Mini Bonsai Kit
by Robert W. King
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Book Reviews of Mini Bonsai Kit
Book Review: Mini Bonzai was a bit of a disappointment
Summary: 3 Stars
The Mini Bonsai kit caught my eye at a local bookstore because I've always wanted a bonsai, but I'm very good at killing plants. I figured I'd pick this one up and take a look at it. While it's rather neat, it's still a bit of a disappointment. My first complaint is with the box, it says it contains everything needed to grow a bonsai garden. The kit contains everything needed to grow a bonsai tree, but not a garden. Small difference, but still somewhat puzzling.I'm having the same problem with this book that I'm having with the mini Zen Gardening Kit. When you open it fairly flat, you can see where it has been sewn, which make me worry that I'm going to destroy the book by reading it. The instructions for getting your bonsai tree started are very clear and are explained pretty well. It takes eight days to get the bonsai up and going, but at least you're told that in the first 2 instructions. The book also goes through caring for a bonsai, and the science and art behind it.
The rest of the kit is pretty straightforward and decent. More than one jack pine seed is included, so you're not out of luck if one doesn't sprout. The pot is some kind of non-plastic, non-metal pot, standing about an inch tall and about 2 inches across. There's a peat pellet included so you don't have to go buy soil or dig up your neighbour's yard, and there is a set of miniature scissors included as well. The scissors are little plastic cheap scissors, but they cut paper, so they will probably work in pruning a bonsai.
Book Review: Shouldn't be used alone
Summary: 2 Stars
What you should know before buying this kit is that no one experienced with bonsai trees seems to be growing Jack Pine Trees. So, it can be difficult to find supplementary information. Also, I planted all six seeds and only got one to sprout. Now that I've done more research, I am a little surprised that I got even one. Most trees that need cold stratified stay in the refrigerator for 90 days, not one week.
However, I did get my one tree from this kit, and he seems relatively happy. He's nothing like a tree yet even though he's more than a year old. He looks more like a pom-pom on a little twig and doesn't have any real branches yet. This leads me to think that this is not the best species of tree for a beginner. There are so many things that can go wrong, and having a tree that takes forever to mature makes it even more stressful.
This book tries to make the process sound easy and short when it's actually a fairly long process. Some of the shortcuts in its directions probably greatly reduce your chances of getting a good tree established.
A better place to start would be: http://seedrack.com/bonsai.html. All of their seed packs cost less than $5 and come with ten to fifty seeds and documentation specific to the kind of seeds with step by step directions. You'll be just as good starting there if you want to start growing a bonsai tree from a seed.
Book Review: It does work well when done correctly
Summary: 4 Stars
A lot of people claim that their bonsai hasn't grown because of the instructions, but I've also noticed that a lot of amateur bonsai enthusiasts go against the instructions in the tiny book by way of cold stratifying beyond suggested time, using techniques too advanced for this particular kit, et cetera. However, it's been a couple of months and my bonsai is thriving. Call it luck, but I planted it during a less than forgiving summer (rather than spring), watered it with tap water, kept it indoors for weeks at a time, and yet it's becoming a little masterpiece on my desktop.
I have actually owned this kit twice; the first being when I was just 11 years old. The first time I threw away the instructions by mistake and planted the seeds without cold stratifying, and it sprouted shortly before wilting to death due to my childhood apathy of growing stuff. Today my desk is graced with the company of a maple bonsai I found (bonsai are everywhere, even if the kit were to fail), and the included pine that, currently, vaguely resembles the unknown variety of pine in my yard.
The kit itself doesn't come with everything for a beginner, however. There are many more tools used in the delicate art of bonsai other than the tiny scissors. Perhaps this the one essential that should have been added would have to be training wire.
Book Review: Not terrible, but not really a bonsai
Summary: 3 Stars
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.Book Review: A waste of money
Summary: 1 Stars
My sister received this as a gift, and she in turn passed it on to me. The seeds do not seem viable; I have not gotten a single sprout. The information in the book is not very helpful in terms of getting the seeds to grow. It would have been nice if they had selected a better variety for beginners.
Yes, I followed all of the directions carefully. The problem is that there's really no telling how old the seeds are inside the package, and no commitment from the manufacturer to replace bad seeds.