lol. really common advice is to buy only healthy plants, not the poor condition, discounted plants. however, i tend to go for the sick and poorly ones, sad as it is i like to make em feel better. i have a ficus and fukien, which were fine when bought, and a chinese elm, but the ligustrum i bought was appalling and is now getting along really well. less money to buy, and much more sense of accomplishment when they get better

the clay thing has always confused me. when i repotted two of mine the roots were filled with clay. what supplier in their right mind would put a bonsai in soil that would be almost impossible to drain? its like theyre asking for root rot....