I bought Ficus bonsai 6-7 years old yesterday. I was told to repot the plant . But I notice that the soil is very moist . Should I repot instantly or wait that the soil dries up?
However I notice that roots are coming out from below through the drainage holes of the pot?
thanks in advance
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Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5122
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
Ashtak,
Welcome to bonsai.
Please take some time and do some reading about soils and re-potting [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422&sid=4456e5bbd1f4bf5a08130abe8090c5cc]here.[/url] Follow the links on that page and take your time there is a lot there.
In the meantime you need to watch your watering carefully. I don't know if you have any experience with other potted plants but over watering is the cause of many dead plants. Allow the soil to dry somewhat before you water again. Ficus don't like wet feet but neither should they be allowed to completely dry out, it is a balancing act but it is important. Learn more about watering [url=https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Watering.html]here.[/url]
Some basic information about Ficus [url=https://bonsaihunk.8m.com/Figsindoors.html]here.[/url]
Please post some pictures if you are able. Look [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]here[/url] for information about taking and posting pictures. Good luck with your tree.
Norm
Welcome to bonsai.
Your tree will be fine for now please don't rush into anything. A re-pot may be in order but until you have some background about bonsai soils any talk of re-potting is premature.However I notice that roots are coming out from below through the drainage holes of the pot? I was told to repot the plant. Should I repot instantly
Please take some time and do some reading about soils and re-potting [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422&sid=4456e5bbd1f4bf5a08130abe8090c5cc]here.[/url] Follow the links on that page and take your time there is a lot there.
In the meantime you need to watch your watering carefully. I don't know if you have any experience with other potted plants but over watering is the cause of many dead plants. Allow the soil to dry somewhat before you water again. Ficus don't like wet feet but neither should they be allowed to completely dry out, it is a balancing act but it is important. Learn more about watering [url=https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Watering.html]here.[/url]
Some basic information about Ficus [url=https://bonsaihunk.8m.com/Figsindoors.html]here.[/url]
Please post some pictures if you are able. Look [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]here[/url] for information about taking and posting pictures. Good luck with your tree.
Norm
thank you Gnome for the instant reply and warm welcome.
I did go through the reading material before posting my qns.. I was lost in the technical "jargon" ... I will give it another go nevertheless.
Just a basic qns: can repotting be done with moist soil? or its easy when its rather dry? They said repoting in spring.. so I should leave my plant peaceful till spring then? being in small pot won't hamper its growth?
thanks
p.s I will post pics of my plant ASAP.
I did go through the reading material before posting my qns.. I was lost in the technical "jargon" ... I will give it another go nevertheless.
Just a basic qns: can repotting be done with moist soil? or its easy when its rather dry? They said repoting in spring.. so I should leave my plant peaceful till spring then? being in small pot won't hamper its growth?
thanks
p.s I will post pics of my plant ASAP.
[url=https://img228.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imgp1198np0.jpg][img]https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3973/imgp1198np0.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img85.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imgp1197mt8.jpg][img]https://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2079/imgp1197mt8.th.jpg[/img][/url]
this is the ficus plant I bought... I love it a lot. I also purchased bonsai prepared soil . I read though one should create his/ her own soil , but I want to take small steps and take complication one at a time.
Specifications:
I kept it indoors
Not under direct sunlight but it has a window in front .. with a semi transparent curtain..to avoid strong sunlight.
I have not watered it as the soil is very moist.
Any other tips (seeing the plant) .. would be very helpful
thanks
[url=https://img85.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imgp1197mt8.jpg][img]https://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2079/imgp1197mt8.th.jpg[/img][/url]
this is the ficus plant I bought... I love it a lot. I also purchased bonsai prepared soil . I read though one should create his/ her own soil , but I want to take small steps and take complication one at a time.
Specifications:
I kept it indoors
Not under direct sunlight but it has a window in front .. with a semi transparent curtain..to avoid strong sunlight.
I have not watered it as the soil is very moist.
Any other tips (seeing the plant) .. would be very helpful
thanks
Hi Ashtak
Your plant will need more light. There is no such thing as strong sunlight indoors.
Ficus in habitat is an upper canopy tree which means it gets no protection from the tropical sun.
I would not have the curtain between the plant and the window.
One of the reasons it's not drying out because you are not giving it any sun. Any growth will be leggy and unwanted. leaves will be much further apart and much bigger than they should be.
randy
Your plant will need more light. There is no such thing as strong sunlight indoors.
Ficus in habitat is an upper canopy tree which means it gets no protection from the tropical sun.I would not have the curtain between the plant and the window.
