Keefer wrote: I know I got into this without being totally prepared, but I'm in this now and I'm actively researching and studying. The stupid questions I'm asking now need to be asked in order to correct the wrongs I made jumping into a lifelong hobby without a whole lot of know how. I appreciate all the input and constructive criticism, and many years from now I'm confident I'll have something to show for it.

Some things I have trouble with... I bought a book that was recommended to me on this very forum. I have been practicing emergency techniques for draining soil if transplanting is out of the question, but I've had people tell me what I'm doing is stupid. There is a ton of information out there, but a lot of it differs so much! I've had platinum members on this forum contradict information I learned from an experienced master! it's confusing!

Welcome to Bonsai... that's just the nature of it. That's whats good about forums. People argue, and you will likely get the best advise. A lot of us here are beginners just like you, trying to help each other. Being a "Platinum member" doesn't mean anything other than the person posts a lot/ is very involved in the forums. However, there are very experienced people here who actively comment (you'll find who those are quickly), and their advise is superb. I started like you, not knowing anything and being all confused from the different sources of info. Thanks to this forum, I was able to progress extremely fast.

Good to hear. This community is very harsh towards newcomers, but like you said that must be the nature of bonsai. It doesn't seem to be for beginners, as weird as that sounds.

I'm excited to reveal my progress ovet the years.

Keefer wrote: This community is very harsh towards newcomers, but like you said that must be the nature of bonsai.

Bonsai, like other arts, is extremely difficult to master. Discipline is required to achieve success.

Winter wrote: You will have to mix at least 3-4 different soils. Check youtube.

No you don't.

eangola wrote: 2) Change the top soil with small pumice. Basically remove as much as top soil as you can without bothering the roots. Then replace with small pumice or lava rock.

Can you explain why that would be useful?

(I'm really asking as I don't know)

Keefer wrote: Good to hear. This community is very harsh towards newcomers

I still prefer to call that 'realistic'.

It doesn't seem to be for beginners

People that are masters now once were beginners too. They too killed trees (and I'm not talking about a few trees).
You already know this will not be easy and that it's a hobby for a lifetime. That's a good start.

So, you made a mistake with a tree. I am still making mistakes.

(platinum member because I post a lot - I've been here quite some time. You don't get points based on the quality of your advise here so don't trust what I write, always double-check )

Auk wrote:

eangola wrote: 2) Change the top soil with small pumice. Basically remove as much as top soil as you can without bothering the roots. Then replace with small pumice or lava rock.

Can you explain why that would be useful?

(I'm really asking as I don't know)

Read this technique in several books. I think the reasoning behind it is that if soil is severely compact it retains water at the top, not letting water go down where the roots are. If you remove this very bad, compact, top soil, and replace with pumice or some other small rock, the top soil won't retain water, and water will flow down. Moreover, when you remove top soil, you can loosen up the soil below it with a chopstick, as you water, with time, some of the upper soil will mix with the lower soil, giving you a better soil mixture.

That's the reason I came up with... I am a very creative person, so this reason could be as fantastical as the technique itself, and useless. The real reason though, could be that, a lot of people tend to believe layers of soils work better than a soil mixture. So removing top soil and using something very dry is like having layers of soil, improving your soil. This of course, is useless, as this myth has been debunk here. What do you think?

Nothing to lose anyway changing the top soil....

eangola wrote: Read this technique in several books. I think the reasoning behind it is that if soil is severely compact it retains water at the top, not letting water go down where the roots are. What do you think?

Indeed it has been debunked that a drainage layer would improve drainage. It doesn't. I've not heard of a technique to replace the top soil.
I would expect that the layer under it would still stay as compact as it is now, while, because you have a coarse layer on top of it, that will dry quicker, it will be harder to see whether the soil is still wet.

Guess I'm going to have to do some searching

Keefer wrote: I've had platinum members on this forum contradict information I learned from an experienced master! it's confusing!

Don't pay attention to member ranks too much, it's based on the number of posts.
I prefer to look at the number of 'Thank you's the person has received.

Of course, the master could have been wrong...

Keefer wrote: I have been practicing emergency techniques for draining soil if transplanting is out of the question, but I've had people tell me what I'm doing is stupid. There is a ton of information out there, but a lot of it differs so much! I've had platinum members on this forum contradict information I learned from an experienced master! it's confusing!

Hehe, getting to the point where you need to trust your own instinct. Read what you read, listen to advice. Then decide who you trust, and what makes sense to you.
Number of posts does not mean experience. And someone doing it for 30 years does not mean he/she knows more than someone in the hobby for 3 years.