Hello from Canada

[samcarter1022]

Hello Everyone,

My Name is Kerry and I live in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. I'm currently working as an IT Service Desk Agent with a variety of different job titles:) I love to read and help out in the garden.

I am new to this forum as well as new to Bonsai. I have never had a Bonsai before and I'm trying to find out how to care for it. I bought it just this weekend, I'm not sure which species it is, but it's small the pot it's in is about 4" by 2" give or take.

I took a quick look at some of the topics for bonsai care on this site, but I'm not sure about what I need to do. I noticed that some of the bonsai are kept outside, I thought mine would be kept indoors, as well with watering, the one I have seems too small to be watered three times every day.

Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Kerry.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Hi Kerry, and welcome...

I moved this to the Bonsai Forum as it seemed to fit best and the level of help around here is excellent, but they need a few things to go on...

First we need to know what kind of tree it is? Without that nugget, no one can make a good recommendation. We find the best idea is an image because we can assess things you might not think to tell us. Inside 24/7 for a bonsai is generally not recommended, without using particular species that do well indoors (generally tropicals). So knowing what you have for a tree is important...

Watering three times a day for any bonsai is an invitation to instant and permanent dormancy, or as we call it, root rot. We need to assess soils and the pot before we can determine watering needs, but once a day for the moment is sufficient, unless you have a very tiny tree, called mame bonsai, that fits in the palm of your hand, in which case the three times may be called for, but I doubt it; not that common a size...

So let us know and we can help you out...

HG

[samcarter1022]

Okay, I'll take a picture of it and post it so you can see which one it is. I honestly don't know what species it is, but it has rough, kind of like pine leaves.

Yeah when I read about watering three times a day I thought that might not be a good idea. When I watered it yesterday morning the water seemed to take a while to sink into the soil. I'll continue to water once a day and see how that goes.

I didn't think having it outside, especially in the winter would be a good idea, but I can take it out on the deck in the summer. For the winter months what should I do?

Thanks again for your help, I'll post a pic as soon as I can:)

[Gnome]

samcarter1022,

Yeah when I read about watering three times a day I thought that might not be a good idea.

I think you may have misinterpreted this slightly. The idea is to water several times in a fairly short time frame. The point is to ensure that the soil is thoroughly saturated. This is important in heavy soils or those based largely on peat as they can be difficult to wet properly. Modern mediums are much easier to deal with as you can, or should be able to, water and have the water drain straight through.

When I watered it yesterday morning the water seemed to take a while to sink into the soil.

This is what I mean. This soil sounds too dense. Plant roots need Oxygen and such a dense medium tends to exclude air.

I didn't think having it outside, especially in the winter would be a good idea

Some trees need a dormancy period other will die from such exposure. Until you know what species you own you cannot possibly know which way to handle it. Please post a picture and we will attempt to ID it.

Norm

[samcarter1022]

I definately will post a picture, as you say it's probably the best way of finding out which one I have:)

I noticed that the soil seemed pretty packed into the pot, and they seem to have stuck clumps of rocks on top, small rocks, I think thye're decorative, but I'm not sure if they are maybe preventing the water for sinking in totally.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Gnome, I get it; the old "water three times; once for the pot, once for the soil, once for the tree" saying. NOW I get it...like Gnome sez, three times in quick sucession is still one watering, done right. Even in a free draining soil this helps with gas exchange as well as moisture...

Clumps of glued rocks is a production thing and horrible for the tree; let's remove those...

You are in good hands now; I'll butt out...

HG

[samcarter1022]

lol I see, water three times was a saying:):) Okay so if I water once a day, three short "blasts" probably not the right word but you know what I mean:) that should be cool, pending of course a picture incase the species calls for something else.

I'll remove the stones as soon as I get home. At first I thought they might be for drainage, but then when I tried to move them around I found they were actually glued together:) Definately removing those:)

Thank you both so much for your help, I look forward to talking with you in the future:):)

[samcarter1022]

Good morning,

okay I took a picture of my Bonsai this morning, but I can't seem to find a place to post it. I tried adding it as my avatar, but it's too big and when I finally managed to get it down to 9k or less I was told it needed to be 80 pixels by 80 pixles....I gave up, there won't be anything left of it if I keep making it smaller:)

How to load the pic so you can see it?

Kerry.