Help Required: Light and Water

NYBonsai · Sun Jan 22, 2006 4:03 pm

Hello to all on listserv. I recently purchased a cascading juniper (~7 years old). Beautiful tree. Below are two important questions, the responses of which will start me on the right track (at least until I finish my Bonsai books).

1. Do Bonsai trees require direct sunlight, or direct light at all? I currently have my Bonsai close to the window, but it never receives direct sunlight. I wonder if it would be better to keep it where it would recieve direct flourecent light?

2. I have been soaking the pot in a bowl of water for 5 minutes every couple days. DOes the Bonsai require additional watering or another method?

Thank you in advance for any responses received. I look forward to a very fun and interesting hobbie.

Mike

Evol Baby · Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:48 am

Likewise, I've got a ligustrum sinese and I'm really worried I'm doing too much or too little. Can't find any data on the web.

opabinia51 · Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:43 pm

99.9999% of bonsai should be kept outside so that they can have optimal light and not to mention temperatures. Juniper (at least where I live) grown on mountains in area or disturbance and therefore pretty much get sunlight all day.

Yah, as said in the STICKY up top. Don't water your tree on a schedule. Water it when it needs to be watered. Use an organic fertilizer. By definition, organic fertilizers are slow release so, you can't really burn your tree.

Evol Baby · Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:12 pm

Well I found out my problem.

I live in Hollywood. 0% humidity. I can't leave the tree outside in the sunlight or it dries up like a prune. I was better off having it in my studio with light shining in from the window. I've had to water it much and soon as I did that and stopped putting it outside it bounced back and is ready to do handstands if it had hands.

I even put it in the bathroom when I was showering so it could get that sauna treatment and it perked right up!

Location!

opabinia51 · Tue Jan 24, 2006 12:45 pm

What is your climate like in winter? Is it always warm or do the temperatures dip below 60 F? Given that you have a Juniper, it will definately need a dormant period in the fall and winter. Otherwise, over time the tree will not be as healthy

The Helpful Gardener · Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:02 pm

Juniper could stay outside in sun (it'd need more watering, almost daily in addition to the soaking. Is this in a formal cascade pot? They are very deep and need less watering. The sun would kick a lot more growth, so more pinching, but pinching is a great way to spend time with your tree and very relaxing, and I think it's the best way to keep junipers...

That hedge (common name for Ligustrum) is best in partial shade and outside, but sounds like you've gotten the handle of that one. LOL about the shower; do that sometimes myself, especially in winter when trees can get dried out and stuffy

.

HG

Evol Baby · Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:59 pm

The Helpful Gardener wrote:
That hedge (common name for Ligustrum) is best in partial shade and outside, but sounds like you've gotten the handle of that one. LOL about the shower; do that sometimes myself, especially in winter when trees can get dried out and stuffy .

HG

LOL! Yes, the shower is it's favorite past time! It's just exploding with growth! New shoots are popping out like there's no tomorrow and the bark is rich and vibrant. I think I've found it's element.

This desert living is not a good idea for outdoor unless you have a sprinkler system that mists the plants now and then.

The Helpful Gardener · Thu Jan 26, 2006 8:18 pm

A friend who grows in Florida tells me the same thing; misters would be a great way to cool and hydrate trees. I also see this outdoor air-conditioning that is getting popular; really just the same thing but for people too. Bet that'd be great...

Scott