Jenna, Congrats! I'm excited for you. Its important to know what tree you have in order to properly care for it. Can you post a picture for ID? My guess is the soil its in is the soil you bought the plant in? What is it like? Is it like your everyday commercial potting mix? If so, consider waiting until the spring to repot into proper bonsai soil. Bonsai soil si free draining and coarse. Generally speaking, that is something to the effect of: 50% turface, perlite, lava rock, etc. (you pick one) 50% pine or fir bark, etc. If you have a slow draining soil currently, be very careful with how frequently you water your plant. You may kill it, otherwise. You should water it when it is still damp and not quite yet dry. Drought and overwatering both take a toll on the plant. You can check for dryness with a chopstick or toothpick. Penetrate the soil through to the floor of the pot and leave it there for 15 minutes. If there is little to no dampness, you should water the plant. If it is wet, well then don't water it. Feed once a week with fertilizer. Leaves say a lot about how your tree is doing. Yellow leaves may indicate too much water, while browning leaves indicate drought. Make sure your pot allows for draining - are there holes underneath? Like I said, how you care for a bonsai varies from species to species... so whatever that says trumps what I've said. So, you should get your tree identified. Good luck! Cheers, Adam

Just dropped by for a visit and noticed this post-- after I'd responded in the earlier thread. Anyway, I'll repost here... The following "light-bulbs-in-a-box" system is a cheap and simple way to get variable bottom heat. The heat source is a string of christmas lights placed inside a box to heat the air within. There is a platform inside the box that supports the cellpaks or flats. The box can be wooden or sturdy cardboard about 12" x 18" x 18". Cut a few holes in each side a few inches from the bottom. These are for ventilation so the box doesn't overheat. Now for the heat source. Find a string of christmas lights. I tried using a 20-watt light bulb in a "trouble light" housing, but it tended to create a hot spot. Christmas lights help keep the heat evenly distributed. Put an insulating, heat-proof liner on the bottom of the box. The idea is to keep the bulb(s) from touching the bottom of the box. You could use an old plate or a ceramic trivet-- so long as it does not conduct heat well and it keeps the box bottom from heating up. Now make the platform on which the seed trays rest. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit inside the box just trace the bottom and trim it up to fit. Leave a small gap between the edge of your platform and the box wall-- for ventilation and to allow "finger access" to remove the platform. The setup I'm using these days is a glass cutting board that happened to fix the box. Support the platform with your choice of heat-proof "risers". Try a mason jar in each corner. Empty cans or old glass tumblers would also work. There should be several inches between the top of the bulb(s) and the platform. On top of the platform put a waterproof cover. Set the seedling trays on the platform. Now measure and monitor how hot the seeding mix gets. Use a meat thermometer set to just below the surface of the mix. To decrease the temperature, cut more holes, raise the platform, unscrew a few of the Christmas light bulbs, or pull a section of the lights out of the box. For seeds that need light to germinate, get a clamp lamp and use a compact fluorescent bulbÂ-or two, depending on how many trays are underneath. Rig up the clamps so the light is a few inches from the tops of your trays. That's about it. Cheap and easy. Here are some photos: For this setup I used a wooden crate that held wine bottles. I screwed in some 6" x 1/2" boards to make the overhead "beam" to which the lamps are suspended. The photo above shows the glass platform-- actually a cutting board that happened to fit pretty well-- and the mason jars supporting it.

Wow Jeanne! I love these pictures of your tree...its Magnificent with the blue lights and all the Lovely Angels. I mentioned in another post to you how I enjoy seeing Mr & Mrs Claus....as a Holiday Tradition here! Love their 'Group of Friends' too. TFS jane

Small fruit trees can be covered with a light tarp at night and removed in the morning. Sometimes, placing a light bulb under the tarp can help too. Some say stringing Christmas tree lights also help with keeping frost from forming on the tree. Planting fruit trees on higher elevation whenever possible as cold air sinks. Another option is to place heat absorbing materials under the trees during the day that release the heat at night to keep the frost from forming.