Step 1 - Potting Your Bonsai
Beginner bonsai trees are available at some plant stores or nurseries. Or you can look over your own local area for subjects to work with. The possible plantings you'll find will be climate-appropriate, and some nice displays can be set up showing off the local stock.
Begin by gathering all that you will need to prepare your bonsai for potting. This includes your tray or pot, the tree of your choice, potting soil, a tool for digging soil and a small piece of wire mesh. For most indoor gardeners, buying a package of prepared bonsai potting mix is the most efficient method of selecting plant soil. Bonsai Potting mix is sold in varying sized packages, so you can purchase only the amount you need at the time.
When potting start by covering the holes in the bottom of the pot to stop soil from coming out, you can use some wire mesh for this. Gently squeeze the sides of the starter plant's container to loosen the soil. Carefully remove the plant from the container, loosen and remove enough soil to allow the plant to fit into it's new pot. Take care to avoid breaking any roots in the process and as a rule, never remove all of the soil. When placing the plant in the pot try to look at the natural flow of the plant, this will help determine where you want to put the plant in the pot. Place the soil in the pot and gently twist the tree back and forth to get as much soil between the roots as possible. Once potted avoid moving the bonsai too much as the roots will need time to heal and grow.
One of the most satisfying ways of creating bonsai is by using plants propagated by yourself. There are many different ways of reproducing a parent plant. Deciding which technique to use is largely dependant on an individual species, suitability and also the material you have available to use. You may have a large garden tree or shrub that offers a number of possibilities for propagation or you may only have a bonsai from which you wish to create new plants without having its appearance being spoiled by the removal of too many branches. You also need to consider the length of time you wish to wait before your new plant will be ready for training as bonsai.