by Mary Miller

The following was taken from BONSAI WITH TROPICALS and is used with permission of the author. Many bonsai people refer to this treatise as the "Stuff Article". After reading the excellent book, I asked myself how much of my bonsai collection was just "stuff" and how many of these trees would really become great bonsai in the future. Surprisingly, I decided that many would have to go. Look at your collection - will they really ever become 'specimen' bonsai? Perhaps it would be better to dispose of them and purchase fi nished bonsai. - ED

It's been over 25 years since I began creating bonsai. During those years I bought many plants to make sure I didn't miss out on anything... species I had never tried, specials I saw at garden centers, bargains at club auctions. Somewhere along the way I decided I should have one of every tropical species with any bonsai potential. This expanded the hunt. Of course, not all the plants I bought were bonsai-ready, but I could grow them on. After a few years I wondered "How did I get so much stuff?" I sold lots of the "stuff" and watched others make decent bonsai out of it.

It took about 15 years to discover I had lots of plants; I had few bonsai. Those of you who have known me for any number of years must think my backyard has a magical multiplier mechanism. I was beginning to wonder myself. After 25 years plus, I figured it out. I had so much stuff, I had no time to develop or care for it properly. It just continued to accumulate. Buying is not an easy habit to break. Letting go can be even more difficult. I made a personal pledge. I had an auction; I had a sale, then another sale and another. I took some trees to the bonsai club auctions.

I then began working on my bonsai. I cut off the huge branches on an old Bougainvillea using the lesson I teach…taper, taper, taper. I root pruned several Ficus and placed them in the shallow pots I recommend. I cleaned up the driftwood and painted lime sulfur on the Conocarpus (buttonwood). Even the weeds are under control, well almost.

For those of you just getting started in bonsai and some of you old-timers who have similar buying habits – discipline yourselves! After 25 years of neglect, your 'stuff' will be nothing but 'old stuff'. 'Old stuff' does not go to shows or end up in magazine articles; it is still just 'stuff' no matter how old it is.

Bonsai With Tropicals, Miller, Mary C., Trafford Press, Victoria Canada, 2005, page 7