This
article originally appeared on the Bonsaisite forums
and I would like to thank R. Moquin for granting permission
for its reproduction at Bonsai4me. Though intended for
bonsai beginners, this article offers many useful article
links and much information that would be beneficial
to more experienced enthusiasts. |
This article is not intended to regurgitate information
readily available on the Internet, but rather serve as a
compendium of extremely well written and informative articles
floating around cyberspace. It seems that “Bonsai”
is shrouded in a mystical “aura”, a lot of myths
have surfaced over the years, and the Internet further exacerbates
them. It is no wonder folks who take up “Bonsai”
are often confused. It is extremely difficult to decipher
between facts and myths when, even reference books written
on the subject seem to contradict each other.
Up
until the 90s when the Internet was born, bonsai enthusiasts
were few and far between. Information was very scarce and
often only available in books. There was a lot of trial and
error on the part of enthusiasts and even “Western Masters.”
This trial and error period didn’t necessarily lead
to best practices. Individuals lacking in practical knowledge
and experience (relative to today’s standards) wrote
books and thus the misinformation contained was passed around
as gospel.
Now
with the availability of the Internet, enthusiasts are able
to link up across the world and compare experiences, improving
their overall knowledge and good practices in real time. This
is why, to anyone familiar with modern bonsai on the Internet,
many pre-90 bonsai books are inaccurate and in some cases
downright wrong! While some are great references, there is
also a number of shocking ones. Though these were considered
to be reliable sources at the time, the authors themselves
would probably disagree with what they wrote 10, 20, or even
30 years ago.
Acknowledgments
The information contained hereinafter is the culmination of
Harry
Harrington and Brent
Walston’s work. Harry is an avid and knowledgeable
enthusiast while Brent owns Evergreen Gardenworks, a renowned
and specialized nursery that grows “bonsai stock”.
This article is not meant as a duplication of what has already
been written. One may find copied sections from the original
text with hyperlinks to the original articles. The intent
is to paint a broad stroke approach to “Bonsai”
from beginning to end. Without further ado, let’s begin
our journey.
Learning
to walk
Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor can “Bonsai”
be created in weeks, or even months. It takes years to produce
“Bonsai”. Producing “Bonsai” takes
time and patience. If you have neither of those, you need
not read any further.
Even
amongst the more knowledgeable and reputable enthusiasts,
opinions and approaches will vary. Brent wrote, “Don't
buy a “bonsai”! That is a poor way to begin this
fascinating hobby and usually doomed to failure. “Bonsai”
is not about “owning” bonsai trees, but rather
the enjoyment of caring for them and especially creating them.”
Harry’s
take on the subject is diametrically opposed. “Why
is it necessary for everyone to feel the need to create “Bonsai”,
particularly when many will fail to achieve anything worthy
of being called Bonsai? Creating a good bonsai is considerably
more difficult than simply caring for one. People should be
encouraged to buy healthy bonsai from a reputable source to
at least sate their initial enthusiasm.
The
commonly held idea that the average purchased bonsai is by
any means finished and would not benefit from 5-10 years work
on the branch structure, (improving it’s scale and ramification)
or work on its trunk and nebari (improving the lateral roots,
their scale and ramification), is very naive. Until an enthusiast
truly understands what separates a “good” bonsai
design from a “bad” bonsai design, how can they
hope to guide a seedling there?
When a beginner has gained the knowledge required to look
after a bonsai successfully (both in horticultural and aesthetics
terms), then they can go on to the next step, which is to
create them. If bonsai is truly an art form as well as a craft,
we need to move away from the DIY mentality that states that
a bonsai not developed from seedling or raw material by its
owner is somehow inferior.”
Harry
states that this is not a common opinion in the “Bonsai
Community” and I have to agree. Both of these observations
have merit and are supported by this author. Having said that,
it is my opinion even as a neophyte, that most will not begin
their journey with either.
“Many nurseries and vendors sell inexpensive plants
in pots and call them bonsai. With care they could become
bonsai, but they are not bonsai. On the Internet we have adopted
the term “Mall Bonsai” or “mallsai”
for these plants. One learns the basics
of “Bonsai” best by creating them, even your first
one. Without these basic principles, it is unreasonable to
expect that someone could keep one alive, let alone maintain
it as art. There is also the cost factor. Any “real”
bonsai will take at least five years of development to be
convincing. To buy such a bonsai would cost several hundred
dollars. Of course you can find “mallsai” everywhere,
even in grocery stores. These are junk and are not “Bonsai”.
