I've always liked bonzai trees. I grew up in Charleston, SC, and there were always lots of stalls at The Market downtown selling them. While at Walmart a few days ago I did something I do way too much and something I never do-at the same time: I started on a rescue mission (I'm an old pro at animal rescue missions), but I know nothing about bonzai trees, and I almost never take in a critter without doing research on it first. All I knew about bonzais is that they are small and that they are really more like critters in their care than they are potted plants. This one is a ficus; I do have experience rescuing ficus trees about 5 feet tall from my mother (brown, brown thumb), but I didnt' even know you could grow a ficus bonzai stye. Since I got it from Walmart, the card it came with had vague info, and it is in bad shape, although it does have some signs of new growth. I have been doing research and I know that it likes humidity. I will be keeping it mostly indoors. I live in upstate South Carolina, just to give you that info for it's trips outside. It's in a plastic pot, but I bought a ceramic one to put it in that's just a little bit bigger. Question Time:
Will misting the leaves be enough to take care of the humidity problem inside, and if so, how often should I mist?
Should I wait for some recovery to repot? Like I said, I'm brand new at bonzai; it's just that I've managed to save several plants just by repotting them.
When I do repot, is my new pot that's just big enough to set the current pot in big enough?
What kind of soil should I use? I'm willing to get dirty and mix different things together.
Should I take the moss that's sitting on top of the soil off? It's about 2 1/2 inches thick?
Am I correct in gleaning from my research that I should wait for the soil to dry out again before I water it, and then water it by setting it in a tray of water for it to absorb it from the bottom? (the pot is 5 1/2 inches high and the tree is 9 inches from the top of the pot to the tip of the highest leaf.
What kind of light should it get? I've read so many different answers to this question.
How (and please be detailed-a picture would be great-I'm very visual) should I go about pruning the dead parts? Actually I guess I mean where should I clip?
Should I wait for some of the signs of new growth to actually grow out, let the plant stabilize before I prune even the dead parts?
There is one limb somewhat near the base that I would like to grow at just a slightly different angle so it isn't growing up into the upper branches. Should I wait until we've got more leaves up top before I try this big step? Also, can anyone recommend a good site, maybe one with a video about how to go about shaping this branch?
I read that if you cut the leaves in half with scissors, smaller leaves will grow back. Is that true? If it is true, is it stressful to the plant?
I would think I need to get the poor little guy healthy before I do any real pruning, but how will I know when I'm good to go?
I know this has been really long, so I want to thank anyone who offers help in advance. I just don't like to do things in halves. As Euphonia said, "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well." (If you know that reference, I'll be impressed!)
OK, I tried posting some pics, but I admit it-I have no clue how to do it. If someone can explain in English, I'll get some up.
Thanks!
-
BewilderedGreenyO.o
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 471
- Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:02 am
- Location: San Bernardino Mountains, California
Hi 
There are many different ways for you to get your photos on this forum... I'm not completely sure how much knowledge you already have of this but there are step by step instructions here [url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724[/url]
Hope this link helps you out a bit I know how daunting forums can be sometimes especially if you are new to them
I will allow some of the more experienced bonsai people answer your bonsai questions as I am still pretty new to all this myself. As a quick tip though.. be sure to research. Research your head off,. search keywords on google and on the forum search and if you still can't figure out what to do then be sure to ask here. Alot of the time you will find your answers in previous posts. I understand though that alot of situations are unique to the person experiencing them. I have read through all the recommended Bonsai forum posts that I can for the time being and have found some pretty valuable information but there always seems to be some question that I have that I need to ask in my own words in order for it to make sense to me. I love this website!! Its like a answer heaven for me lol. G'luck on your mission to save Bonsai!
There are many different ways for you to get your photos on this forum... I'm not completely sure how much knowledge you already have of this but there are step by step instructions here [url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724[/url]Hope this link helps you out a bit I know how daunting forums can be sometimes especially if you are new to them
I will allow some of the more experienced bonsai people answer your bonsai questions as I am still pretty new to all this myself. As a quick tip though.. be sure to research. Research your head off,. search keywords on google and on the forum search and if you still can't figure out what to do then be sure to ask here. Alot of the time you will find your answers in previous posts. I understand though that alot of situations are unique to the person experiencing them. I have read through all the recommended Bonsai forum posts that I can for the time being and have found some pretty valuable information but there always seems to be some question that I have that I need to ask in my own words in order for it to make sense to me. I love this website!! Its like a answer heaven for me lol. G'luck on your mission to save Bonsai!
