So, back in January, I got a bonsai tree from Walmart as a birthday present to myself and to add a bit of green to the apartment. It's still doing well - it's putting out new growth - but now I need to figure out what the heck I have so that I can prune it and work on keeping it alive and happy.
The label-stick that it came with lists it only as an "indoor bonsai". The care instructions are to give it "just enough natural light to read by, water once a week, feed once a year", claim that no pruning is required. The label alleges that it's hardy to 10-26 C (50-80 F) and that it should get 8-20 inches tall and 8-10 inches wide.
It's got gray bark and dark green, oval leaves; they're clearly deciduous - it's not any of the conifers, I'm sure of that much. It also doesn't especially look like what I'd consider to be a tropical tree - this is something I wouldn't be surprised to see in Southern Canada. The largest of the leaves are serrated in a manner that reminds me of oak leaves; the smaller ones are smoothly oval. Pictures I've seen of Fukiens look sort of like mine? But I'm not quite sure, and the care instructions I've seen for Fukiens don't match what's on the label for my little anon bonsai.
I fed it once, once I got it home, since I figured it needed something to help it work through the shock of the cold, and I haven't intentionally fed it since. It may be getting some trace amounts of feed since I also have a phal orchid and I've fed that a few times and used the same watering pot for both plants. But I've tried to be careful to avoid the risk of that - I only water the bonsai with water that hasn't had feed added to it, and I rinse the pot out as thoroughly as I can after it's had orchid food put in.
The tree does have some gritty white stuff on some of the leaves - but it looks pretty healthy, as far as I can tell. I haven't repotted it yet, and I'm planning on getting it a pot with better drainage once I do - the current one might be good enough, but I'm not confident...and I'd rather have something prettier anyways.
(Also: are imgur links acceptable here? If not, I'll get a Photobucket account and use that to share a couple pics of the tree to help with identification.)
Edited to add info I missed initially:
I'm in Fredericton, New Brunswick. I've had my bonsai since early January. I've been watering it once a week, giving it enough that there's usually a little bit dribbling out of the corner of the pot by the time I'm done. The original pot and soil are still with the tree; I don't know what kind it is, but it does have a layer of pebbles on top, with a rock and some moss; the soil seems to drain pretty quickly when I water it.
The bonsai's in a southern-facing window, on a bookshelf that's a couple inches below sill height. Right now, it's getting light from around 8 AM to roughly around 6 PM at least. It's not strong, direct sunlight, but it is constant throughout the day (allowing for weather). While I'd love to grow outdoors, it's not an option: even if the weather were warm enough right now (and it's not - we've still got snow!), my apartment doesn't have a balcony, or even the option to create a window garden. We have crank windows, covered with screens.
I don't have a humidity tray right now and am not completely sure if I need one, since the tree seems to have been doing well enough so far.
I tried to upload some photos, but all of them were too big to be uploaded.
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turtledove
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Turtle, welcome!
First things first the usual way to water is NOT to schedule, Rather use a chop stick. insert it into soil once a day. If it comes out damp, with hold watering. if it comes out dry liberally top water it and let it drain in the kitchen sink.
OK based solely on your subject like as a determiner of what kind of tree you have, "Fukien" is where the rubber likely hits the road
Fukien tea In latinæ; Carmona retusa.
Your easy easy care directions could make its replacement easy indeed.
I want you to pick and examine you tree closely, daily. Pick it up feel its weight, look for bugs and weeds to manage. Talk to the darned tree even. Untill your sure you know everything a carmona needs (or will ever need) you will need to be pro-active instead of reactive.
The cost of learning how to care for trees in pots is dead trees. The sooner you jump out in front of this the better the outcome can be.
Go git'em.
First things first the usual way to water is NOT to schedule, Rather use a chop stick. insert it into soil once a day. If it comes out damp, with hold watering. if it comes out dry liberally top water it and let it drain in the kitchen sink.
OK based solely on your subject like as a determiner of what kind of tree you have, "Fukien" is where the rubber likely hits the road
Fukien tea In latinæ; Carmona retusa.
