Leaving Bonsai on their own for Christmas

[seanabc]

I'll be leaving my two trees, Ficus Retusa and Serissa Foetida, on their own for seven days over Christmas while I go home.

I've set up a humidity tray and will have heating and lighting working on timers. I'll be giving them a watering just before I go and have got some miracle grow water retaining crystals, which apparently retain water and release it gradually, and added them to the soil.

I only have the trees a few months and this is the longest I've left them on their own. Just wondering if this should be enough or if there's anything else I can do?

[Gnome]

Sean,

My Ficus don't seem to mind going a little dry during their winter rest period/ I keep them in a relatively cool basement though. If you water it well before you leave I think it should be OK.

The Serissa is another story. I don't grow them but I know about their finicky reputation. How long are you currently waiting between waterings? This should give you an idea of what is going to happen in your absence. Would it be possible to have someone else check in on them while you are away? Even one watering halfway through your absence might make all the difference. A clear plastic bag could serve as a sort of makeshift greenhouse for the Serissa. Also consider reducing the temperature a little while you are gone that should help too.

As far as the water retaining crystals go I never use them. I would rather water as necessary and allow my plants to dry naturally in between waterings. I take it that you only have them on the surface or just beneath. If so I would seriously consider removing them after your return. They might have a place as a temporary top-dressing in this sort of situation though.

Let us know how it goes.

Norm

[seanabc]

Norm,
I reckon the ficus will be ok too. The serissa is going through a bad time anyway. When I bought it the guy in the shop told me it was as easy to look after as a ficus which turns out not to be true at all. I got the humidity tray for it in the hope that it would help.

I'm only planning to use the water retaining crystals for the while I'm away for Christmas. I've just watered them today and the crystals really do retain a lot of water. I'd say it should be plenty to keep the trees going while I'm away.

On the plus side as well the crystals look very festive-like, giving the appearance of snow at the base of my bonsai!

[Gnome]

seanabc,

Make sure to let us know how your trees fare while you are gone. I'm particularly interested in knowing how the crystals perform as a temporary top-dressing.

Norm

[yakuzumo]

yes, please do. It sounds like an intresting experiment.

[constantstaticx3]

Hey guys its been awhile. I didn't want to start a new thread here so I figured I'd add on to this one. I have my first ficus retusa over wintering in my house and its doing ok but thats it. It has lost a lot of leaves except those at the top of the branches. I have a grow light with some sort of growing bulb, I cant remember exactly what it's called, over it, and a humidity tray. It continues to sprout new growth at the top but very slowly and it just looks lethargic. I know the heat from my house has to be the culprit but I cant figure out anyway to better the situation other than moving it to another room which is not an option. Any ideas?

Tom

[Gnome]

Tom,

I have a grow light with some sort of growing bulb, I cant remember exactly what it's called

Can you describe the light in more detail, specifically is it an incandescent or fluorescent? If it is the former it is not appropriate in my opinion. If the latter it must be fairly close to be effective. It sounds like it might be a problem with inadequate lighting

I have my Ficus under 4 ft. fluorescent tubes and they do pretty well. I have never experienced the wholesale leaf-drop that others describe but I only have experience with one variety, F. benjamina (Mini Lucie). Growth does slow while they are inside but I always have some fresh growth. Also I'm not too quick to water them during the winter, they don't seem to mind it a little on the dry side.

Don't be a stranger.

Norm

[constantstaticx3]

Don't be a stranger. Wink

I know. I haven't really been around for a while. Every year near the end of fall and winter I usually "take a break" from everything bonsai and come around again near spring time. My interest has returned a little earlier this year.

As for the light, I would describe it as a normal light bulb that has a flattened tip and a blue coating on the inside, I believe its there to filter the light or something. It is housed in one of those aluminum clamp on shop light shades and is inches away from the tree. I know its not ideal but I don't have the time, money or space to do much else.

As for watering, I remembered you saying that you let your ficuses go dry between waterings so I have done the same. I water maybe once a week if that.

Thanks for the quick reply. I should be lurking around a little more often now.

Tom

[Gnome]

Tom,

I know its not ideal but I don't have the time, money or space to do much else.

The setup I have is not expensive, you can get a cheap shop-light for <$20.00. It is rather bulky and not very attractive though. Conventional incandescents (glowing filament) produce low levels of light for the amount of heat they produce. I wonder if keeping your plant that close to a hot bulb might be contributing to your problem.

Fluorescents run much cooler and produce better output of a more appropriate wavelength. The newer Compact Fluorescents that screw into a conventional fixture that would be a simple retrofit for the fixture you already have.

Norm

[constantstaticx3]

Gnome, you are right about the heat it produces and I'm sure thats contributing to the problem. I'll try and check out some fluorescent bulbs this weekend. Although I would like to have a big light setup to fit a lot of trees under, I really only need it for one tree and I just don't have the space. I'd really like to build a greenhouse to put my tropicals in because our house has a horrible atmosphere for them. Me and my mom have lost so many plants in this house in the winter I cant even count. But again space is very minimal and my just would not allow it, o well .

Tom

[arboricola]

constan;

Here's an option that I find works well. Just takes up a little wall space.

[img]https://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e188/coloradus/Lightsetup.jpg[/img]


Ohil...

[constantstaticx3]

aboricola, thats a nice set up. I have that shelving system above my computer. I would love to do that but I don't even have space for that. This is why I only have a small shop light set up. Plus I'm 17 and live in my parents house of course so they don't always agree with what I want to do. I have to keep some of my trees in a box in the garage up on a slanted shelf so they are out of the way. I don't like it but I have no choice.

Someday I'll have my own place where I can do what I want.

Tom

P.S. call me Tom I really don't like my user name.

[arboricola]

No problem, Tom. I understand your situation.

Phil...

[seanabc]

seanabc,

Make sure to let us know how your trees fare while you are gone. I'm particularly interested in knowing how the crystals perform as a temporary top-dressing.

Norm

I'm not meaning to interrupt the flow of the thread but just to update on the crystals they seem to have been a help. I ended up staying at home for nearly two weeks over Christmas and when I came back the soil was still nicely moist. I've removed them by now but I think as a last resort they're worth a shot.

[Gnome]

seanabc,

I'm not meaning to interrupt the flow of the thread

No need for concern, in fact it is we who got things off track. Thanks for the update. I would never use these in a soil mix but in this situation they seem to have been just what you needed.

Norm