So I am somewhat new to bonsai, and have many house plants but have never had a bonsai before. I am familiar with plant care however, and would like to start a bonsai from some cuttings. I would really like to know how to begin though, ideally I would like to take 3 cuttings and make a twisted fusion style base with a somewhat spiral angled curve, however I'm not sure how to take, nor start this ambitious project. I would appreciate tips regarding how to start off, what soil would work best, how to start growing the cuttings and what size of pot to start off with. They cuttings I'm thinking to use are closer to the bottom with a couple leaves and are about pencil thin. All and any advice will be much appreciated!

little_elin wrote:

ideally I would like to take 3 cuttings and make a twisted fusion style base with a somewhat spiral angled curve

Not sure what you mean. Something like this ?

Yup something very similar to that.

Yeah, thought so. Sorry, that has got nothing to do with Bonsai.

Well no, you completely misunderstand, that is not the shape I am going for at all, because you have no advice on how to start I ask that you please refrain from posting here.

Auk wrote:

Yeah, thought so. Sorry, that has got nothing to do with Bonsai.

i think he meant that he wants to do trunk fusion,but idk

little_elin wrote:

Well no, you completely misunderstand, that is not the shape I am going for at all, because you have no advice on how to start I ask that you please refrain from posting here.

I am answering your questions. As you were vague about what you were aiming for, I tried to find out. you confirmed that what I posted was what you're looking for and that's not bonsai.

Now, you posted a different picture so that makes things more clear. However, that's still not bonsai. And it's not a spiraled, fused trunk.

Fusing trunks is done, in bonsai, to create a thicker trunk more quickly. That's possible.
Here's some information, from this very website:
www.bonsaiempire.com/blog/trunk-fusion

I'm not sure what bonsai is for you auk, bonsai empire and many other sources go through it very well as sourced; www.bonsaiempire.com/origin/what-is-bonsai

As well the very specimen I have shared has a spiral/curved ideal shape and on this very site specimens with this shape are shown and referred to as bonsai under the popular trees section.

I have already prepared some cuttings and stimulated them with hormone, hopefully they take well. As for updates, maybe but unlikely as growing, manipulating and managing (through pruning and wiring), a tree in a small restricted space under 4 feet in high is appearantly not bonsai according to some.

Thank you for your input...

little_elin wrote:

I'm not sure what bonsai is for you auk, bonsai empire and many other sources go through it very well as sourced; www.bonsaiempire.com/origin/what-is-bonsai

I'm just a visitor to this site, I'm not responsible for what they publish.

If you want to grow bonsai, first learn what a good bonsai is, and don't take a mallsai as example.

Next, do a bit of searching on this forum. If you start a new hobby, it's a good idea to do at least a bit of research and try and find how things work.

little_elin wrote:

I'm not sure what bonsai is for you auk, bonsai empire and many other sources go through it very well as sourced; www.bonsaiempire.com/origin/what-is-bonsai.

www.growingbonsai.net/why-is-my-tree-not-a-bonsai/