Your easy easy care directions could make its replacement easy indeed.
I want you to pick and examine you tree closely, daily. Pick it up feel its weight, look for bugs and weeds to manage. Talk to the darned tree even. Untill your sure you know everything a carmona needs (or will ever need) you will need to be pro-active instead of reactive.
The cost of learning how to care for trees in pots is dead trees. The sooner you jump out in front of this the better the outcome can be.
Go git'em.
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rainbowgardener
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I think we are going to need to see pix to ID your tree (unless someone that knows a LOT more than me comes by who can ID it by your description) and it is hard to say too much about care of your tree until you know what it is.
Imgur is just another photo hosting site? then its links should be fine. Photobucket works really well and easily for being able to embed your photos in your post.
But there's a couple things I can say to start with. Re: " it does have a layer of pebbles on top" if those are glued on, you need to remove them (not easy, you will have to kind of chisel them off). They are only there to keep the soil from falling out while the tree is being shipped. But they cut down on air circulation and make it harder to know when your tree needs watering.
Once the pebbles are gone, you want to water when the tree needs it, not on any schedule. You know when the tree needs it by pushing a wooden chopstick down in to the soil and leaving it for a few minutes. If the chopstick comes out dark and damp, don't water. Otherwise, water. When you water, always water thoroughly, until water is running out the bottom, not just dripping a little. Then let it drain, don't let it sit in water run off.
Show us some pictures and the bonsai guys around here will be able to help you more! Good luck!
PS ... sorry for some duplication, tom sneaked his post in while I was typing mine
Imgur is just another photo hosting site? then its links should be fine. Photobucket works really well and easily for being able to embed your photos in your post.
But there's a couple things I can say to start with. Re: " it does have a layer of pebbles on top" if those are glued on, you need to remove them (not easy, you will have to kind of chisel them off). They are only there to keep the soil from falling out while the tree is being shipped. But they cut down on air circulation and make it harder to know when your tree needs watering.
Once the pebbles are gone, you want to water when the tree needs it, not on any schedule. You know when the tree needs it by pushing a wooden chopstick down in to the soil and leaving it for a few minutes. If the chopstick comes out dark and damp, don't water. Otherwise, water. When you water, always water thoroughly, until water is running out the bottom, not just dripping a little. Then let it drain, don't let it sit in water run off.
Show us some pictures and the bonsai guys around here will be able to help you more! Good luck!
PS ... sorry for some duplication, tom sneaked his post in while I was typing mine
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turtledove
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I just checked to see if the pebbles are loose or not - I figured they probably would be, but apparently not. Although they seem to be more formed into sections and then stuck in there - the piece I poked was awfully wobbly.
Hopefully the pics I got, from both last night and a couple minutes ago, will help with figuring out what my tree is.
https://imgur.com/Y07AMSo - from last night; I was trying to get a close-up of one of the serrated leaves and got a decent shot of the potting medium in the process.
https://imgur.com/fvQbIAx - more leaves and bark! Again, from last night.
https://imgur.com/BDQHMzf - a good look at the potting medium and the current shape, from last night.
https://imgur.com/cdjgGO1 - five minutes ago or so, another good shot of the leaves & medium.
Hopefully the pics I got, from both last night and a couple minutes ago, will help with figuring out what my tree is.
https://imgur.com/Y07AMSo - from last night; I was trying to get a close-up of one of the serrated leaves and got a decent shot of the potting medium in the process.
https://imgur.com/fvQbIAx - more leaves and bark! Again, from last night.
https://imgur.com/BDQHMzf - a good look at the potting medium and the current shape, from last night.
https://imgur.com/cdjgGO1 - five minutes ago or so, another good shot of the leaves & medium.
