Bonsai is the Japanese art of miniature tree growing. The idea is for each tiny tree to look as if it were growing outside in a natural environment. Using driftwood as a base for a bonsai plant brings in an additional natural element as well as a contrast between living wood and dead wood. A living tree grafted onto a piece of driftwood can live for many years with the proper care.
1. Place driftwood on a work top so it is stable. If there are no natural flat spots on the driftwood, use the saw to cut small pieces off the bottom until the wood is stable.
2. Select a sapling for the bonsai project. Choose California juniper since it grows easily in thin soil conditions. Limber pine, mountain hemlock and oak are also good choices for bonsai. Some saplings may have small root balls while others may look like a branch with a deep diagonal cut; either type works well for driftwood bonsai.
3. Put a sapling on the driftwood piece. Look at it from all angles and position it where it looks best. Use the tip of a knife to gently trace around where the sapling touches the driftwood. Remove the sapling and set it aside for now.
4. Cut away the bark inside the tracing marks. Keep cutting away slivers of wood until there is a groove at every location where the sapling touches the wood.
5. Replace the sapling onto the wood, lining it up in the newly cut grooves. Attach the sapling to the wood with brass screws to make sure that the sapling is held securely in place. Use as few screws as possible to ensure good contact between the sapling and the wood.
6. Smear grafting wax along the outside of the sapling where it touches the driftwood. If there are any gaps between the screws, fill them with the wax. Wrap floral or plant tape around the sapling and the wood as if binding a wound.
7. Place the driftwood and tree in a shallow plant dish. Water the sapling with a one-quarter strength solution of a balanced fertilizer dissolved in water.