G'day, All...

Having not visited this group for a while, I was busy playing catch up when a
thought suddenly struck me..."...I'm seeing quite a few new, even first time,
visitors to IBC...".

I looked back at the 49 most recent subjects, and found that nine of these
subjects were started by new visitors. It occurred to me that something was
missing...something that most of us have seen, maybe even posted, hundreds of
times...the most basic advice that should be given to a beginner, on how to get
started! So...

TO THE BIGINNERS OUT THE

There are three things that a beginner should do...right at the beginning...
1. Read...read...read...then read some more.
2. Join a local club.
3. Take a beginners class.

READ...READ...READ...go to your local library and read every book on bonsai
that you can put your hands on. In the US, the book most often recommended for
beginners is BONSAI, published by Sunset...an excellent first book for
beginners. Be sure to get the 2003 edition. Among my favorite authors a
Herb Gustafson, Dorothy Korschoff, Colin Lewis and John Naka...and, many, many
more. The more you read, the better prepared you will be to ask questions
here, the IBC, or at your local club...in Step 2.

JOIN A LOCAL CLUB...here is where you can get the best advice available since
the local club members are the ones who are raising bonsai in YOUR geographical
area. The local club can help you avoid the pitfalls that you may incounter
when you get advice from, maybe, half way around the world. Many things in
bonsai are pretty much universal, but you need to know what it takes to keep a
bonsai healthy in your location...be it Tucson, San Francisco, Sidney, or
Toronto. There are many more benefits to being a member of a local club.

TAKE A BEGINNERS CLASS...this is where you begin learning the basics, like
selecting a nursery plant, which plant to start with, identifying the front,
branch trimming, wiring, and on and on. You will begin to learn what works
best for your area, what tools you need, and how to use them, etc. A good
beginners class will get you off to a good start.

Now, having taken these three steps, welcome to the wonderful obsession, I mean
world, of bonsai!

Enjoy.

Pat

Dez of the Arizona High Dezert, at 4550', Oracle, AZ,
2000' above Tucson Sunset Zone 10 USDA Zone 8
aka: Pat Patterson 'riding off in all directions'