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rainbowgardener
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Gnome
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turtledove,
I was able to see your images and Tom wins the brass ring, Fukien Tea. Not one I have ever tried but here is a care sheet. Make sure to keep us posted.
https://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/FukienTea.html
Norm
I was able to see your images and Tom wins the brass ring, Fukien Tea. Not one I have ever tried but here is a care sheet. Make sure to keep us posted.
https://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/FukienTea.html
Norm
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turtledove
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Well, I pulled out the glued pebbles - the moss came with it. Some of the pebbles came loose in the process. I did spot something small and white skittering in the dirt afterwards - about the size of a pin-head, maybe, and I didn't get a good look at it.
The dirt also looked dry, so I watered and will be checking regularly with chopsticks to see if it's dry enough to need more.
I'm guessing the 'white skittering thing' was probably some kind of insect, but it's the only one I've seen so far. What insecticides would you recommend as a preventative measure (if you'd recommend that preventatively at all)? One caveat: anything I use does need to be pet-safe - I have a cat and while she hasn't shown any real interest in the Fukien yet, I'd rather not take chances that could lead to her getting sick.
Also, when I repot, what would be a good size and how much drainage should I be looking for?
The dirt also looked dry, so I watered and will be checking regularly with chopsticks to see if it's dry enough to need more.
I'm guessing the 'white skittering thing' was probably some kind of insect, but it's the only one I've seen so far. What insecticides would you recommend as a preventative measure (if you'd recommend that preventatively at all)? One caveat: anything I use does need to be pet-safe - I have a cat and while she hasn't shown any real interest in the Fukien yet, I'd rather not take chances that could lead to her getting sick.
Also, when I repot, what would be a good size and how much drainage should I be looking for?
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rainbowgardener
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Things buggy can be caught with a pair of tweezers, or insecticidal soap* spray will dry out the legs. Their legs will fall off and buggy visitors will wane over time.
I might snip off the leggy branches. Taking them back to just a couple of leaves per branch.
"Potting soil" for your violets or tomato is built of mostly peat moss, coconut coir, or loess. All of these hold too much water for northern temperate tree growing. Some time this spring you are going to repot with soil specifically built to grow trees (or cactus) in, in pots.
You should make yourself a little prayer; "Just as good" equals, "Just as good, as dead".
My daughter described bonsai soil to her SO as: "looks like a bag of gravel with a little bark mulch drug through it". Her description is apt.
The space a little tree lives in, in nature has a humidity that people mildew at, with a breeze and fluctations in temperature that we find uncomfortable. Its too bright. Its better to grow four or five trees under lights and have them visit your desk in turn to keep you company and them comfortable.
*Insecticidal soap* You can buy this premixed, or build your own with 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap in 1 quart of water inna spray bottle. Please use soap and not detergent.
I might snip off the leggy branches. Taking them back to just a couple of leaves per branch.
"Potting soil" for your violets or tomato is built of mostly peat moss, coconut coir, or loess. All of these hold too much water for northern temperate tree growing. Some time this spring you are going to repot with soil specifically built to grow trees (or cactus) in, in pots.
You should make yourself a little prayer; "Just as good" equals, "Just as good, as dead".
My daughter described bonsai soil to her SO as: "looks like a bag of gravel with a little bark mulch drug through it". Her description is apt.
The space a little tree lives in, in nature has a humidity that people mildew at, with a breeze and fluctations in temperature that we find uncomfortable. Its too bright. Its better to grow four or five trees under lights and have them visit your desk in turn to keep you company and them comfortable.
*Insecticidal soap* You can buy this premixed, or build your own with 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap in 1 quart of water inna spray bottle. Please use soap and not detergent.
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turtledove
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Well, a few hours after the pebbles and moss were removed, a lot of leaves fell - but they were all brown and curled leaves, and she doesn't look any more bare than she did before this. I cleared them away and picked away the remaining pebbles while I was at it. It looks like some of the moss is still clinging to the trunk, though.
I've clipped a couple branches, and pinched back a few leaves that were in areas I didn't want - mostly around her trunk, where it starts curving. My concern is overstressing her from pruning and training - how aggressively should I prune, considering it is spring and she's in growth mode, and how many branches should I wire at one time? Should I leave the branches I plan to wire untrimmed, and should I pinch away any of the leaves from those branches?
