I just bought a pre=Bonsai, Black Pine, not sure exact abe but it's called Size 1 where I got it. I'd like to make it the best Bonsai possible. It seems to have no possibilities, maybe because I'm a total newbie and have no idea what to do. It's still in it's nursery container, and is about 13" with a straight thin trunk and no side branches at all. At the top it has a healthy looking but? looks like a mini embryo pine cone, and around it has many long soft needles and some shorter stiff needles lower. I've searched but I haven't been able to find advice on what I can do to entourage any kind of side growth and branches. I fear it will grow too tall, it's too tall already, if I do nothing. So, any ideas about what I can do to lower the height and make it interesting? I've done no pruning of anything or any wiring, nothing, so far.

Sounds like you did not buy a pre Bonsai but a sapling.

A picture would help.

Auk wrote: Sounds like you did not buy a pre Bonsai but a sapling.

A picture would help.

It is called a pre-Bonsai. Size 1, which is the smallest and youngest size on the website I bought it from. I will post a pic if I can. Whatever you call it, I want to know what to do... should I wait and it will eventually grow side branches? I just don't want it to keep growing straight up with no branches... I've read a lot but haven't seen anything addressing a straight pine with no branches. I know it's very young, so if I simply need to wait, that's what I'll do.

ShawneeBoy wrote: It is called a pre-Bonsai. Size 1, which is the smallest and youngest size on the website I bought it from.

So, it's likely it's just a young plant without any bonsai qualities. Can't be a pre-bonsai if it doesn't have branches. But I'll wait for that photo.

Don't do anything, just keep it alive, make sure it grows and is healthy before you do any work on it.

Sounds like a 1 or 2 year old pine.

OK, that's good to know. I did try to post a pic, but it's not here. I'll try again right here:

Check the instructions for posting images, shown when you hit "attachments". The software only allows pictures smaller than 1Mb, 1000pixels to a side.