Hello, real new beginner at all this but eager to learn. I have a small pine tree i planted almost a year ago. Ive been doing the simple and few things i have read and learned about keeping a bonsai ALIVE haha. My main concern now is the roots. I have not touched them since i first got the plant and ive been told every 6 months or so you have to prune the roots like you do to the actual tree. Im here to see if maybe someone who knows more about this could tell me what i should do. Maybe a guide on cutting the roots, i would appreciate it if someone could clear this up for me. Like i said ive had this tree for 10 months now to be exact. ALL help would be awesome

Hi Franco,

Welcome to BonsaiEmpire.

You mention your pine. Important to know is.. what do you want to do with this tree? Is it a young seedling? Is it a fully grown bonsai?

Root-trimming in bonsai is done to keep your tree healthy. Plants need to grown their roots, in order to find nutrients and water. Therefor, when you put it in a small pot, the roots quickly fill the pot. Two options: Repot in a new pot (When you are trying to increase the tree size) or reduce the root mass (When you have a finished tree which you would like to keep the way it is, roughly).

What is the situation with your tree?

Thanks for the response leatherback. Its definitely not a seedling and definitely not a full grown bonsai, its about 10 months (will post pictures). Right now i have it in a 6 inch deep pot, gravel at bottom, i read it was good for drainage. My goal here is to learn as much as i can for free haha, hope that does not sound crappy. I really like this hobby. I find it really interesting. but i just dont have a guide you know? A north. I mentioned the root trimming because a friend told me about it, so wanted to clear that up. But my main concern is what do i do know? like i said ive had it for roughly 10 months it looks nice. But id love to make it better. Id love for a rough around the edges guide. Maybe telling me every so often should i prune it etc etc. Id really appreciate all the help with this

oh and im pretty sure its a Scots Pine

thank you for your time

Hey Franco, it would be good for you to read up on the guides on this site to get a basic backround as to what you need to know about Bonsai. I also recommend purchasing a good bonsai book that will have information that relates various tree species to your country and climate

Hi Franco,

Welcome to the forum! So glad you could join us!

Learning as much as you can for free is what public forums are all about so don't hesitate to ask questions and browse through the various topics on the forum as well as the great information provided in the Main Menu in the upper left corner of this page or in the black bar along the top of this page under the Bonsai Empire logo. Under each category title (Grow,Train,Care, etc.) you will find a list of various sub-categories to refine your search. This website is very user-friendly!

First and foremost it is important to properly identify your tree species and research it's origin (climate) and unique needs. Here is a link that will help you with that: www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Pinus.html Another good reference source of identification is Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_classification

Once you have identified your tree you can get on with the fun stuff! If at all possible, in order for us to better help you, please post photos of your tree...of the whole tree as well as good, clear close-ups of the leaves/needles, trunk base and any other distinguishing features of your particular tree. Most young trees require repotting every 1 to 2 years depending on the species, age and growth habits. Root pruning is generally done with each repotting. Here are a couple of links from our website (Bonsai Empire): 1. Repotting... www.bonsaiempire.com/care/repotting 2. Root pruning... www.bonsaiempire.com/train/root-flare

Hope this helps to get you started in this exciting and ancient art!

Thank you all for the responses. So after reading all those links, i have remodeled the little guy... ill post pictures in a few days, a friend has my camera. I hope i did it at least ok. I pinched away like it says it on of those links you gave me Leslie. Also on the "learning what tree it is" exercise, i think its a Scots pine I THINK have to see more, anyways thanks again for your help i got alot of things cleared. And i hope i pass the verdict when i do post thos pictures

thank you for your time

You're most welcome, Franco! Others shared lots of wonderful links with me when I first started. That's what this forum is all about!