I've just bought a bonsai tree and have just been trying to find some care tips. Most sites say you should put the bonsai and pot in water when it's drying out and soak it that way. My bonsai is huge and heavy and I'm not sure if this is going to be possible - can someone have a look at my pic and give me a few tips as to what to do with it! I kow it's a ficus, but as to which variety I am not sure. Thanks.
https://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_photo.html?c_photo=1079181628&fit=1
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artemisrose
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Gnome
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Artemisrose,
Welcome to the forum. I am not able to view your photo, please make sure that everything is as it should be. If you want to try a different host [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724]look here.[/url]
I don't often water by the submersion method and in your case it sounds like that is not a good choice for more than one reason. You will have to water from above. You don't give us any indication as to your location but if your plant is, as I suspect, inside you will have another problem to overcome.
When you water your tree you should water from above until water flows freely from the drainage holes, wait 5-10 minutes and repeat. This ensures that the entire root-ball is thoroughly wetted. This of course will create problems for you with handling the excess water. A large tub or tray may be useful but the drain water will have to be disposed of.
Depending on the size of the tree vs pot and the type of soil it is in it may not need watering terribly frequently, probably less often than you imagine. [url=https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics.html]Here[/url] is a site that has a lot of good information for beginners, please read the article on watering first and the rest as you are able.
I look forward to seeing your pictures.
Norm
Welcome to the forum. I am not able to view your photo, please make sure that everything is as it should be. If you want to try a different host [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724]look here.[/url]
I don't often water by the submersion method and in your case it sounds like that is not a good choice for more than one reason. You will have to water from above. You don't give us any indication as to your location but if your plant is, as I suspect, inside you will have another problem to overcome.
When you water your tree you should water from above until water flows freely from the drainage holes, wait 5-10 minutes and repeat. This ensures that the entire root-ball is thoroughly wetted. This of course will create problems for you with handling the excess water. A large tub or tray may be useful but the drain water will have to be disposed of.
Depending on the size of the tree vs pot and the type of soil it is in it may not need watering terribly frequently, probably less often than you imagine. [url=https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics.html]Here[/url] is a site that has a lot of good information for beginners, please read the article on watering first and the rest as you are able.
I look forward to seeing your pictures.
Norm
Artemisrose,
I also cannot view your pictures, I get the same as Gnome. [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]Photo tips and how to post them.[/url]
If you need to submerge your soil on a regular basis to insure water thoroughly penetrates the soil, Then you need new soil.
If water cannot penetrate it, What chance does the root system have to grow in such a dense medium?
Please take note of what is said about it in the link Gnome provided, And the soil article also. That site is an excellent resource for all things bonsai.
Looking forward to the pictures,
ynot
I also cannot view your pictures, I get the same as Gnome. [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]Photo tips and how to post them.[/url]
I don't know where you read this [links please] but practically no one who has extensive Bonsai experience suggests watering by submersion on a regular basis.artemisrose wrote:I've just bought a bonsai tree and have just been trying to find some care tips. Most sites say you should put the bonsai and pot in water when it's drying out and soak it that way.
If you need to submerge your soil on a regular basis to insure water thoroughly penetrates the soil, Then you need new soil.
If water cannot penetrate it, What chance does the root system have to grow in such a dense medium?
Please take note of what is said about it in the link Gnome provided, And the soil article also. That site is an excellent resource for all things bonsai.
Yet another reason not to do it that way.My bonsai is huge and heavy and I'm not sure if this is going to be possible -
Looking forward to the pictures,
ynot
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artemisrose
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Gnome
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Artemisrose,
Yes, that is better. But the picture is so small that we can't make out any detail. Is that scale in the background in CM? If so that would make your tree over 3FT tall (I take it you are not located in the US).
The tree is obviously old and well cared for, which puts you that much ahead of the game as far as waiting while young material grows out. It also probably means that the soil is more appropriate than some other newly purchased trees.
It looks like it has been recently pruned so it's water uptake may be less than you imagine. Make sure you read the information about watering I linked to, that is probably the single most important thing for a new owner to get a handle on. Please post some larger pictures if you are able, including a closeup of the soil. Make sure you check out Ynot's link concerning taking better pictures. I look forward to seeing them.
Norm
Yes, that is better. But the picture is so small that we can't make out any detail. Is that scale in the background in CM? If so that would make your tree over 3FT tall (I take it you are not located in the US).
The tree is obviously old and well cared for, which puts you that much ahead of the game as far as waiting while young material grows out. It also probably means that the soil is more appropriate than some other newly purchased trees.
It looks like it has been recently pruned so it's water uptake may be less than you imagine. Make sure you read the information about watering I linked to, that is probably the single most important thing for a new owner to get a handle on. Please post some larger pictures if you are able, including a closeup of the soil. Make sure you check out Ynot's link concerning taking better pictures. I look forward to seeing them.
Norm
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artemisrose
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Just realised that isn't my bonsai, that's another one (which isn't mine).
Here's some photos:
[url=https://img128.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo0002su6.jpg][img]https://img128.imageshack.us/img128/6172/photo0002su6.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img80.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bonsai1fb5.jpg][img]https://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3487/bonsai1fb5.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img150.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bonsai2ia2.jpg][img]https://img150.imageshack.us/img150/1189/bonsai2ia2.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img80.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bonsai3mv3.jpg][img]https://img80.imageshack.us/img80/2109/bonsai3mv3.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Yes, the scale is in cm and it is about 1 metre tall.
I'm based in the UK.
Here's some photos:
[url=https://img128.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo0002su6.jpg][img]https://img128.imageshack.us/img128/6172/photo0002su6.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img80.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bonsai1fb5.jpg][img]https://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3487/bonsai1fb5.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img150.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bonsai2ia2.jpg][img]https://img150.imageshack.us/img150/1189/bonsai2ia2.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img80.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bonsai3mv3.jpg][img]https://img80.imageshack.us/img80/2109/bonsai3mv3.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Yes, the scale is in cm and it is about 1 metre tall.
I'm based in the UK.
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artemisrose
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Gnome
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Artemisrose,
I have been pondering your plant and I can't help but wonder about your identification. The first pic refuses to load right now but I think I remember it showing aerial roots, which seems correct. But the last picture showing the foliage seems a bit atypical of Ficus. Can you please take a close look at the arrangement of the leaves? Are they arranged in an opposite fashion with one leaf directly opposite another on the stem? Or are they arranged alternately, staggered from one another? A Ficus should have staggered leaves and secrete a milky sap if a leaf is removed.
Your soil seems rather compacted. Are you having difficulty getting water to penetrate the root-ball? Please read the sticky at the top of the page regarding bonsai soils, as a re-potting may be in order shortly.
Norm
I have been pondering your plant and I can't help but wonder about your identification. The first pic refuses to load right now but I think I remember it showing aerial roots, which seems correct. But the last picture showing the foliage seems a bit atypical of Ficus. Can you please take a close look at the arrangement of the leaves? Are they arranged in an opposite fashion with one leaf directly opposite another on the stem? Or are they arranged alternately, staggered from one another? A Ficus should have staggered leaves and secrete a milky sap if a leaf is removed.
Your soil seems rather compacted. Are you having difficulty getting water to penetrate the root-ball? Please read the sticky at the top of the page regarding bonsai soils, as a re-potting may be in order shortly.
Norm