Mini Bonsai Kit [Paperback]

Running Press (Editor), Robert W. King (Author)

Book Description

Series: Miniature Editions Pocket Pack | Publication Date: February 1, 2001

With this kit, complete with a 32page book explaining bonsai gardening, an instruction sheet, a small pot, a peat pellet, a packet of seeds, and a pair of scissors, indoor gardeners can grow a peaceful mini-garden anywhere they choose. Whether it's on a desk or in a kitchen, this little bit of greenery will brighten up the day-just add water! Also available in a full-size kit

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Running Press Miniature Editions (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762409746
• ISBN-13: 978-0762409747
• Product Dimensions: 3.2 x 2.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Average Customer Review: 2.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #744,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #88 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Shouldn't be used alone, August 12, 2005

By 

Pamela Sersen (St. Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mini Bonsai Kit (Paperback)

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.

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mini Bonzai was a bit of a disappointment, March 24, 2001

By 

Stephanie Martin (Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mini Bonsai Kit (Paperback)

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.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No sprouts yet, September 30, 2004

By 

C. Yack "waverider2" (Fenton, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mini Bonsai Kit (Paperback)

I also purchased this when it caught my eye at a bookstore.

I cold stratified the seeds for 1 week, planted them on 9/12/04, and 2 weeks later, I have yet to see any results.

It would have been nice if the book would have given a hint about how long I should wait to see sprouts. All that's in the book is "when the plants have grown".

Maybe some companies just make their money on impulse shoppers. After one product is sold, they move on to the next one.