Hi, I've never heard of a Ponderosa lemon (only a pine, or a ranch :-) but what you're asking is for an instant course on a big subject. Bonsai does require more than a couple of tips here, but it's not hard to get started, especially if you already have a healthy tree (plant) to begin with. The quick answers are yes, you have to cut the roots and (in time) use a small pot, but there's a lot to know about those steps, when and how, and which one, etc., not to mention things like lighting, humidity, etc., though you're obviously doing something right to have kept it going this long. It's also very important to know when and how to cut back, because doing it at the wrong time and indiscriminately with regard to what's cut aren't going to get you a nice tree, just a hacked up shrub. I suggest you try to find a bonsai club nearby, because it's the best way to start out... by actually seeing how things are done, finding out about watering (a very big issue in bonsai, which are not treated like house plants), soil mixes (very important too), and what makes a bonsai look good (or not) and why, plus how to do root work, etc. Until then, please don't just stuff it into a little pot as you'll likely lose it, and ditto for root chopping. You can go to www.bonsai4me.com for general info. on basics, www.bonsaitalk.com to ask and share info., and www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html for excellent advice on growing tropicals indoors. One thing I will tell you is that bonsai come in all sizes, and that fruit and flowers won't 'reduce' in size like leaves, so you may end up with a relatively larger tree (which is fine) if you want to keep a few lemons on it at any time, or else end up pinching off new fruit buds to keep the tree's energy into growing a bonsai and not to have lemons weighing down branches (or breaking them) all out of proportion to the rest of the tree. Come back and let us know how it goes!

Thankyou so much. You really opened my eyes. As you can tell, this definately would be a whole new hobbie for me. I thought it was easy. I will look up these sites and thanks for the info. I will let you know if I ever get the time to start this what seems to be a great hobbie and let you know the outcome. Take care.

One more thing. You might be wondering what even started me thinking about doing this to a ponderosa. Well when I stopped by the bonsai place the other day, I went in to buy one and saw dozens of ponderosa lemon trees in the tiniest pot and the plants were so cute. Some even were in bloom and one had a lemon on it. Goodness, they were so beautiful. Only about 1 foot high, about the same as mine are, and yet the price was out of my reach for even one. So I figured if they could do this, so could I. Guess I should of asked them how they do it, if they have classes, and if it was possible for me to do it..:-)
Again thanks alot!

Hi, I didn't want to discourage you from doing bonsai... it's not 'hard', but just a matter of following steps properly vs the wrong way. Of course you can do it, whether or not you end up being great at it. The only problem usually is that once you get hooked, like the rest of us, you'll find it obsessive! One tip would be to be ultra careful about people selling trees, especially from the back of a pick-up or something. They are often hired (by the importers of masses of trees from China) to seem knowledgable, very "Karate Kid" and all that, but generally don't know or care about the trees - just hand out wrong info. Store-sellers may know a lot, or no more than the others, and be quite honestly earnest in telling you the wrong things, but many are experienced in growing and do hold classes, etc., so see if you can find out more about the ones there. "Nother tip - anyone telling you to water the trees by immersion in the sink is dead wrong, and if they're wrong about that (it's the most common fallacy, even all over the 'care tags") then they're probably wrong about everything else. And do ignore care tags - they're generic and worse than not being there at all.