A two-year-old juniper cutting plunked unceremoniously into
a bonsai pot is not “Bonsai”. It is the care and
training that makes “Bonsai”; these plants have
none”.
However, in the care of an inspired and talented artist, even
“mallsai” can be made beautiful. Here’s
a classic example. If this seems daunting, well, it is. It
takes years to learn most bonsai skills, well, approximately
two years to learn the basics anyway. Styling skills are learnt
over a lifetime. Well then, how do you start? First and foremost
read as much as you can find about bonsai.
Acquiring suitable material
Regardless of what has been said about “mallsai”,
most beginners will receive their introduction to “Bonsai”
by the purchasing or receiving a “mallsai” as
a gift, cute little trees in bonsai pots that flood the market
during the festive season. The reason these trees are called
“junk” is because they are mass-produced in growing
fields, for a quick turn around. The best-grown stock finds
its way onto the Asian market, the remainder sold as “mallsai”.
It takes time to properly grow “bonsai stock”,
anywhere from 15-25 years and more. During this time, the
nursery cares for, and shapes the trees that in turn become
“potensai”. The latter is used to depict trained
or untrained nursery stock, which may eventually become “Bonsai”.
During this lengthy period, nurseries see no return on their
investment, all they are doing is pouring time and money into
developing potential stock, that is why “bonsai stock”
is so expensive, more often than not reaching in the high
hundreds and even thousands of dollars. It is quite an investment
for anyone recently introduced to the art.
“Mallsai” on the other hand are relatively inexpensive,
and some do indeed make good starter material at a reasonable
price. The problem often encountered with “mallsai”
is that the majority have serious flaws. These trees are the
“bottom of the barrel”; the nursery sells these
cheap in order to recover their investment. The following
article will educate you with the necessary steps for
acquiring nursery stock. In this article, you will find important
information on what to look for when selecting nursery stock,
which, can be applied when purchasing a “mallsai”.
Should you choose the latter, refrain from all temptations
to purchase from any vendor any tree that he cannot: A. identify
for you and, B. provide you with necessary care instructions.
Another important factor often overlooked is the acquisition
of material not suited for your geographical location. Most
nurseries found in one’s neighborhood will only carry
material, suitable for your geographical location. You will
often find tags attached to the tree on proper care and which
zone(s) are suitable for the tree. All bets are off when ordering
across geographical regions from the Internet.
Learn to look after your first tree successfully and your
confidence will grow enough to widen your horizons and successfully
learn more advanced techniques. But don't run before you walk.
The first fundamental rule to learn when embarking on this
journey is that you are dealing with something living and
ever changing; the basic rules of horticulture need be learnt
before you can successfully maintain your tree.
Forget
about taking your cute little tree and make it into a bonsai
overnight, it is not going to happen. Your focus right now
is, keeping the tree alive! When you have accomplished that
over the course of a year, then you can go on to other things.
So what about pruning and wiring etc… forget about that
for the time being, your focus should still be on maintaining
your tree healthy. How do we accomplish that? Let’s
read on!
Plant
Selection
Trees can be broken down into two main categories: indoor
and outdoor species. Indoor species are often referred to
as “tropical” whilst outdoor species are broken
down into conifers, evergreens and deciduous trees. Anyone
interested in growing bonsai indoors are highly recommended
to acquire the following references on the subject: “Bonsai
in your Home” and “Ficus
the Exotic Bonsai”. The former depicts all species
suitable for use as indoor “bonsai”, along with
information on the growing conditions required for each species.
The latter is a compendium on the care and development of
“Ficus” as “Bonsai”. It is my learnt
opinion that any serious enthusiasts growing “indoor
bonsai”, not armed with these two references are merely
marking time. These books along with several other written
articles are an absolute necessity for indoor trees to thrive.
Without this knowledge, your trees are basically just plants
in a fancy bonsai pot. It is impossible to mimic tropical
conditions in one’s home, however one can create a suitable
eco-system within their means and budget. When it comes to
reference material this site has an extensive “book
review” sub-forum.
Basic
Care
All your tree needs is tender loving care, that’s it!
