Unpopular opinion: I think those 'instant bonsai' kits are a total scam

Honestly, I wasted about $45 on one from a garden center in Portland last spring. The seeds barely sprouted and the tiny pot they give you is useless after a few weeks. On one side, people say they're a fun intro to the hobby, but I think they just set you up to fail and kill a plant. Has anyone actually had a good result from one of these things, or should we just tell new folks to start with a nursery tree?

2 comments

2 Comments

jake_kelly241mo ago

Total waste of money, my kit grew mold instead of trees. They make the whole process seem easy but the instructions are junk. Why not just buy a small juniper from a store and learn on something that might actually live?

blake_martinez1mo ago

My cousin in Seattle got a kit for Christmas and now has three little pines going strong on her windowsill. The cheap pot forced her to repot early, which is actually a key skill to learn. Sometimes the low stakes of a kit are less scary for a total beginner than a $30 nursery plant.