About 2 years ago for my Birthday a couple of my close friends thought it’d be a great idea to get me a bonsai plant. I’d just got back from Japan, I love them, and so they thought it’d be the perfect gift. Until you start to think about it.

I’m assuming all you horticulturalists out there are secretly laughing because you know. Giving someone a bonsai plant, especially a juniper one (think Karate Kid/Mr. Miyagi style), is the plant equivalent of giving someone a puppy for their birthday.

It requires constant attention, pruning, watering, misting, fertilizing, placing it outside, bringing it inside, even breathing on the damn thing. And let me tell you, I’ve tried them all. I’ve scoured the net reading up on how best to take care of all types of bonsai’s. I’ve pruned, I’ve fertilized, I even bought some fancy worm casting stuff from the local farmers market hoping beyond hope that I could turn the tide. I’ve watered daily. I’ve watered every few days. I’ve misted. I’ve not misted. I’ve put the plant outside, then inside. I’ve let it sing in the rain, and I’ve even pointed it towards the east hoping it’d get some inspiration.

But still it’s slowly died.

It’s little more then a twig these days and I’ve made the call. It’s time to say goodbye to my beloved bonsai. It’s like when you take your animal to the vet because you don’t want it to suffer anymore.

I just need to rip the band-aid off. It’ll hurt, but it’ll be better for the both of us.