( 9 reviews )
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Posted: Jul 9 2009
I'm an outdoor hobbyist that lives in the extreme heat of Las Vegas, so I figured it would be nice to have a bonsai since it is difficult to cultivate outdoor plants in the extreme heat with water regulations. I bought this kit around the same time I bought a four year old juniper bonsai and my bonsai collection started. There are several things any bonsai beginner should know: 1.) Any tree acquired through a seed will not become a full fledged bonsai for at least 2-3 years. This meaning, you won't trim it, though it may be easier to train into a desired design. 2.) Conifers, which the Jack Pine is, need to be outdoors to grow properly. This applies even to bonsai. 3.) Pines are not the best beginner bonsai, nor are seedlings. Don't feel discouraged at buying one from a store, many bonsai sensei never grow their own bonsai from seed. I bought a money tree bonsai at the 99 cent store and have been growing it mainly for cuttings for friends to start their own bonsai fetish: money tree bonsai are fairly easy to tend to and are indoor bonsai. Bonsai Boy is a good place to look for good beginner trees, for semi-cheap prices. In any case do a bit a research into bonsai before deciding; Jack Pines live for a couple hundred years. For anyone who has purchased this kit, I suggest leaving the seeds in the refrigerator, but changing the paper towel weekly until the seeds have sprouted and become tangled in the towel, then gently place all the seeds about 1/2 inch in the bonsai pot. When the following spring comes and it is time to repot it might be best to repot ALL the seeds either in the same pot separated areas or in separate pots entirely. I suggest this because its nice to experiment with different styles of bonsai. When, in time, pruning is needed forget the scissors- gently pinch/pull off new buds to encourage more compact growth needed for bonsai. Good luck, may your soil stay moist, but not rot the roots.
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Posted: Mar 20 2009
These kits are a waste of time please don't buy these kits save yourself the trouble and just buy a pre grown bonsai you can find those on amazon over time it's much cheaper then these so called kits
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Posted: Dec 16 2008
I was bored one day and spotted this in a bookstore at the mall, and figured I'd try it. After purchasing, I've realized there is little to no research on Jack Pine bonsai, because they really don't make great bonsai. Growing a tree from a seed is very difficult, but I have patience and hope it will work. First bit of advice--cold stratify the seeds longer than a week. Remember that this process is supposed to simulate winter, and 7 days is not enough to "trick" the seeds. I left all five seeds that came with the kit in the fridge for about a month, and 3 more weeks or so after planting them in the peat pellet, I have two sprouts. They are only about half an inch tall so far, but it is encouraging. We'll see how it goes.
