Can I create a bonsai in the fall?

First timer to bonsai! I created 2 this Spring, both of which had some issues. I’m wondering if it’s doable to create a new bonsai in the late summer/early fall season? I would hate to have to wait all the way until next spring (obviously unless necessary).

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Welcome!

There are definitely things you can do in the late summer/fall. Certain species can be styled in that time frame. About the only thing you can’t do across the board is a major repot.

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Great! Then could I do a full initial styling of one of those species that you’re mentioning? Aside from repotting of course.

What conifers would you suggest to try?

If you go into the library and filter to late summer and early fall, you can see things that Ryan has done. Now, it’s not always the optimum time to work on certain trees when the streams happen, but Ryan is usually pretty good about pointing that out when he’s doing stuff at slightly the wrong time.

In the past, I’ve done pines and cryptomeria in the fall somewhat successfully.

I’m new so take this with a heavy grain of salt, but as a beginner I can’t advocate enough for Procumbens nana (green mound, or Japanese garden juniper). In my beginners haste I have done all sorts of work on them at wildly inappropriate times of year and they (almost) always pull through. They’re readily accessible at big box stores like home depot and are very cheap. That said, they aren’t immortal. Sometimes you really do have to baby them if you overstepped your bounds but they’re a great tree/shrub to get your feet wet without breaking the bank. Ryan has a great video on them, and as one would expect he has one of the best examples of one I’ve ever seen as one of his personal trees.

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