koolie
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Bonsai Newbie watering question

I recently purchased a bonsai from a local garden store. It has a decorative pot along with rocks and moss glued to the top. I read about immersing the plant in water to water it (although I didnt realize it meant over the top of the pot. My question is, with all these decorative items on the plant, is it safe to fully immerse it up to the trunk? Should I just soak it and let the water soak up through the bottom of the pot?
bonsai.jpg
Thanks!

koolie
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So I had it soak like this for about 2 hours. The soil feels spongy but not soaked, so I think this method worked. Any additional thoughts?

tomc
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Please remove any glued on rocks. They were only intended to keep soil in place during transport to its sales point.

Immersion is complete once all bubbles have escaped (a minute or two).

Also please check for watering needs by inserting a wooden chop-stick into soil. If the chop-stick comes out damp its not time to water yet.

Also please pick up and talk to your tree daily, its heft is a signal too of water or weeding needs. The change you don't notice will be the one that kills your tree baby.

koolie
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Thanks for the responce

So all the decorative stuff was just "fluff". I guess it makes sense, just kind of a bummer because it makes it look fun. Although it is a tiny tree, so what's not fun about that.

I know that each tree is different, but for a bonsai that is indoors in an office what kind of watering schedule can I expect? I don't need anything real specific, but is it 2-3 times a week / once a week / monthly... you get the idea.

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rainbowgardener
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Your bonsai is a juniper. It is a temperate forest tree and it will die indoors. It needs winter cold dormancy and it doesn't like the dry, warm air of indoors.

Offices aren't a good environment for bonsai trees (or for that matter, for plants in general). But if you want to try a bonsai for the office, think about some kind of tropical evergreen that is adapted to year around warm. Ficus is the classic example but there are others, including jade plant, baby jade, schefflera, tamerind.

You will still need to provide your tropical evergreen bonsai with a dedicated light source and daily misting, but at least it will have a chance of surviving.

P.S. I just noticed this is my 20,000th post!! I think that is a record. Thanks everyone for keeping this place lively and engaging all these years!

koolie
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Well now I am sad. So no way of it surviving indoors...I live in Wisconsin and am concerned that our winters will kill it. I do have ample light. I face the south and west side of the building and get plenty of light after 10am.

Also, I did remove all of the rocks and other stuff; however, there seemed to be a crystal-like residue on parts of the soil. I left it for now because it seemed as though roots were stuck to it.

Congrats on the 20k posts...I have 3 now.

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rainbowgardener
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Junipers grow natively clear up to the Arctic circle. They are EXTREMELY cold hardy. Your winters will not kill it. Keeping it indoors will kill it.

koolie
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Good to know. Now just have to find a place for it :)



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