Need advice on my first bonsai.

Congrats to moderators for running such a superb forum. I have been interested in bonsai since the time I did now its name. Its rare to see people who are interested in making bonsai as most of the people I have seen are rich and they just collect.

Im interested in making my first bonsai. I have read sufficient posts on the forum so I can claim to know the basics.

I live in Lahore, can any member suggest me a plant that I can start with. Plz tell me the local name of the plant not biological name.

Secondly, If bonsai can be made of any plant, how does one reduces the size of Eucalyptus plant or they remain the same.

welcome hamid on forum.
thanks to join us.i am agreed with you that its difficult to find bonsai enthusiast in Pakistan. no doubt there are some but there was no such forum where you can contact them and share your problems regarding bonsai.
i am also new in this hobby,since 12 to 15 years ago i started it,but due to non-experience i cant create a master piece.
we have started this forum to share our ideas problems and their solutions.
i will suggest you the juniper or ficus (local names are also same)for your first bonsai.
and you can reduce the size of every tree.of course this is called bonsai.
here is the way to create a bonsai enjoy.
https://pakbonsai.forumotion.com/some-basics-about-bonsai-f6/how-to-make-a-bonsai-t33.htm#109

I am living in Karachi and I have a special dates fruit(Ajwa) plant "Phoenix dactylifera" which grow only Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's city Madina about 1 feet high can I convert this plant into Bonsai. I am new in Bonsai technique. Your help required for making soil because "grit,Akadama Japanese Clay Granules,Kanuma Japanese Clay Granules" are required so what is there alternate? and what are the ratios? I read the topic "bonsai soil" but it is very wage.I am sure you understand what I need.

dear iskhan,
welcome to Pak Bonsai.
yes this forum is to share the knowledge and know the alternatives for bonsai soil materials tools tree and pots.As you have asked about Ajwa date tree so it is possible to train it as bonsai.but it will be a tough job,for this you have to spend lot of time to learn and ask the friends.unfortunately there are few in pakistan who can assists you.but what we can,share our ideas as we are also new in this hobby.
any way plant your Ajwa in square pot instead of round,it will look good.
as you have asked about soil,
alternatives we can use are as below,
grit==== gravel"BAJRI"( we use it in construction,please chose small size gravel)
akadama/kanuma========brick shreds, take a new brick,break it into small size pieces or find some pumice and use it.
please dont use blocks as they are made from concrete in karachi use brick made by clay in "BHATTA KHUSHT"
after this mix some thick size sand and compost in it.
as dates dont like too much water and you have high level of humidity in Karachi i will chose the ratio as under
brick shred 40 %
gravel 15%
thick sand 10 %
compost 35 %
mix them well and use as soil.these are my suggestions according to my knowledge you can use better with ideas of other members.
for further on soil please read


https://pakbonsai.forumotion.com/bonsai-soil-f3/how-to-make-bonsai-soil-t41.htm?sid=51ea663ca3a18fd0d114daabe6ef22a0

making date a bonsai would be a tough job,as i have tried several times to grow dates in gardening containers but i am not much successful.

rashid,actual problem with the dates is too much watering.
usually container gardener use silt as soil,and silt holds a lot of water in it which dumps the date's roots.dates usually required less water.