Bonsai Watering Help

[Sweet_Tooth]

I bought a bonsai tree about a month ago, and it's suposed to be an outside tree but I keep it inside my room near my window for decoration. I water it daily and the leaves are green, but they are also very hard and brittle. I'm sure I'm watering it enough, but I think I may be watering it a little TOO much. I don't flood the pot, but I give it plenty every morning. I'm a newbie gardener, so does anyone think they can give me a few hints?

[Sweet_Tooth]

I supose I should have put this in the Bonsai section.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Hi

Yes to the second post; I'll answer your question there...

Scott

[The Helpful Gardener]

Don't forget our page on watering here it's...

[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/bonsai/03/care.html[/url]

Scott

[opabinia51]

I've been doing a bunch of research on trunk thickening and the most I've found to date tells me to leave branches below my number one branch, keep apical dominance in mind while pruning and lop the top off the tree.

My question is this: I have recently transplanted a few trees (4) from the forest and placed them into pots. I have a Western Red Cedar and I am wondering if doing the above things would work? Also, I potted it about two weeks ago and have been feeding it 10-52-12. About how long should I wait until I start pruning it to enlargen it's trunk? I think that I am going to try to go with the Formal Upright Style.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Hey Opa,

Interesting that you are working trees this late in the season; wish I had the warmer clime, I might be tempted to do the same. Definitely late for feeding; I'd knock that off soon (ANY nitrogen could trigger new growth that will just get fried off, better to let the tree go to sleep in my mind).

Pruning won't enlargen the trunk, but not pruning will, so leave it all on until spring. At that point you can pick that sacrificial branch to leave and crop the rest; leave the entire sacrificial branch (to the point of apical dominance) for the entire growing season, limiting the rest of your pruning to basic shaping (no fine pruning or pinching that year). This will fatten the trunk BELOW that branch considerably; repeat until you have reached the caliper you desire...

Some other old tricks I have found along the way...ancient Chinese method was to beat the trunks with bamboo canes (seperating the phloem from the cambium layer, causing it to regrow to fit, repeat until caliper etc., etc. ) The modern methodology I have learned was to use bonsai pliers (smooth faced without serration) to grip the trunk and loosen the bark from the wood; same principle, different tool. Careful not to rip or wrinkle the bark unduly and it works fine...

As for the thanks, it is the least I can do for those of you who add so much to the forum with nothing but thank yous in return; I always want to make it clear to the rest of the forum just how much you add here and how grateful we all should be. Keep up ther great work...))

Thanks again

Scott

[opabinia51]

Hi Scott,

Just read over your comments. Yes, one of my trees is a Western Red Cedar that is currently about 3 feet tall. I have choosen the sacrificial branch and want to shorten the tree as well as (of course) fatten the trunk. So, when you say "crop the rest" do you mean prune it all back above the sacrificial branch? I'd like to shorten the length of the tree to about a foot or maybe a bit more.
Also do you think that this spring will be to early to put an Aluminum wire around the base of the trunk to fatten it up? Basically, should I wait a year until next spring after doing all this cropping?

Anyway, thanks for the advice! (Oh, and I will be taking a bonsai class in February at the Local Horticultural Center)

[The Helpful Gardener]

By cropping the rest I meant selecting your branches to leave, but it is feasible to lose them all and make selections on the new buds. That would give you exacting choices and branch placement in formal uprights is VERY strict, so it might actually be worth it (unless you've gotten lucky and have a tree that is already well positioned. I'm not a fan of the girdling wire to create a buttress; I like to start cuttings from the tree itself and graft them around the butress. This allows for exact root placement...

Scott

[rustysthree]

I am relitively new to this hobby. I have four bonsai trees. I went to the woods by my house and found three conifers and one.... other (unknown) the unknown three is my favorite. My problem is I can't find any place that sells bonsai pots. On another note, I have moss covering the top of each scene completely.. I'm worried about a few thimgs on that. I read somewhere to water bonsai everyday. I also read that moss holds in water. I'm scared that they'll get root rot. Please HELP!

[The Helpful Gardener]

Rusty anyone that says to simply water a tree every day is no expert. Trees have differing needs; the exact same tree might have different needs depending on the container you have put it in. You must learn to judge the tree on it's own needs and not on a clock or calender...


Scott

[rustysthree]

ok well three conifers I have. one is an inch deep pot.. (the soil is three inches deep(hill)) and two are in a five inch deep pot, (37 inch Diameter) I don't think I understand what you mean by "judging" how much to water a plant. the other (unknwn) tree seems so be doing fine with all of the attention. no yellowing, dropping leaves, or anything and it's been three weeks. I'm just a bit scared.. I'm not sure how long it'll take before it's too late.

[The Helpful Gardener]

It doesn't take long for things to go south, the thing ids the plant will look fine even as it is headed there. When a juniper starts to look bad it's often too late already...

By judging I mean learning what is wet enough and not over-watering. Eastern red cedar will take a fair amount of moisture; more than most junipers. But continual over-watering will eventually kill it. You need to learn that timing, be it every two or every three days that allows the roots to breathe but stay moist; squiggle a finger into the soil and if it's going dry a knuckle down, then water. Soon you will know by the weight of the pot or the look of the plant as you get more accustomed...

Scott

[rustysthree]

BRILLIANT! thanks you so much for your help. I am pretty sure I know what you'r talking about now on the judging... for some reason I though bonsai would be COMPLETELY different than a regular, potted plant. that technique you gave, haha that's what I've always done with my other plants (finger/ knuckle method)

[The Helpful Gardener]

Digging around in the soil with a digit is not the BEST way to decide if your tree needs water, but it will work...

Once you've been at it awhile you'll just know...