Hello everyone!

Let me start off by saying that while this is not my first bonsai it might as well be because my previous one years ago was neglected and sadly died shortly after taking possession of it.
This time around I will be doing it right. I'm still researching everything but I've got a pretty good handle on the basics as of right now.

On to the point of this thread though. I was driving home from the store today and there was a box van in the parking lot with a giant "BONSAI" sign so I stopped to take a look. Well the beauty of these things made it impossible for me to walk away with out having one. Unfortunately the gentleman who sold it to me spoke English poorly so communication was difficult, and as a result I am not sure what kind I actually purchased.

Please let me know what you think of my purchase; and if anyone has some tips that they wish they would have known when they started I would appreciate it.

P.S. He gave me some liquid plant food but didn't really have directions on how to use it. Is this worth using and if so where can I get some more detailed instructions on its use.











Thank you

to me it does not look like much.

Maybe it looks better if you post a picture.

Sticky907 wrote: there was a box van in the parking lot with a giant "BONSAI" sign so I stopped to take a look.

You purchased a juniper, a 2/3 year old cutting with a bend in the trunk pointing to the right, and a little fisherman under it. There are some decorative stones and it is in a blue, square pot.

Or you bought an s-shaped ulmus. hard to say without a photo.

In any case, what you bought is not considered a bonsai.

Sorry for some reason the photos aren't working in my original post. Can you elaborate as to what a real bonsai would be then? I was under the impression it was more so related to the way it was taken care of rather than the type of tree it self/

LOL... my reply was correct. What did I win ? Oh wait.. I got the pot color wrong.

I was under the impression it was more so related to the way it was taken care of

That is correct, more or less, but it's more the way it has been shaped. This one hasn't been shaped to look like a miniature tree, and that's why this cannot be considered a bonsai. Soil looks good though.

if anyone has some tips that they wish they would have known when they started I would appreciate it.

I didn't answer this question yet. Here we go:

I was driving home from the store today and there was a box van in the parking lot with a giant "BONSAI" sign so I stopped to take a look.

Never buy 'bonsai' from car boots, gift shops or roadside stalls. Do not buy them at malls. Rather not buy them via a webshop - unless you are convinced they sell quality products. Learn where to find good starting material at nurseries, go to a real bonsai-nursery and join a bonsai club.

Well the beauty of these things...

Research and learn what a good bonsai looks like. Learn what is good starter material to create a bonsai from.

... made it impossible for me to walk away with out having one.

Never buy a bonsai on impulse. Research in advance, make sure you can offer the tree the environment it requires.

Unfortunately the gentleman who sold it to me spoke English poorly so communication was difficult, and as a result I am not sure what kind I actually purchased.

Never buy a bonsai if you don't know what you are buying or if the seller cannot tell you what species it is.

[P.S. He gave me some liquid plant food but didn't really have directions on how to use it. Is this worth using and if so where can I get some more detailed instructions on its use.

Never use liquid plant food if you don't know what its composition is and if it came without instructions. Always be careful with liquid plant food.

This time around I will be doing it right. I'm still researching everything but I've got a pretty good handle on the basics as of right now.

Sorry to say it, but you don't.