Guy begin this hobby at 55 when he will probably not see his best trees, or artwork, to completion? As in decades for some real biggies. The most honest answer I have is this: Because Bonsai is Bitchen!

So, I figured I could dabble and just get one tree. Right? How hard is ONE TREE? So one day, a few years ago I bought one from a guy by the side of the road by Harris Ranch in California (more on 'side of the road trees' later!). Picked out a really nice one. Watered, cared for it.

. . . and I killed it.
 

So, I bought another really healthy one. Watered and loved it.
 

. . . and I killed it. 

So, I then started actually researching and learning and watching a ton of YouTube Videos to help me better understand the hobby, and the trees themselves. Basically, I learned the trees I was buying were basically dead before they got to me, I just got to watch them go. Why? They were rushed into pots and pruned and sold with no care for the health of the tree. chances of them actually surviving are slim to none (and Slim just left town!).
 

So, I bought another one. This time I bought from a good source, who had good reviews for selling healthy trees. Talked about what I wanted and my budge
 

. . . and it is still with us. A nice Japanese Black Pine that it still in my garden, growing well.

Knowledge is the key to this hobby. And that is the answer to the second why. Why this site? Old Guy Bonsai is about sharing basic information that every beginner NEEDS to know before sacrificing a couple hundred dollars (thousand dollars?) in trees on the alter of your own ignorance as I did.
 

Another huge question is this: Why would ANYONE listen to me? I mean in the world of Bonsai I am a white belt. I am someone that has spent 5+ years learning what not to do and how NOT to kill trees. Well guess what? That is the White Belt’s List of Techniques to master. So there’s that. I

Through articles (yes, you may have to READ!), videos, and pictures I will pass along the tips, tricks, and other basic techniques that I have learned, or outright stolen, from people much more experienced that I. I have followed and studied a lot of very skilled people, and from that I have tried to advance my arts. 

It is my hope that this website and my efforts will be able to help someone new, and save a whole lot of innocent trees from a premature death.