Mastering the Art of Bonsai: Growing and Shaping Techniques

Choosing Your First Bonsai

A course by Alex Mendoza , Bonsai artist and nursery owner

51 students

Audio: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese

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About the video: Choosing Your First Bonsai

Overview

“During this lesson, I'll teach you the key features and factors to consider, including physical aesthetics and health considerations, to help you choose your first bonsai. ”

In this video lesson Alex Mendoza addresses the topic: Choosing Your First Bonsai, which is part of the Domestika online course: Mastering the Art of Bonsai: Growing and Shaping Techniques. Master bonsai art with step-by-step techniques for pruning, wiring, and repotting to create stunning miniature trees.

Partial transcription of the video

“What you see here is a tiger bark ficus pre-bonsai. There are a lot of different factors. To take in consideration when you're choosing your very first tree. One of the things that you want to look at is the health of the tree. Does the tree have green leaves? Does it have yellow leaves? Does it have brown leaves? Are the Leafs Up. Are they down? Those are very important things to look at. And in this case, you can see that this tree is luscious, it's green, Looks happy. The next thing you want to look for is aphids. You know, you want to look for bugs. mealybugs, aphids, uh, flies. And in ...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Mastering the Art of Bonsai: Growing and Shaping Techniques

Level: Beginner
51 students
4 units
15 lessons (2h 27m)
4 downloads

Category
Craft
Areas
DIY, Floral & Plant Design

Alex Mendoza

A course by Alex Mendoza

Teacher Plus

Bonsai artist and nursery owner

Alex Mendoza is a bonsai artist and nursery owner based in Miami, Florida, originally from Guatemala. His journey began in childhood with a fascination for miniatures, which later evolved into a deep connection with the art of bonsai. What started as a therapeutic practice during the pandemic soon became a thriving business, drawing a wide audience through social media and earning recognition at state-level exhibitions.

Alex blends artistic intuition with horticultural expertise, guiding enthusiasts through the creative and technical aspects of bonsai cultivation. His approach emphasizes harmony with nature and long-term tree development, supported by a deep understanding of species care, pruning, wiring, and design. Influenced by artists like Peter Chan and Bjorn Bjorholm, he continues to share his knowledge through hands-on instruction, social platforms, and workshops aimed at building confident, thoughtful bonsai creators.