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"These will be my first real bonsai experience "

Why would you want to begin with such a complicated, probably fruitless process? Why not simpoly start off with a larger tree? Boxwood can "fuse" but it's not an easy, nor a short process. The plant is thin skinned, alignment of cambium bark is needed for the trees to knit together. you have to know where that is and how to use it.

It would take five years--probably more like 10--before this process yields anything--if you've done things correctly--which you probably won't seeing as this is your first try at it.

You cannot guy wire them as you risk pulling them apart. You cannot really do any bonsai work on them during the "fusing" process. You want free, unhindered growth in that situation to close wounds. It will take a very long time of free growth (decade or so) with such material to get anything worthwhile.

Simply get a larger boxwood to work with if you want a larger trunk. In buying smaller plants and "growing them out" to become bigger bonsai, you are taking a very long route which is unecessary. Larger bonsai are not grown from smaller bonsai. They are cut down from larger plants.

5-Oct-2006	#2
rockm bonsaiTALK ArchMaster Join Date: Oct-2003 Location: Fairfax, Va Country: USA USDA Zone: 7 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 4,561	"These will be my first real bonsai experience " Why would you want to begin with such a complicated, probably fruitless process? Why not simpoly start off with a larger tree? Boxwood can "fuse" but it's not an easy, nor a short process. The plant is thin skinned, alignment of cambium bark is needed for the trees to knit together. you have to know where that is and how to use it. It would take five years--probably more like 10--before this process yields anything--if you've done things correctly--which you probably won't seeing as this is your first try at it. You cannot guy wire them as you risk pulling them apart. You cannot really do any bonsai work on them during the "fusing" process. You want free, unhindered growth in that situation to close wounds. It will take a very long time of free growth (decade or so) with such material to get anything worthwhile. Simply get a larger boxwood to work with if you want a larger trunk. In buying smaller plants and "growing them out" to become bigger bonsai, you are taking a very long route which is unecessary. Larger bonsai are not grown from smaller bonsai. They are cut down from larger plants.