Dear Spoonplayer; I hope you have not left for your trip to see your sister yet, or given up on your idea of bringing plant material during travels. I am far from an "expert" at bonsai, but I have been messing with it for about 20 years and have around 30 trees now. I offer the following info for you: In year 2000 I moved with my family, and belongings (including bonsai) from Connecticut to Texas. This is a little bit different event than the one you descibe in your note. However, I think maybe some items will apply to both situations. Firstly, I was told by my moving company that anytime live plant materials are shipped across state lines, the applicable state Department of Agriculture must inspect them for disease and pests. I had to arrange to have my trees inspected. Your state may be less strict I suppose. I did not have them inspected in Texas when we moved back to Connecticut in year 2001. Our movers carefully packed my trees and shipped them with all the other household goods by truck to Texas in February of 2000. Since they were all dormant in Winter sleep mode, they made the trip fine and nothing at all was damaged. The return trip to Connecticut one year later went smoothly also - again packed and shipped by movers in a truck. No Dept. of Ag. inspection was done in Texas - the moving company was not hip to the requirement I think. Understanding your situation is very different, I only offer my experience as food for thought. Things could get very complicated at the airport if your baggage or carry-on is scanned and un-inspected plant material is found. You may wish to consider shipping by UPS or US Postal Service next day service. Not sure if they would require you to have your items inspected though.

You certainly CAN propagated the rose. It's done all the time...but, usually roses are grafted onto a different under-stock that is either more vigorous, hardy, or better adapted to specific growing conditions. Any good book, or even web-sites about growing roses will give you all the information that you need. The heirloom Pine is a different story. Seeds from the pine cones will give you small plants. I hope you are very young...you'll have a long wait. Good luck Frank

Here is a picture of my cedar a year or so ago and then today when it made it into a training pot of sorts. I bought this thing in a 4 inch pot, grew into a tree, now hacked it into a prebonsai. Obviously, will sacrifice some branches and chase back the others. Any thoughts

I saw that. Nigel is kind of silly! I like when he explains what he is going to do, then says "OK, Here I go" LOL - it's a VIDEO Nigel!