How does one apply TLC? Your tree to survive and flourish
needs: good soil, to be properly watered, fed and provided
with sufficient sunlight to remain healthy. That’s it!
Quite simple isn’t it? Well not really, it is a little
more complicated than that.
Growing
medium (soil)
Let’s begin with the medium your tree is growing in,
bonsai culture differs tremendously compared to growing trees
in the ground. Everyone is looking for the magic “soil
recipe” stop; there is no such thing. What you do need
is: a soil that is free draining, oxygenated and retains moisture;
the latter is not “potting soil”
. So what makes up a good soil? Combining the right amount
of organic matter (nutrients and moisture retention) and inorganic
components (which provide for good drainage and root development).
Whilst the organic component is normally sifted composted
pine or fir bark, the inorganic component is any form of grit;
sometimes this is crushed granite, coarse sand etc…
small sharp pebbles, about 1/8 – 3/16 of an inch in
diameter. This provides valuable air space for oxygenation
of the roots, whilst providing good drainage and assisting
in evaporation. The other extremely important inorganic component
is some type of porous material in the size specified above,
which, has the ability to retain moisture (read moisture)
not water. This enables the tree to “drink” as
required to survive between being watered, this component
is crucial to the health of your trees during the hot summer
months. This is a necessary component because of our free
flowing medium water is dispensed readily. Contrary to what
folks might think, trees are not on “IV”, in other
words the tree does not take up water on a continual basis.
Trees that require water will take it up via the roots when
watered, and will only replace the moisture loss trough transpiration,
just like you drink when you’re thirsty. In “Bonsai”,
you must provide a way for the excess water to be eliminated,
as improper drainage will result in root rot, and eventually
a dead tree. A free draining soil and a container of the proper
size provides the latter.
The
organic and porous components in your soil recipe provide
a sort of reservoir to replenish moisture loss due to transpiration
during the day, until the next watering session. You should
be watering your tree daily, sometimes twice a day during
the summer months; this is not a golden rule, but a guideline.
A good draining soil is one that water starts coming out of
the pot as soon as you start watering the soil from the top.
Providing your trees are healthy and depending on individual
climates, your soil mixture will vary with every individual
and region where these trees are grown. That is why there
is no “magic” recipe.
When
the Japanese refer to sand, they are not talking beach sand,
they are talking extremely coarse sand, similar in size as
previously mentioned. Soil by their definition does not even
come close to what we think soil is or should be. Regular
garden soil will not work as it retains too much water. Brent
has written an extremely informative article “Why
the earth is not like a pot”. He goes on to describe
why “overpotting” (a common mistake made by neophytes
and often, learned artists alike) our trees should be avoided.
To grow trees in a pot we modify our soil to suit our geographical
area. Listed below is a basic formulae that will get you there,
these figures are all by volume not weight:
-
for conifers: 30% sifted pine bark, 35% porous material, 35%
grit
- for deciduous: 50% sifted pine bark, 25% porous material,
25% grit
- for tropicals: 60% sifted pine bark, 20% porous material,
20% grit
The
first one is for trees that like to remain on the dry side;
the second for trees that like to be kept moist and lastly
for trees who like to remain damp (not sodden) at all times.
Depending on your growing conditions, you may need to adjust
the components. As trees do not need organic matter to live,
I would recommend adding less organic matter if your soil
retains too much moisture and adding more “porous material”
if it doesn’t retain enough, modify your mix to suit
your needs. Harry has recently revised his soil
article, the reason I mention it, is because as recent
as 3 years ago, soils were different than what they are today
and, the present shift in the community is the use of totally
inorganic growing medium for bonsais and some are even considering
growing them hydroponically, the latter was discussed with
“Ficus Jerry”. The medium in which we grow our
trees is forever changing but potting soil is
only for house plants not for bonsai.
Watering
our trees
We covered soil and touched on watering in providing our trees
with TLC. One would think watering is a simple task, but in
“bonsai culture” nothing can be further from the
truth. Harry describes basic
watering, the
effects of watering and rain and, what
to do on holidays. To dispel a rooted bonsai myth you
should take the time to read about misting
your trees.
