Yuki

Some people feel they are just not capable of growing a world-class bonsai. That's alright, you don't have to! But if you grow a bonsai tree that is beautiful to you, you can ultimately be rewarded if someone else sees the same beauty you do!

Almost nothing in bonsai is immediate. Expect your trees to develop over years, even decades. It may be ten years or longer before your plant will actually be a "bonsai." Don't be discouraged by this, but think of it as part of the experience.

Just remember that woody plants must go through a period of cold dormancy to survive. If you do not give them this time, they will die.

To repot bonsai, carefully lift the tree out of its current pot by tilting it to one side and trying to move it by the base of the trunk. You can not pull too hard on the trunk - so if this does not work, try tapping the pot with the side of your hand to loosen the root ball or poke a stick through the drainage holes and 'push' the root ball out.

Watering a bonsai might seem like an easy technique, but it is the second most common cause of Bonsai-related problems.

After wiring your bonsai tree keep in mind that the wire should be removed after 6 months. Usually the branch should then stay in that position on its own. Wire should be carefully cut from the branches. Do not unwind wires as this could break the branch. Use your wire cutters for best results. If you try to unwind, you could conceivably, snap a branch.

Wiring is an important part of the process of styling your bonsai and nearly all well designed bonsai have been wired at some point in their development. Though at first a daunting technique to master, it gives the bonsai enthusiast better control and manipulation of the trunk and branches of his/her bonsai.

Trimming and pruning are the means by which a bonsai is kept miniature. This involves the systematic removal of vigorous growth in the spring. It is important however, to understand that for the health of the tree one should never remove all the new growth at one time. The roots are trimmed and so is the foliage on the plant.

Select a wide and shallow pot to keep the attention on the planting itself. The wide, flat planting gives the feeling of calm serenity found in the deep forest. Find a container whose length is about two-thirds the height of the tree.

The evolution of bonsai over the past two centuries is truly amazing. Perhaps it is symbolic of how small the world is getting as people from Europe to the United States and even in Greenland are exploring bonsai as a hobby.