Welcome to the forum. You will DEFINITELY be able to get better information and more comments if you post some pics, so go ahead and post some for us. but as far as the questions, let's see.
Leaf misting is a common way to increase humidity on the foliage, but I've found that keeping your pot on a tray of water, filled with rocks to raise the bottom of the pot off the water, works much better.
have you eased the plant and soil out of the pot? if not, do that, and check to see if the roots are overcrowded. if they are, slip pot ur ficus in the new pot. what I mean is, take the plant, soil, roots, everything, and place it in the new pot, and fill the spaces with more soil. (try not to disturb the roots in the process) if you want to repot more thoroughly, wait til early spring. THAT'S when you want to worry about soil components. for now, use something for cactus or citrus, they typically are better draining, and have more grit and coarse sand.
if you want to keep it a bonsai, yes, that size is fine, for now. but remember, a typical bonsai pot is no more than 3 inches deep. except for cascade pots and pots that are huge, such as more than a foot wide.
heres a link to an online dealer. [url]https://bonsaipots.com/[/url]
I only submerge my pots if the soil is higher than the lip of the pot (where overhead watering would wash away the top layer) typically I water my plants three times, altogether running close to 2 gallons through the soil. for a ficus, feel free to let it get very dry between waterings. they don't like waterlogged soil, and don't mind being dry(ish, not completely)
I can't answer the light question, as my ficus is outdoors year round. but I do keep it shaded during the summer.
in my experience, cutting below the leaf stalk helps create a bushier plant, not cutting through the leaf. cutting through the leaf has always resulted in dead leaves, for me at least.
here are my favorite sites for bonsai info.
[url]https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/index.htm[/url]
[url]https://www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html[/url]
Leaf misting is a common way to increase humidity on the foliage, but I've found that keeping your pot on a tray of water, filled with rocks to raise the bottom of the pot off the water, works much better.
have you eased the plant and soil out of the pot? if not, do that, and check to see if the roots are overcrowded. if they are, slip pot ur ficus in the new pot. what I mean is, take the plant, soil, roots, everything, and place it in the new pot, and fill the spaces with more soil. (try not to disturb the roots in the process) if you want to repot more thoroughly, wait til early spring. THAT'S when you want to worry about soil components. for now, use something for cactus or citrus, they typically are better draining, and have more grit and coarse sand.
if you want to keep it a bonsai, yes, that size is fine, for now. but remember, a typical bonsai pot is no more than 3 inches deep. except for cascade pots and pots that are huge, such as more than a foot wide.
heres a link to an online dealer. [url]https://bonsaipots.com/[/url]
I only submerge my pots if the soil is higher than the lip of the pot (where overhead watering would wash away the top layer) typically I water my plants three times, altogether running close to 2 gallons through the soil. for a ficus, feel free to let it get very dry between waterings. they don't like waterlogged soil, and don't mind being dry(ish, not completely)
I can't answer the light question, as my ficus is outdoors year round. but I do keep it shaded during the summer.
in my experience, cutting below the leaf stalk helps create a bushier plant, not cutting through the leaf. cutting through the leaf has always resulted in dead leaves, for me at least.
here are my favorite sites for bonsai info.
[url]https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/index.htm[/url]
[url]https://www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html[/url]
I think what you are talking about is defoliation, but you wouldn't want to do it to a stressed tree. Basically you cut the leaves at the stems, and then let them dry up and fall off. The tree will respond by putting out lots of new buds along the branch. The leaves are smaller because it has to divide its resources between more leaves, so each one is smaller, even though there are more leaves. I actually just did this to my ficus the other day.Laine wrote:Cutting the leaves as a way to train the tree to grow smaller leaves didn't make much sense to me either (although, technically, it would give you smaller leaves for a very brief time
As for the moss, I would get rid of it and see if there are any glued on rocks on top. A lot of times stores like walmart will have a layer of glued pebbles on top to keep it from spilling, and this needs to be removed.
If I were you, I would keep your tree outside for as long as possible. The light from the sun is much brighter than any you could give it indoors, and it's free. It will be much more humid outside as well. Just bring it inside in the fall or winter when nighttime temps drop below 45F or so.