Feeding
(fertilizing)
I’ve provided you with two of the four components of
“TLC”, the third is feeding your trees or providing
them with the appropriate nourishment for them to be healthy
and thrive. This is probably the most complex component of
nurturing our trees. Too little and our trees are under nourished
and will put on a sickly appearance, whist too much results
in all kinds of problems, including death. Fertilizing
your bonsai is critical, the application and what to apply
will vary with the seasons and whether the tree is under development
or a mature tree. The latter will require what is called a
“maintenance program”. It will not be discussed
here, suffice to say that, by the time you have reached that
stage, you will have acquired the necessary knowledge to apply
it’s principals.
Sufficient
light
Last but not least, the final component is sufficient light,
more importantly, the proper amount of light. If you cannot
provide your tree with the necessary amount of shade or sunlight,
the purchase of said tree becomes a moot point. If your growing
or display area is in the shade, is it not pointless to purchase
trees that require full sun and vice versa? Not only will
the tree fail to thrive under these conditions, but may eventually
die.
Anyone
wanting to develop “tropicals” indoors without
providing them with 12-16 hrs of supplemental lighting a day
is wasting their time. The best darn article
on the subject may be found on Jerry Meislik’s site,
also known as “Ficus Jerry” and the author of
“Ficus the Exotic Bonsai”. When dealing with tropicals,
Jerry is quite renown for his in depth knowledge on the subject.
I found an article
on the American Bonsai Society Site, written by Pauline F
Muth discussing keeping tropicals in Northern Zones.
Winter
Care
Once you have learnt how to keep your tree alive and healthy
by meeting
its needs you must prepare ahead of time, depending on your
geographical location how to care
for your trees during winter. For folks that reside in temperate
regions this is not a problem, for the remainder of us, our
first winter is something that is feared. Armed with the appropriate
knowledge, the latter becomes a moot point.
Basic Skills
Everyone in the beginning wants to have a finished bonsai.
As discussed a “Bonsai” is never really finished
and takes years to create. I believe a person needs to understand
the basics of pruning
and pinching not to mention the appropriate timing
when these techniques are applied prior to styling
their tree. Learning the basic skills required to do “Bonsai”
as previously discussed takes about two years. Although, this
might seem a daunting task, not taking the time to learn and
do it right from the onset will not only delay the development
of your tree but your experience as well. Mistakes made in
the beginning take years to correct, often-improper pruning
results in “spoiled potensai”. The early mistakes
cannot be undone; the end result is a mediocre “Bonsai”
at best.
Potting
Let’s face it; trees look good in bonsai pots. The truth
of the matter is, only a finished or near finished trees should
be in a bonsai pot, unless you are completely satisfied with
the tree in its present state. One needs to understand the
underlying growth
principles and how
to maximize such growth, towards good
trunk development, and initial
styling all that will not take place in a bonsai pot.
This is probably the hardest point in “Bonsai”
to get across to folks who begin this fascinating journey.
Everyone wants instant gratification, which will only come
with time. The best method to grow out stock is in the ground;
forget about the tree for 5-10 years. The latter, is often
impractical and presents certain obstacles. The tree needs
to be rotated occasionally unless it is planted in such a
location where it receives the sun on all sides. We know that
the North side will receive the least amount, that is why
grow boxes are used, the shallower the better. Not only do
grow boxes provide the capability to rotate the trees to ensure
equal growth on all sides, but assists in root development
while growing out the stock. They further assist with pruning
and most importantly, wiring or the use of “guy wires”,
which can be anchored to the box itself:

This
tree (Juniperus Chinensis Blauuw) was cheaply acquired as
raw nursery stock. As it can be seen, the tree was lopsided,
probably the result of cramped growing conditions and the
lack of being properly rotated over time, as all the foliage
is pointed in one direction. After the tree was cleaned up,
this was quite noticeable.

This
tree was bought for trunk size, taper and branching low on
the trunk, not to mention some important budding in close
and on the trunk. The tree was bare
rooted, received some minor root work and placed in a
grow box. Over the course of the next couple of weeks the
tree was examined on a daily basis, unnecessary branches were
removed.

Once
the majority of the foliage was removed, the tree was studied
once again and the trunk line established. The trunk line
is a path the tree and branches take that will eventually
form the finished tree. A point to note here: “original
branching” in most cases will not form or be part of
the finished tree.

