I have 2 umbrella Bonsai's that I bought from the plant department at my local supermarket. They seemed to be doing fine for a while. Recently all of the leaves started to fall off one of them and after they all died the branches started to shrivel. I wasn't sure if it was from over watering or too much water so I let it dry for a while. There was a layer of glued rocks on the top which I removed so the roots could breath a little and underneath was just normal soil on both of them. I looked at the roots on the sick one and it looked fine to me so I went out and got some cactus soil mix which contained sand, moss and some other stuff and mixed it with wood chips to replant the bonsai in. I have them outside now since the weather is warmer but I still have a few questions.
I wanted to know if I should replant the other one too or should I leave it since its doing well?
Is there was any hope for the other tree since I had to cut it down to basically a stump since most of it was dying?
I'm not sure when I should prune it and how often.
Are the containers appropriate (they are ceramic containers)?
This is the sick one There is a picture of the soil its in and the container I have it in.
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/I'm_So_Blind/100_0225.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/I'm_So_Blind/100_0222.jpg[/img]
This is the healthy one. I put some of the new soil on top since some of the roots were exposed after I removed the layer of rocks.
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/I'm_So_Blind/100_0215.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/I'm_So_Blind/100_0216.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/I'm_So_Blind/100_0217.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/I'm_So_Blind/100_0223.jpg[/img]
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klr368,
Hello and welcome. You did the right thing in removing the glued on top-dressing. I think I would leave the healthy tree alone for now. Learn how to manage it for a while and after you are more comfortable with it you may decide to re-pot. The other one may recover, don't let it get too dry but other than that just let it be for a while.
Yes, you can prune these hard but again I would not rush into anything right now. After you are certain it is OK you could prune it to encourage branching.
The big issue with pots, regardless of material, is adequate drainage.
[url]https://bonsaihunk.8m.com/info/ScheffleraBonsai.html[/url]
Norm
Hello and welcome. You did the right thing in removing the glued on top-dressing. I think I would leave the healthy tree alone for now. Learn how to manage it for a while and after you are more comfortable with it you may decide to re-pot. The other one may recover, don't let it get too dry but other than that just let it be for a while.
Yes, you can prune these hard but again I would not rush into anything right now. After you are certain it is OK you could prune it to encourage branching.
The big issue with pots, regardless of material, is adequate drainage.
[url]https://bonsaihunk.8m.com/info/ScheffleraBonsai.html[/url]
Norm