Newatthisstuff
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I think I killed it...watering?

I boughg a bonsai 'tree' at a garden show. It had small red berries and a few very small white flowers. At the time it was healthy, but now all the leaves have turned brown though there is still a flower.
The plant is in a training pot about 3 inches tall. It rises 6 inches above tne soil. I have three soures of water: tap water, drinking water (reverse osmosis), and bottled water. I have seen so much contradictory information on watering that I don't know what to do. It has been rather hot here lately, as high as 102 f.
My questions:
What type of plant do I have?
Any suggestions? :cry:

imafan26
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Can you post a picture?

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rainbowgardener
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yes please, we can't tell you what kind of tree without a picture. Serissa is the most common bonsai tree with little white flowers, but I don't know that it has berries. Cotoneaster is a bonsai tree not so often seen that does have white flowers and red berries.

What matters most is not the kind of water, but how and how often you water. Don't water until it needs it (the top layer of soil is drying out), but when you water do it thoroughly so all the soil is moistened. Don't water on a schedule - how often it needs to be watered varies considerably with heat, light and other conditions.

Incidentally, welcome to the Forum! I grew up in Anaheim, way back when. My family moved to Anaheim the year before Disneyland did, when Anaheim had 10,000 people and orange groves all around. They paid $17,000 for a newly constructed 4 bdrm ranch house on a slab. :) (Course $17 K was worth more back then but not that much more!)

Newatthisstuff
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I had gone on a vacation a couple weeks after purchasing the plant. At the time of purchase I asked what to do with watering during vacation. I was told to put the pot in a deep dish with at least one inch of water and keep it inside. This I did. When I got home the leaves were still green but were brown around the edges. As the berries were shriveled I watered it quite a bit, perhaps too much.
The plant is now outside and being watered only when the soil ln top looks dry. I have tried the chopstick method of determining soil wetness, dark soil does stick to the chopstick but otherwise the chopstick itself is not darkened. Temps inside easily made it to 85+ f while I was away.
As I am at work I cant send a pic. It doesnt look good.
I have not trimmed or wired the plant.
Question: I have seen the quote that I should water it three times. I usually water once, with no more than a cup of water. Is this right?

Newatthisstuff
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20140602_070451.jpg
Ok, here is a pic.

Newatthisstuff
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It appears that the pot has stopped draining, if that helps. The berries were red, but are now shrivelled. There were small white flowers (about 1 mm, that small), bit they are gone now, too. Some of the thinner branches have shrivelled, one has turned a tan color. What to do?

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rainbowgardener
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It is in too bad of shape to ID and in fact may be dead already. Try scraping a little bit of bark off to see if it is still green underneath. If not, it is a goner.

So... in the picture it looks like the pot is sitting in water in the saucer. That is a big no-no. Never leave your pot sitting in water. Water it thoroughly, let it drain, and then put it back where it was. If it is going to be on a saucer, put small rocks or pea gravel in the saucer, so the pot sits up out of the water.

And in the picture it looks like the soil is typical potting soil, very organic and peat-y. What you want for bonsai is bonsai soil, which is very mineral and gritty. Your potting soil holds too much water.

So between all that I'm guessing it died from staying too wet too much of the time. Is it indoors? That didn't help much either. Most trees this time of year will do better outdoors, with sun and breezes. Remember this thing is a TREE, not a pet.

Newatthisstuff
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Ok, I did the scratch test: all brown. As far as the soil, that is what came with it. The people I bought it from do bonsai. I won't name the place, but they had many on display. Next time (if there is a next time) I will ask many more questions.
So I will ask one final one: once a watering schedule is set, what about vacations?
Thanks for your help.

tomc
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Newatthisstuff wrote:once a watering schedule is set, what about vacations?
Thanks for your help.
A watering schedule for bonsai is never ever "set".

Use a wooden splinter or chop stick to test soil. IE water if chopstick comes out dry, with hold water if its damp.

There is no reliable way to water bonsai when on vacation. Even timers and irrigation can fail (ask me how I know). A visiting human water-er is probably as good as there is. At least you'll have someone to hate when they do not do their job.

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rainbowgardener
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yup, see my first post on 5/30:

Don't water until it needs it (the top layer of soil is drying out), but when you water do it thoroughly so all the soil is moistened. Don't water on a schedule - how often it needs to be watered varies considerably with heat, light and other conditions.



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