I tell the story of my Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese maple bonsai tree. I share a series of pictures that I've taken of the tree over the last decade and some things I've learned along the way, including one big tip: use a well-draining substrate for potted Japanese Maples!
This is one of my first bonsai trees, and despite all it's been through (it had some sad years there for awhile), it keeps on going; Japanese maples can be tough trees. My goal when I purchased this tree was to keep it alive; now that it's still alive nearly 12 years later, I'm calling this a success. Here's hoping for another decade.