My mom and I took a class 3 weeks ago and created our own bonsais. My mom just gave me hers and both of ours are very dry ans brittle. The branches break off at the slightest touch. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I know its not something I'm doing inpaticular since the 2 bonsai's were in 2 different atmospheres.
Help!! I don't know what to do!
Classes like this are often crash courses, not something good for the tree in question. Do they have you prepare the soil, pot, replant, wire, and prune all in one sitting? If so, there aren't a whole lot of tree species that will make it through this without losing some or most. My guess, though, is that they had you working with junipers or false cypress, or something of that nature. These should never be kept indoors as a matter of practice.
Yea in the class, we pruned the tree, wired it, shaped it, then pruned it some more. Once we found the "front" and had it in the shape we wanted, then we started repotting. The teacher had us remove most of the dirt away from the roots and put it in something that wasnt dirt (I don't remember exactly what they called it) but it looked like little rocks. We had actual bonsai pots that had the wire in the bottom to anchor down the tree. The teacher also had us soak the bonsai's in a sink of water for 5 minutes. He never really said how often to water them but ive been feeling the soil everyday and its always dry so I water it. Ive also been giving it fertilizer once a week like the directions say on the back of the bottle. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.
No I have them inside. The guy told us it would be ok inside but needed the cold weather in the winter so we needed to put it outside when it starts getting cold. I didnt fertilize until 2 weeks after I had it (once again what the teacher told us to do). But you recommend keeping it outside all the time? I would rather take your advice than the guy that taught the class. I did everything he told us to do and its not working haha!
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jawood143,
Junipers are a poor choice for indoor culture, one of the worst in fact. Your instructor did most things correctly. The little rocks, the wire , etc. But, as kdodds mentioned, this all might have been a little too fast. This is the nature of these types of classes and some of the trees will fail.
The good news is not that you have seen the process you can do it yourself. Look at nurseries for Junipers to work on, they don't cost much. And never bring them inside.
I know why retailers misinform customers about Junipers but I'm not sure what the instructor was thinking when he told you it was OK to keep a Juniper indoors. You have not mentioned where you are located. If the weather is still very cold there he might have thought it best to shelter it for a while.
Norm
Junipers are a poor choice for indoor culture, one of the worst in fact. Your instructor did most things correctly. The little rocks, the wire , etc. But, as kdodds mentioned, this all might have been a little too fast. This is the nature of these types of classes and some of the trees will fail.
The good news is not that you have seen the process you can do it yourself. Look at nurseries for Junipers to work on, they don't cost much. And never bring them inside.
I know why retailers misinform customers about Junipers but I'm not sure what the instructor was thinking when he told you it was OK to keep a Juniper indoors. You have not mentioned where you are located. If the weather is still very cold there he might have thought it best to shelter it for a while.
Norm
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jawood143,
Well I have no idea why he had you keep it inside except perhaps that is what some people want to hear.
At any rate, outside from now on. In the short term morning sun, afternoon shade until (if ) they recover. Misting it certainly would not hurt.
One more thing, often we see Junipers that are over-watered by well meaning enthusiasts. Usually this is the result of an overly water retentive medium. Your trees, since they are in a proper medium, will require more frequent watering.
Norm
Well I have no idea why he had you keep it inside except perhaps that is what some people want to hear.
At any rate, outside from now on. In the short term morning sun, afternoon shade until (if ) they recover. Misting it certainly would not hurt.One more thing, often we see Junipers that are over-watered by well meaning enthusiasts. Usually this is the result of an overly water retentive medium. Your trees, since they are in a proper medium, will require more frequent watering.
Norm
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jawood143,
Norm
Why transplant them again? The soil/medium you have described is appropriate and there is nothing to be gained by another re-potting so soon. Yes, it should be outside but there is no need to re-pot them again now.What do you think about me planting it in a cement planter and leaving it outside from now on?
You previously wrote:What kind of dirt would they need?
I previously wrote:The teacher had us remove most of the dirt away from the roots and put it in something that wasnt dirt (I don't remember exactly what they called it) but it looked like little rocks.
From your brief description, and without more information, I would say to leave it alone, Junipers like a gritty, free draining mix. We often see new owners with Juniper is heavy water retentive soils and wish that they were is a more open medium, you already have a better medium. Don't go mucking around with it unnecessarily.Your instructor did most things correctly. The little rocks, the wire , etc.
Norm
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IndorBonsai
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Here again I see a fresh nursery plant taken from a potting mix that was mostly peat moss and slapped into a mostly pumice soil. For a beginner this is not good and can cause the trees to die.
It is better to use a soil that has more moisture holding capability, but still drains water. A 60% pumice 40% organic mix will help train the roots on newly made nursery Bonsai.
You have to trim and train the roots just like you trim and train the branches and leaves of the tree. The roots seem to do better ( in my experience ) when you step them to a rocky bonsai soil gradually.
A beginner will have better luck with their newly made trees using a soil that has more organic material in it and watering when the soil begins to dry.
Sounds to me that the soil on these trees is always dry and not holding any moisture, trying to keep a soil mix that dosent hold any moisture, damp so the roots can grow can cause problems.
It is better to use a soil that has more moisture holding capability, but still drains water. A 60% pumice 40% organic mix will help train the roots on newly made nursery Bonsai.
You have to trim and train the roots just like you trim and train the branches and leaves of the tree. The roots seem to do better ( in my experience ) when you step them to a rocky bonsai soil gradually.
A beginner will have better luck with their newly made trees using a soil that has more organic material in it and watering when the soil begins to dry.
Sounds to me that the soil on these trees is always dry and not holding any moisture, trying to keep a soil mix that dosent hold any moisture, damp so the roots can grow can cause problems.
This is pretty much standard for indoor culture, but can spell disaster for some outdoor bonsai. Growing in 100% inorganic is possible, and done all of the time. In fact, for coniferous trees, it's a preferred mixture, with or without pine bark or other "mild" organic mixed in. That these trees were Juniperus, and kept indoors, there's really nothing more to look for here.IndorBonsai wrote:Here again I see a fresh nursery plant taken from a potting mix that was mostly peat moss and slapped into a mostly pumice soil. For a beginner this is not good and can cause the trees to die.
It is better to use a soil that has more moisture holding capability, but still drains water. A 60% pumice 40% organic mix will help train the roots on newly made nursery Bonsai.
You have to trim and train the roots just like you trim and train the branches and leaves of the tree. The roots seem to do better ( in my experience ) when you step them to a rocky bonsai soil gradually.
A beginner will have better luck with their newly made trees using a soil that has more organic material in it and watering when the soil begins to dry.
Sounds to me that the soil on these trees is always dry and not holding any moisture, trying to keep a soil mix that dosent hold any moisture, damp so the roots can grow can cause problems.