Bonsai from scratch - I have no clue what I'm doing

[The Green Lady]

Hey.
I got this Bonsai growing kit for christam, which tells you very breifly how to grow a bonsai, and gives you a bag of Hyssop seeds to start one with.
I realise that beginning the plant in the beginning of winter is a bad idea, however, its done, and I'd like to see if I can salvage it. I have three little sprouts, I water daily, and I keep it indoors (I'm in Fairfield CT) under a full-spectrum light bulb, in about 65-72 degrees F temperatures.

Am I doing things right? Is there any chance that this will work? Is hyssop even a type of bonsai plant?

[The Helpful Gardener]

Most plants can be "bonsaied", but perennials like hyssop are more correctly bonseki, and of course not as long lived as bonsai...

On the plus side, if it doesn't work what cost? Your practices seem sound for the moment...

Scott

[The Green Lady]

bonseki? What's that? How is it different from Bonsai?
Also, is there a "traditional" bonsai plant, other than juniper?

[The Helpful Gardener]

Bonseki denotes use of herbaceous material and can often be little landscapes; much like the penjing of China.

While junipers are all you see here, there are hundreds of trees and shrubs that fall into the "traditional bonsai" classsification...neat, huh?



Scott