One of the reasons it's not drying out because you are not giving it any sun. Any growth will be leggy and unwanted. leaves will be much further apart and much bigger than they should be.
randy
randy is right, give that tree as much light as you can. my own ficus picked up in growth rate once I moved it to full sun and in an area that was exposed to full sun for a longer part of the day. you will need to read that link that gnome posted about repotting and soil. that should be your first priority for your ficus.
I suggest using a toothpick to test the moisture in the soil. if you stick it into the soil and it comes up moist and soil sticking to it, don't water. if it is dry, water away.
a brief summary of repotting w/o the "jargon" would basically be, get some soil that is coarse and not fine. fine peat (typical brown soil you see in gardening store) when watered several times will become compact. making it mucher harder for the roots to grow. in addition, the soil will remain wet and this is bad for the roots b/c it will cause the root to start to rot. a coarse mix of soil is basically larger particles of soil. usually shifting out the smaller particles w/ a window screen is effective. this will allow for good drainage so the roots do not have wet feet and rot. plus, it will help smaller roots to grow. the small finer roots are actually what takes in the water and minerals in the soil. the big fatty roots store food inside the plant.
a simple way to explain organic/inorganic is that organic is something that was living. I.e. bark, peat, your basic dirt/soil composed of dead organisms. inorganic is like rocks and clay. get about 50/50 percent of each for ficus. also, basic idea of organic is that it allows it to store more water and minerals. so, higher percent of organic vs inorganic = stores more water and for longer. more inorganic = stores less water and minerals thus need to water and fertilize more often but prevent wet feet and rotting.
pfew, I think I have typed too much and bored you with my ramblings. in short...
50/50 ratio of organic/inorganic
coarse dirt
then repot!
oh! don't forget to take pictures of the root system and of your tree after repot and post them here
I suggest using a toothpick to test the moisture in the soil. if you stick it into the soil and it comes up moist and soil sticking to it, don't water. if it is dry, water away.
a brief summary of repotting w/o the "jargon" would basically be, get some soil that is coarse and not fine. fine peat (typical brown soil you see in gardening store) when watered several times will become compact. making it mucher harder for the roots to grow. in addition, the soil will remain wet and this is bad for the roots b/c it will cause the root to start to rot. a coarse mix of soil is basically larger particles of soil. usually shifting out the smaller particles w/ a window screen is effective. this will allow for good drainage so the roots do not have wet feet and rot. plus, it will help smaller roots to grow. the small finer roots are actually what takes in the water and minerals in the soil. the big fatty roots store food inside the plant.
a simple way to explain organic/inorganic is that organic is something that was living. I.e. bark, peat, your basic dirt/soil composed of dead organisms. inorganic is like rocks and clay. get about 50/50 percent of each for ficus. also, basic idea of organic is that it allows it to store more water and minerals. so, higher percent of organic vs inorganic = stores more water and for longer. more inorganic = stores less water and minerals thus need to water and fertilize more often but prevent wet feet and rotting.
pfew, I think I have typed too much and bored you with my ramblings. in short...
50/50 ratio of organic/inorganic
coarse dirt
then repot!
oh! don't forget to take pictures of the root system and of your tree after repot and post them here
-
Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5122
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
Ashtak,
Sieves can be purchased as a set in various sizes or home-made without too much difficulty. The next time you are at your local hardware/home center inquire about "hardware cloth"
Norm
You're welcome and I hope you find the site useful.thank you Gnome for the instant reply and warm welcome.
Randy is correct, while Ficus will tolerate low light conditions, making it a good houseplant, it will thrive in bright light.Your plant will need more light. There is no such thing as strong sunlight indoors. Ficus in habitat is an upper canopy tree which means it gets no protection from the tropical sun.
Another excellent point and in my opinion one of the "secrets to pot culture" Two points though, I would have worded this more strongly, I consider sifting mandatory. I use a screen with openings about 3/32 (or 2.5MM) anything that passes through is too small for most uses. Petra this is rather coarse for window screen but even using a window screen is better than using it straight out of the bag. And yes Ashtak, even your prepared bonsai soil should be sieved to remove the smaller particles that may have settled out during shipping and handling of the package.usually shifting out the smaller particles w/ a window screen is effective. this will allow for good drainage so the roots do not have wet feet and rot.
Sieves can be purchased as a set in various sizes or home-made without too much difficulty. The next time you are at your local hardware/home center inquire about "hardware cloth"
This advice is usually given for temperate trees that have a dormancy period, this really does not apply to Ficus but many growers prefer to re-pot them during warm weather, feeling that they recover faster.They said repoting in spring.. so I should leave my plant peaceful till spring then?
