Hi, I've never heard of a Ponderosa lemon (only a pine, or a ranch :-) but what you're asking is for an instant course on a big subject. Bonsai does require more than a couple of tips here, but it's not hard to get started, especially if you already have a healthy tree (plant) to begin with. The quick answers are yes, you have to cut the roots and (in time) use a small pot, but there's a lot to know about those steps, when and how, and which one, etc., not to mention things like lighting, humidity, etc., though you're obviously doing something right to have kept it going this long. It's also very important to know when and how to cut back, because doing it at the wrong time and indiscriminately with regard to what's cut aren't going to get you a nice tree, just a hacked up shrub. I suggest you try to find a bonsai club nearby, because it's the best way to start out... by actually seeing how things are done, finding out about watering (a very big issue in bonsai, which are not treated like house plants), soil mixes (very important too), and what makes a bonsai look good (or not) and why, plus how to do root work, etc. Until then, please don't just stuff it into a little pot as you'll likely lose it, and ditto for root chopping. You can go to www.bonsai4me.com for general info. on basics, www.bonsaitalk.com to ask and share info., and www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html for excellent advice on growing tropicals indoors. One thing I will tell you is that bonsai come in all sizes, and that fruit and flowers won't 'reduce' in size like leaves, so you may end up with a relatively larger tree (which is fine) if you want to keep a few lemons on it at any time, or else end up pinching off new fruit buds to keep the tree's energy into growing a bonsai and not to have lemons weighing down branches (or breaking them) all out of proportion to the rest of the tree. Come back and let us know how it goes!

Hi sjrose77/Sarah, Welcome to Garden Web and The Plant Exchange. Please see addressing newbie and newer member issues for instructions on getting your Member Page email link set up so that you can easily be reached for trading. While updating, you might also want to fill in your location in the one box provided for the garden zone as some members (myself included) usually won't respond to trade posts where the member's location is not shown on their Member Page. See I am zone 5/6 S INDIANA Often it is more costly to trade, depending on what one is shipping and where the trader is located. Hopefully you will soon learn the ins and outs of plant trading along with the postage costs. Priority Mailing costs-including Flat Rate Postal Zone Charts I know everyone in the eastern part of the US are in mail zones 1-4 which are more reasonable shipping costs. hth. Sue...aka chemocurl

For my Ponderosa, the fruit which survives from my early spring blooms usually matures around Thanksgiving. I think the shortening days has something to do with ripening. My first bloom fruits lemons are currently bigger than large grapefruits. These are pot grown. You may have problems with the Ponderosa becasue it is my understanding that this species is less tolerant to frost than other varieties.

Denise ~ Thank you! I use Foliage Pro 9-3-6 ( ¼ tsp to one gallon of rain water) and I only feed them during the inside-the-house Winter months of January thru April. I bring the trees inside in October, but I don't give them anything but rain water until January. I never use tap water...too many chemicals in it and I noticed a few years ago that the citrus respond better to rain water. I move all my citrus outside in May in a dappled shade area and let the warm weather breezes & rain make them strong. I do give them extra rain water during the hot Summer months when they are needing it. I always water my Citrus with rain water that we start saving in May and throughout the Summer/Fall months using those one gallon milk jugs. I think it makes a big difference with the Citrus.