dorkwis
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Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 8:39 am

Please help my Bonsai gift

Hello all,
I received this tree as a gift. I'm trying to read up on care, but that seems to vary widely by tree type, and that information didn't come with the tree. The one piece of care advice which was passed to me was "keep the basin under the pot filled to the brim."

Since its arrival in my care, some of its leaves have dried and fallen off. I know trees are stressed when moved, and the few days between purchase and gifting to me it lived in a cabinet which I'm sure didn't help.

I can do my own research, but I can't for the life of me figure out what kind of tree this is. Please help.
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rainbowgardener
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Location: TN/GA 7b

It is a ficus.

DO NOT let the bottom of your pot sit in water. The tray under the pot is a humidity tray. It should have pebbles in it to keep the pot lifted up out of the water. The point of the tray, as its name suggests, is to provide a little extra humidity in the air around your tree. If the bottom of the pot sits in water, your tree will die of water-logging very quickly.

You have to remove all the rocks from the soil, including the big ornamental one and the small glued on ones. The glued on rocks are just to keep soil from falling out while the plant is being shipped. Even if you have to chisel them off, you have to get rid of them. They prevent air and water circulation and keep you from being able to tell when your tree needs water.

Ficus are sensitive to being moved and changes in light and readily drop leaves. The good news is that they readily grow them back when conditions are to their liking.

Here's some general bonsai information including how and when to water: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1479

The non-forum part of this site also has a lot of good bonsai information: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/bonsai/



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