Yes, it can be done. You've probably given yourself the best advice anyone can give, considering that you're in the very early stages of developing an interest in bonsai. Do your research. I was lucky - when I discovered bonsai, my desire to reach a degree of proficiency that allowed me to create the trees I saw one day at a hotel where a bonsai show was being set up left me feeling it was an 'I have to' issue, more than an 'I want to' thing. I challenged myself, and immediately set out to be a bonsaiist ..... and just as quickly failed. What I discovered, and the best advice I can give to budding artists, is to learn first about soils. Close on the heals of an understanding of how soils work, you'll need to understand plant physiology to at least the degree that allows you to keep your plants alive for the long term. Once you have these two pieces of the puzzle, the rest comes easier. Fortunately, the most important part is the easiest part - soils and how they work - how to build a good soil for your trees. I can help with that by linking you to another thread here on GW that explains all the basics if you're interested; and you can get the rest of your questions answered here. The physiology part, how plants work, is an undertaking you'll probably need to go mainly alone. You can usually get individual questions answered here, but the big picture requires a deeper understanding of how plants work if you really are determined to progress in the art. I've seen a LOT of new faces come to bonsai, and about as many walk away; being enamoured of the little trees the draw; frustration the reason for the exodus. Bonsai on a revolving door policy, buying new plants to replace the still new but dead plants, isn't rewarding to many. It's only when your level of proficiency allows you to develop a treelationship that you reap the full rewards of being involved. Like a fire though, first the spark has to be lit. Let's hope that with a little fanning by supportive people, that you'll warm to the pleasant task ahead of you. Al

Oh I know,but a crab apple would be nice. Last year I planted gala apple seeds and one sprouted so I put it in the garage for winter and another popped up with it! I took the little tree out of the almost frozen pot and put it with the rest of the seedlings. So many trees! Luckily, I am blessed with a quarter acre of backyard for as many trees as I please!

There are still trees and shrubs sold bare root as well as balled and burlapped. I'd estimate, however, that at least 80% of the nursery stock sold in North America today is pot grown in soil-less, peat based media. The stuff in the bags at the garden center labeled "potting soil" can be just about anything - finally ground earth from feedlots, stripped topsoil with sand added, for example. It's basically useless junk. No commercial growers use it. Instead they use consistently blended and tested media such as ProMix, Sunshine Mix and a number of others. Some big growers blend their own, but test constantly to insure consistent results. Native soils, unless they are very unusual - much higher in humus content than is normal, very sandy/gravelly for example - are not automatically suitable for plants which have spent life in a porous, well aereated soil-less medium. The difference is too great. The roots will be very reluctant to leave the easy living of the peat mix and venture out into the usually low humus, high clay, poor in oxygen native soil. They won't all die but they will sulk for a long time before becoming established. I am aware of the studies that purport to show that soil amendment is unnecessary and counter productive. These need to be interpreted with care. What was the tree/shrub growing in before planting? What was the nature of the native soil? What species of tree or shrub was involved? What, if any, "hormones" or other chemicals were used? Sweeping generalities are usually inaccurate. Some species of trees and shrubs will establish easily in even the worst native soil without much trouble. Others - magnolias, Japanese maples, rhododendron and other ericacea come to mind - most definitely won't. Too small holes in water retentive clay soil can "drown" - actually, lack of oxygen is the real problem - plants for sure. Wide, shallow planting areas amended with coarse material such as bark, compost, etc. supports the microbial life many plants depend on. It remains. imho, a much better, if more labor intensive, method. If we are gardeners rather than land reclaimers, municipalities working with ever decreasing budgets, plantation foresters putting 1000's of trees a day into the ground, we ought to be able to do what's best rather than what's quickest and cheapest.

Agree w/ken on the large leaves and I would not worry to much BUT the little baby leaf above that big leaf (2nd pic) what is going on with the very tip. How much water are you giving it in Salt lake. Apples need a lot of water. If not on a drip, dig a depression moat around the base of the tree and fill with water. Remove any grass or weeds from the trunk out to the edge of moat berm. Depth s/b about 2" deep and about 3' out from ONE side of the trunk(6' in dia.)now you can use the hose, water on dribble. Fill up the depression with water. Slow and deep. .......................................Use the "fruit and orchard forum" maybe it will work a little better for ya