I've clipped a couple branches, and pinched back a few leaves that were in areas I didn't want - mostly around her trunk, where it starts curving. My concern is overstressing her from pruning and training - how aggressively should I prune, considering it is spring and she's in growth mode, and how many branches should I wire at one time? Should I leave the branches I plan to wire untrimmed, and should I pinch away any of the leaves from those branches?
I'm a fan of growers touching their trees. So wiring is one way to that end. I do have a question for you. What do you intend to cause by wiring? And that is not to dissuade you from wiring, but to urge you also draw a little stick-tree with where you want to go.
Sitting at a bench with a peice a paper doodling what to do next, has to be at least as fun as a crossword puzzle.
What I don't know is how brittle carmona hardwood becomes. More than knocking off leaves, this is where foreknowledge helps. You may be only wiring softwood, find a safe branch to experiment on.
Sitting at a bench with a peice a paper doodling what to do next, has to be at least as fun as a crossword puzzle.
What I don't know is how brittle carmona hardwood becomes. More than knocking off leaves, this is where foreknowledge helps. You may be only wiring softwood, find a safe branch to experiment on.
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turtledove
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Checking online, indicates that Carmonas become very brittle and hard to shape with wiring once the bark has formed and recommends wiring only soft new growth. I haven't been able to find much else yet.
What I'd like is to spiral up a couple turns, until I've got the main branches opposite the bend in her trunk, and then lead the branches down over the bend, in order to provide some counterbalance there and get a nice Cascade style. Currently, there's two bends in her trunk: one shortly after she leaves the soil, which leaves her nearly perpendicular to the soil, and one about three inches from that first bend, which takes her at what looks like a 90 degree angle upwards and back in the direction of the first bend.
My only concern with Cascade style is that the cat might tug or nibble at the branches if they come into range, which is why I want to get as much height as possible before starting the downward curve.
I checked Walmart the other day for a new pot and for bonsai soil or cactus soil - no luck yet on either soil or a pot that I'd really be happy with and trust to drain sufficiently and be sure that I wasn't overpotting. Home Depot and Canadian Tire are next on my list of places to check. If I can't find it there, I'll check online; I'm not sure it'd be feasible to mix my own in my current location.
What I'd like is to spiral up a couple turns, until I've got the main branches opposite the bend in her trunk, and then lead the branches down over the bend, in order to provide some counterbalance there and get a nice Cascade style. Currently, there's two bends in her trunk: one shortly after she leaves the soil, which leaves her nearly perpendicular to the soil, and one about three inches from that first bend, which takes her at what looks like a 90 degree angle upwards and back in the direction of the first bend.
My only concern with Cascade style is that the cat might tug or nibble at the branches if they come into range, which is why I want to get as much height as possible before starting the downward curve.
I checked Walmart the other day for a new pot and for bonsai soil or cactus soil - no luck yet on either soil or a pot that I'd really be happy with and trust to drain sufficiently and be sure that I wasn't overpotting. Home Depot and Canadian Tire are next on my list of places to check. If I can't find it there, I'll check online; I'm not sure it'd be feasible to mix my own in my current location.
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turtledove
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I'll admit to occasionally being tempted, but it's not actually an option - she's my fiance's cat, for one! And I don't approve of animal cruelty, for another. The easier solution, all around, is just to get as much height as possible before starting anything that inclines downwards - and, of course, to make sure the tree is kept well away from where the cat prefers to roost. (Not much of a problem there.)
If I can't find any wire, I'm planning on just trimming back the leggy branches and continuing to prune to maintain the current shape until I can acquire some good copper or aluminum wire. (Aluminum for preference - I've read that it's supposed to be easier for beginners to work with, and since the Carmona isn't supposed to be wired for more than three months at a time, it seems like a better option.)
If I can't find any wire, I'm planning on just trimming back the leggy branches and continuing to prune to maintain the current shape until I can acquire some good copper or aluminum wire. (Aluminum for preference - I've read that it's supposed to be easier for beginners to work with, and since the Carmona isn't supposed to be wired for more than three months at a time, it seems like a better option.)