I have just planted the seeds for my first Bonsai tree. I'm using Japanese Black Pine seeds and have them planted in a shallow, unglazed pot. I'm growing them inside and using a plastic bag for a green house effect(as I've heard you should do). So now I have a couple of questions:

• 1) Is it okay to grow it as I'm growing it?
• 2) What "type" of Bonsai can I create from these growing conditions?
• 3) How hard is this to screw up?(I'm very nervous about destroying the plant)

Brandy.

It's great to know that you've taken an interest in bonsai - it's a fascinating hobby. The only problem with the way that you're approaching it however, is that you won't have a genuine bonsai for many years to come using the method that you're currently using - as you're not actually working with a plant to make into a bonsai, but waiting for plants to grow so that you can train them.

As you well know, seeds take a relatively long time to germinate and become a proper plant to use for bonsai - with preferably a 1/2-1'' (1-2cm) diameter trunk (unless you want to do mini-bonsai which are about 4" high and a totally different practice). Because of this, it may be a good idea to take the germinated black pine seedlings from the unglazed bonsai pot and transfer them to individual, ordinary plastic nursery pots with a sandy, well-drained soil mix. This will make them stronger trees and not inhibit their growth which would prevent you being able to train them properly later.

The reason why you can't grow seedlings in bonsai pots is because several plants would be growing in the same pot - which would cause crowding and may even kill some seedlings. The shallowness of the pot can also inhibit the new seedlings' root growth, which can be detrimental to them. You may not have originally known this, but you don't actually transfer your bonsai plant into a bonsai dish/pot until you have trained it and it is a suitable size to fit and fill the pot. Because of this, I'm afraid your present technique may result in you waiting a long time (2-3 years at least) for the plants to grow to a suitable size.

My recommendation is that you go to your local nursery or garden store and see if you can find some low-priced plants that have relatively thick trunks and good bonsai potential that you can turn into bonsai through training (pruning, wiring etc..) You can even look around your garden and see if you have any potential bonsai plants there that you could use. Don't worry if your first few plants don't turn out how you want them to - with experience you will learn what and what not to do and thus improve them and your technique over time. Above all - don't be afraid! Although bonsai is a very delicate and precise hobby in many aspects, usually the plants are very forgiving - so don't be afraid to prune. Also be careful not to leave the wire on too long so that it cuts into the bark.

You can train the plants that you collect from nurseries, home etc., or grow by seed into any style that you may see fit - I have a page of styles here. Just look at the plant and consider what style it may look good as and what it looks like when it naturally grows in the wild. Remember that for plants such as the Japanese Black Pine - you may try styles such as informal upright, windswept and slanting, although you don't have to specifically keep to a style. Your seedlings will usually grow in a variety of different ways - maybe some will grow straight up, some will be slanting and some might have a nice bend in the trunk - so just have a look at these simple characteristics when choosing your style.

Overall, what I am saying is that growing bonsai by seed is perfectly alright - but if you don't want to wait around for a few years while the seedlings mature - get involved in bonsai by trying to train and practice your knowledge on nursery or garden stock.

It would be a shame to see such an enthusiastic 'beginner at bonsai' lose their interest just because a few seeds didn't germinate or the process took too long.

Dan