Remove rocks from the top of bonsai soil or not?

[AnnaIkona]

I got a Money Tree Bonsai tree as a gift. And on top of the soil are a couple inches of rocks. These rocks are fake and covered in plastic so I can easily peal all of them of at once.

So my question is; should I remove the rocks? I think yes, because it would be hard to water the soil and if I want to fertilize it with fertilizer balls that would be hard too. Is there a reason these have to be there?

[Chihiro]

Remove them (or at least loosen them up) glued rocks can cause harm to a bonsai tree, and the glue can make the tree sick. The stones are good for keeping the soil from washing away, but that's about it. If you rinse off the rocks and loosely place them around your pot you should be fine.

[AnnaIkona]

Yes, that's what I did after reading the similar posts below. I'm guessing the rocks create a layer on top of the soil to retain the moisture in it so that when the bonsai is delivered it doesn't have to be watered frequently.

[rainbowgardener]

Agree - remove the rocks! They interfere with air and water circulation and make it difficult to know when to water your bonsai. They are really only there to prevent the soil from falling out when the tree is being shipped.

[Artisans]

Money trees are not good for bonsai. Can't reduce the leaves enough.