ok it sprouted,i got a qustion about how early i can start leaf reduction because lemon is an evergreen.and also any suggestions for the style.
thnaks

Hi, what you need to do long before thinking about leaf reduction is to get the plant into a larger pot with a fast draining mix, in really high light up to 15 hours a day, above a wide humidity tray (water not touching the pot) and let it grow as fat a trunk as you want. This can take years, of course, because only if you were in a tropical climate could you grow it in the ground, which is the fastest way to fatten it, but barring that, a large pot (not 'bonsai') is what you need, plus routine fertilizing. Leaf reduction only comes a few times, if that, in a bonsai's life and yours has a lot more time to go before doing that. Wanting a mame does not mean you just grow a seedling into a tiny plant a few inches tall and call it a bonsai. You need to grow it a lot bigger and then chop it small so the fatter trunk will give the illusion of age together with new and smaller branches. I suggest you do some reading - www.bonsai4me.com, www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html, plus lots of books. If you just grow a few inches of a seedling, all you'll have is a stick in a pot, a very young looking thing with nothing bonsai about it, no matter how stylishly you shape it.

i knew about the trunk fattening,but you got me thinking that if i wanted faster results i need a bigger pot.so leaf reduction only comes a few times,i had the idea that you do it every season until its the size you want.
thanks,

steven

The other problem with iddy-biddy fruiting or flowering 'trees' is that when you are tempted to allow too much fruiting or flowering it takes all of the energy...dead plant. Been there, done that.

i dont think mine will flower because its from seed and it will take a long time.but if it does i might enjoy the blooms but remove most the fruit.