Specialty Gardening: Native hawthorns for bonsai, 1 by DaleTheGardener

DaleTheGardener wrote:
Taking any tree from a natural growing situation and potting it should be done in the winter when they are dormant. Take the smallest one you can find and move it in late winter while it is still cold. Take more than one. Tag them now with paint or tape so you can find them later, if they are not evergreens. Takes years to get one into shape.

Trees can be shaped almost anyway you want to, if you have the information necessary to work on them. It is best to try and repeat the form they naturally take, and make them do it in minature.

I would suggest you buy a used book from one of the on line sellers, might cost up to $10, but, usually less. The best is from the family that takes care of the Emperor of Japans trees. Here is the one I bought.....