As
time passed, more pruning was carried out of all branches
that would not be part of the finished tree. Because the nebari
was pretty much uniform, choosing a front should not pose
a problem. A few “guy wires” were applied and
the tree was left to recover. Because of the nebari, the front
for this tree will be the result of where the new growth takes
place and therefore inconsequential at this time. This tree
is 3 - 5 years before seeing a bonsai pot. The tree was 30
inches from the soil line when purchased; I envision a finished
tree in the vicinity of 12-15 inches.
Repotting
If the correct container from previous discussion was selected,
young trees will need repotting about every second year. Trees
are normally repotted
during spring. Knowing when
to repot your bonsai is of paramount importance towards
success. How
to repot is as equally important as its aftercare. When
it comes to “tropicals”, they can be repotted
at any time during the year providing, they are healthy, and
they are not dormant. The species
guide will indicate when the tree is normally inactive.
Keeping in mind that the majority or trees native from the
Southern hemisphere have different dormant periods, as their
seasons are the complete opposite of ours in the Northern
hemisphere. My Bougainvillea to my surprise flowers in the
fall, my Adenium (Desert Rose) as well.
Wiring
Wiring
is an important part of the process of styling your bonsai
and nearly all well designed bonsai have been fully wired
at least 2 to 3 times during 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 their bonsai.
Art
principles, golden section, visual movement
No doubt the hardest part besides keeping your tree alive
is to finally style it. Very few of us are born with artistic
flare. We all have some to a degree or another, but the majority
of us struggle with the concepts behind it. Understanding
the fundamentals behind good bonsai design can be learnt.
Understanding the concepts of visual
movement and the principles behind the “Golden
Section” are paramount in creating an overall harmonic
balance in your design. The late John Naka said;
“Don’t make your tree look like bonsai, make your
bonsai look like tree”. No truer words
were ever spoken. Many who have applied “this principle”
have been harshly criticized for doing so. Nonetheless, the
most famous Bonsai have followed all the rules and principles
described above, in creating a naturalistic tree that seems
untouched by human hands. Most beginners state that they are
merely duplicating nature and thus, have styled their tree
naturalistically. What they have not yet realized as they
chastise the constraints of basic design, is that the hardest
style to master is the naturalistic one. Walter Pall is famous
for creating natural looking trees. He received harsh criticism
for doing so, when he doesn’t receive such criticism;
he is disappointed on missing the mark. To Walter, the more
his tree his criticized, the better he feels otherwise he
believes he has created a “boring” tree. Anyone
who has seen Walter’s work knows the latter is not true.
Advance
Techniques
I debated long and hard whether or not I should discuss advance
techniques in this article. As this article was primarily
designed to help folks who begin their journey, I will forego
discussing it here. By the time you are ready to delve into
the abyss, you will have gained sufficient knowledge of our
craft to move forward. However, both Harry and Brent have
numerous articles available on their sites, along with progression
series to demonstrate the various techniques. You have the
links, it is entirely up to you when you chose to read and
apply them. One needs to remember that this journey is a long
one, and full of rewards. It will take you at least two years
to learn the basic skills required. Your mind set after that
period will have changed. If you are able to resist (very
difficult) creating “bonsai” overnight, your rewards
will be tenfold; there will be plenty of time in the future
to learn and apply advanced skills and techniques.
My
reference material
Following is a list of my reference
material. As I began this hobby not unlike many of you, I
thirsted for knowledge. It was quite some time before I found
and joined any discussion group. In my quest, I purchased
books that covered specific details I sought. Short book
reports with regards to my collection. In my opinion the
following short list is a must for
anyone serious in practising our craft:
Bonsai
It’s Art, Science, History and Philosophy
by Deborah Koreshoff
ISBN 0908175752
Bonsai techniques Vol I
by John Yoshio Naka
ISBN 0930422317
Bonsai techniques Vol II
by John Yoshio Naka
ISBN 093042233
Bonsai in your Home
by Paul Lesniewicz
ISBN 0806907819
Home Gardener’s Problem Solver
by Ortho Books
ISBN 0897215044
The
first three books in “Bonsai Circles” are known
as bibles! Well the Naka’s are anyway. I have
crowned Deborah’s the same. John Yoshio Naka was one
of, if not the founder of Bonsai in North America. His books
are his lifelong notes and were translated from Japanese.
