Jim: If you do that, I recommend one small correction. I suspect
he meant the more widely published Deborah Koreshoff (also note
spelling), rather than her mother, Dorothy.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org


-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Lewis
I thought Pat's article might be a good addition to the
"Knowledge Base."
jim
============================================

TO THE BIGINNERS OUT THE

We hope that the following information will help you to get off
to a good start, and that your interest in bonsai becomes a life
long pursuit.

There are three things (plus NEXT, below) 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 (on 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 encounter 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.

NEXT the Internet Bonsai Club (IBC) has a lot to offer. Check
out the IBC HOME PAGE at http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/
where you will find such things as FAQs, ASK THE DOCTOR (where
you can describe the symptoms of an ailing plant and get
suggestions from Dr. Nina as to how to fix them), The BONSAI
KNOWLEDGE BASE, and more, much more.

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'

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