EXPERT TIPS
A full bonsai tutorial would take a book and Thornhill shares a few fave titles below but here s the gist.
SELECTION Beginners should start with multiples of inexpensive trees. (At the beginning, Thornhill bought ten $20 trees each year; now he allows himself one $200 splurge annually.) For backyard trees, choose species that grow in your climate. For indoors, a ficus is a good rookie project.
CARE As with any plant, you have to know the tree s light, water and nutrient needs. Due to the small pots, regular watering is essential. Thornhill recommends a chopstick to check the soil moisture: I carried one around the yard for three years until I learned plants watering clues.