The information contained in his books is invaluable. However,
because the books were translated from his personal notes,
it often leaves the reader with many unanswered questions,
as I found the amount of detail insufficient at times. Vol
II seems to have addressed this issue but in no way compares
to the depth of detail contained in Deborah’s book.
I am not promoting one over the other, as these books can
stand on their own merits. However I am willing to say, that
if the purchase of the “Nakas” occurred after
the purchase of Deborah’s book I would have been somewhat
disappointed. Notwithstanding, one has to remember the source
of the “Nakas”; these were his personal notes.
I
first became interested in Bonsai 20 or so years ago; the
information available on the subject was sketchy at best.
I was led to believe that all “bonsais” were outdoor
trees with special wintering requirements. I’m not talking
“overwintering” bonsais, but that they required
more or less a solarium, with temperatures maintained between
40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Now with the advent of the Internet
and discussion forums, we come to find out it is indeed possible
to grow “Bonsai” indoors. “Bonsai in your
Home” by Paul Lesniewicz is a great reference for those
who prefer growing bonsais in their homes or because they
are incapable of growing them outdoors for various reasons,
those who live in apartments for example.
In
bonsai manuals there is a very short list on pests and disease.
The information contained, although somewhat useful, is vague,
and thoroughly incomplete, which, led me to the purchase of
“Home Gardener’s Problem Solver”. This book
contains all known diseases and afflictions your plants, flowers,
vegetables and trees may be infected with. Nonetheless, because
this book was published by “Ortho” the recommended
remedies are with the use of “Ortho products.”
Do not despair, they do prescribe the treatment and providing
you follow their recommendation as to which chemicals to use,
you should be well on your way in treating your tree to full
recovery. The latter is really a problem as many pesticides
are now banned in Canada. In Nova Scotia, outside of organic
treatment of pests and diseases, one is pretty much left to
his own devices. However, the book diagnoses the problem you
might have in great detail, including pictures of the affliction.
The remainder of my reference material:
Pocket
Bonsai
by David Prescott
ISBN 1843305860
Beautiful Bonsai
by Bruno Delmer
ISBN 1402714335
Bonsai, a Care Manual
by Colin Lewis
ISBN 157145988X
Grow your own Bonsai
by Colin Lewis & Neil Sutherland
ISBN 1402713584
All about Bonsai
Ortho Books
ISBN 0897214986
Bonsai
by Susan Lang
ISBN 0376030461
Bonsai Landscapes
by Peter Adams
ISBN 0706377672
Totally Bonsai
by Craig Coussins
ISBN 0804834202
Bonsai School
by Craig Coussins
ISBN1402703686
Bonsai techniques Vol I
by John Yoshio Naka
ISBN 0930422317
Bonsai techniques Vol II
by John Yoshio Naka
ISBN 093042233
Home Gardener’s Problem Solver
by Ortho Books
ISBN 0897215044
Vision of My Soul
By Robert Steven, Edited by Andy Rutledge
ISBN 9799920302
Pines “The Master Series”
by Michael Persiano
ISBN 0976755009
Mountains in the sea
by Phan Van Lit
ISBN 0881925152
Complete book of Bonsai
by Harry Tomlinson
ISBN 1558591184 HC
Classic Bonsai of Japan
by Nippon Bonsai Association & John Bester
ISBN: 4770029926
Creating Bonsai Landscapes
by Su Chin Ee
ISBN 1580174841
Ficus The Exotic Bonsai
by Jerry Meislik
ISBN 0974952400
Bonsai in your Home
by Paul Lesniewicz
ISBN 0806907819
Bonsai It’s Art, Science, History and Philosophy
by Deborah Koreshoff
ISBN 0908175752
The art of Natural Bonsai
Replicating natures beauty
by Dave Joyce
ISBN 1402700555
May
I direct your attention to an excellent periodical “Bonsai
Today”. This is an excellent magazine and well worth
the price in my opinion. It is available from Stone
Lantern Publishing, many of the great bonsai artists share
their wisdom in this publication and the attention to detail
is second to none.
Conclusion
I hope I was able to offer some insight into this fascinating
hobby. Carefully bookmark this article so you can refer to
it often. There is a lot of information to digest, but nonetheless
necessary. I periodically read a book from my library that
I have previously read and I always find new or forgotten
information on every read. Welcome to the World of Bonsai,
our hobby is a fascinating and rewarding one Good Luck!!