pruning

[bonsai-newbie]

I am new to the Bonsai. My son got it for me as a Christmas gift. It is small but beautiful. I just need to know when is the best time to prune this little beauty.

[tomc]

BN "it", has a name. "It" might even sit still for a quick snap shot.

Does "It" have glued on stones on top of the soil?

[bonsai-newbie]

tomc--No glued stones. The stones simply lay on top of the soil. It came in a kit of a pot, soil, stones, moss and of course the Bonsai. I planted it, following the directions to a T, on the very day I got it, Christmas day. Also, I do not want to offend any one, so please educate me as to the name of my tree. That is why I am here, to be educated about the Bonsai Tree. Thank you so much.

[lucenda]

How can we tell you the name of the tree if there's no pic? Please more info!!

[lucenda]

There are many kinds of trees; approximately 100,000 known species on mother earth. It is impossible to give advice without knowing what kind of bonsai you have. Bonsai means simply 'tree in a pot'.

Pruning happens often in spring; but before you do some pruning learn much more about your tree. Next to that; you just got the tree as a kit; is pruning really needed?

Read as much as you can in this forum; also visit the Bonsai Learning Forum & Library.

Good luck!!

[rainbowgardener]

Perhaps you are not aware there is no such thing as a bonsai tree? Bonsai (literally tree in a pot) refers to the art of growing/styling/ maintaining what would have been a "normal" tree in a miniature form through how you treat it. This form of growing and styling can be done to almost any tree or woody shrub. Thus there are japanese maple bonsai, juniper bonsai, azalea bonsai, ficus (fig) bonsai, and on and on ...

No one can help you identify what variety of bonsai you have without seeing it. (Instructions for posting pictures here are in New to Helpful Gardener? under Helpful Tips and Suggestions for New Members.)