If you wait until the plant is to the point that you would water and re-pot instead the old soil will be easier to remove. And you should remove it all. If you don't and you leave a zone of that finer potting soil among the roots your tree will have two different zones that behave differently. One area of the soil will always either be too wet or too dry.can repotting be done with moist soil? or its easy when its rather dry?
Yes it will but that is one aspect of bonsai culture. Actually it would be more accurate to say that periodic root pruning allows the tree to remain in the same pot for years. If you don't like the pot or feel that a slightly larger one is appropriate then begin to look for one so you will have it on hand when you decide to re-pot.being in small pot won't hamper its growth?
Norm
Welcome ashtak,
Gnome has posted some excellent resources for you to absorb over time.
Do take the lighting advice to heart please.
WRT the 'Jargon', In any new venture there is going to be some terminology that you are unfamiliar with. It comes with the territory and is phrased that way for clarity. I [IE] don't use words like 'dirt' because I don't have any 'dirt' in my bonsai pots whatsoever.
I really do not like to use the term 'soil' actually because it is familiar to people and the picture they get of what I mean is entirely inaccurate.
[Even though I do use the term] Again, New terminology.
Petra gave a good synopsis of the roles of inorganics and organics and how they affect water retention in the soil. Personally 50/50 is far more organic than I prefer {I use about 20 to 25% organic) but it is a starting point.
[url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3530&highlight=soil]Here[/url] is a thread that discusses this and shows the benefits of the potting medium I am describing, As well as the actual 'soil'. You will see that it is very unlike what most would describe as 'soil'.
As Petra noted, Pictures please [Before and if possible during the repot alos
- Yes, I ask a lot! 
]
Good luck
ynot
Repotting will involve rinsing the root system under some running water to get rid of [hopefully all of] the previous soil so this is not really an issue.ashtak wrote: Just a basic qns: can repotting be done with moist soil? or its easy when its rather dry?
Just cut them off if they bother you, As has been pointed out to you a repot is needed. They are simply roots looking for room to grow, They are of no consequence.ashtak wrote:However I notice that roots are coming out from below through the drainage holes of the pot?
Gnome has posted some excellent resources for you to absorb over time.
Do take the lighting advice to heart please.
WRT the 'Jargon', In any new venture there is going to be some terminology that you are unfamiliar with. It comes with the territory and is phrased that way for clarity. I [IE] don't use words like 'dirt' because I don't have any 'dirt' in my bonsai pots whatsoever.
I really do not like to use the term 'soil' actually because it is familiar to people and the picture they get of what I mean is entirely inaccurate.
[Even though I do use the term] Again, New terminology.
When you change to a course well draining mix this will not be very effective as the chunky soils will not usually stick [See the thread below]. You can leave the toothpick [or chopstick, Which will reach the bottom of the pot. Any wooden skewer will do] in the pot at all times [located about halfway between the tree and the pot wall] and pull it out daily to check the moisture. There will be a significant color change in the chopstick between where it is moist and dry. This will tell you the level of moisture in the pot.petra wrote: I suggest using a toothpick to test the moisture in the soil. if you stick it into the soil and it comes up moist and soil sticking to it, don't water. if it is dry, water away.
Petra gave a good synopsis of the roles of inorganics and organics and how they affect water retention in the soil. Personally 50/50 is far more organic than I prefer {I use about 20 to 25% organic) but it is a starting point.
[url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3530&highlight=soil]Here[/url] is a thread that discusses this and shows the benefits of the potting medium I am describing, As well as the actual 'soil'. You will see that it is very unlike what most would describe as 'soil'.
As Petra noted, Pictures please [Before and if possible during the repot alos
- Yes, I ask a lot! ]Good luck
ynot
I am posting new pics of my plant
[url=https://img296.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gimg02pc9.jpg][img]https://img296.imageshack.us/img296/3415/gimg02pc9.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img296.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gimg03jy0.jpg][img]https://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1369/gimg03jy0.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img85.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gimg04dg7.jpg][img]https://img85.imageshack.us/img85/481/gimg04dg7.th.jpg[/img][/url]
If you have any suggestions.. please don't hesitate.I am all for learning and improving.
[url=https://img296.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gimg02pc9.jpg][img]https://img296.imageshack.us/img296/3415/gimg02pc9.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img296.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gimg03jy0.jpg][img]https://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1369/gimg03jy0.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img85.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gimg04dg7.jpg][img]https://img85.imageshack.us/img85/481/gimg04dg7.th.jpg[/img][/url]
If you have any suggestions.. please don't hesitate.I am all for learning and improving.