Good luck, both trees and animals need saving.
-
josh1812@live.com
- Senior Member
- Posts: 144
- Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Florida
This is an advisor to all
Defoliation should be a step to refine the tree. Defoliating a tree in training can really slow down the trees progress after you get styling COMPLETELY FINISHED is when you can even ponder the idea.
Defoliation does not only make the first few leaves on a stem smaller but also builds up what is called ramification or twiggy growth on main branches which is a must in all bonsai.
Defoliation should be a step to refine the tree. Defoliating a tree in training can really slow down the trees progress after you get styling COMPLETELY FINISHED is when you can even ponder the idea.
Defoliation does not only make the first few leaves on a stem smaller but also builds up what is called ramification or twiggy growth on main branches which is a must in all bonsai.
I agree that it will slow down the overall growth of a tree, but depending on how you use it I believe it can actually be part of the styling process. If you use it to increase ramification and not just to get smaller leaves I see no reason not to use it before a tree is finished. As long as you have your main branches in place I see it as the next logical step.josh1812@live.com wrote:This is an advisor to all
Defoliation should be a step to refine the tree. Defoliating a tree in training can really slow down the trees progress after you get styling COMPLETELY FINISHED is when you can even ponder the idea.
Defoliation does not only make the first few leaves on a stem smaller but also builds up what is called ramification or twiggy growth on main branches which is a must in all bonsai.
It can also be a way to cause a tree to backbud that does not do it naturally.
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0755.jpg[/img]
Poor little guy. I took this July 16th-the day after I got him. I haven't even named him yet. (I name all of my plants. My tomato plants' names are Fred and Ginger. I almost lost Ginger. I still don't know why. Some major intensive care and a couple of weeks of removing any tomatoes as soon as they appeared, and she seems to be making a come back-knock on wood.) As long as she stays healthy, I'm good-maters are just a plus. They were rescues from Tractor Supply.
Also, as you can see, my guy did not come in the typical bonzai pot. I know this is looking down the road, but should I try to get him into one at some point, or is it just aesthetics? How would being in a pot like the one he’s in now affect him? For now I'm just going to follow the slip pot advice:
Would removing the two low branches (you can really only see one from this angle, but they're both about the same height) help him or is that just a matter of aesthetics?
Since taking this photp, I have taken off the moss; fortunately there were no rocks.
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0758.jpg[/img]
Where do I prune on the dead parts? Do I just do a little bit at a time until I get some life? Should I wait for his new growth to fill out to do this or should I do it now? This set of questions is really important to me.
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0757.jpg[/img] [img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0756.jpg[/img]
He does have some new growth!
You say to cut below the leaf stalk to get him bushier (after he's healthier, of course), but I must be thinking the leaf stalk is something other than what it really is because cutting below “myâ€
Poor little guy. I took this July 16th-the day after I got him. I haven't even named him yet. (I name all of my plants. My tomato plants' names are Fred and Ginger. I almost lost Ginger. I still don't know why. Some major intensive care and a couple of weeks of removing any tomatoes as soon as they appeared, and she seems to be making a come back-knock on wood.) As long as she stays healthy, I'm good-maters are just a plus. They were rescues from Tractor Supply.
Also, as you can see, my guy did not come in the typical bonzai pot. I know this is looking down the road, but should I try to get him into one at some point, or is it just aesthetics? How would being in a pot like the one he’s in now affect him? For now I'm just going to follow the slip pot advice:
If it looks like there's any chance I'll be able to get his roots into a bonzai pot, I'll start looking around for bonzai pots in my area, even though I doubt I'll find any, so I can repot him in the spring. Just so I know what I'll be up against, if his roots are too big for a bonzai pot, can I shape them the way you shape the tree, should a newbie just stay away from that, or is that not even possible?take the plant, soil, roots, everything, and place it in the new pot, and fill the spaces with more soil. (try not to disturb the roots in the process) if you want to repot more thoroughly, wait til early spring. THAT'S when you want to worry about soil components. for now, use something for cactus or citrus, they typically are better draining, and have more grit and coarse sand.
Would removing the two low branches (you can really only see one from this angle, but they're both about the same height) help him or is that just a matter of aesthetics?
Since taking this photp, I have taken off the moss; fortunately there were no rocks.
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0758.jpg[/img]
Where do I prune on the dead parts? Do I just do a little bit at a time until I get some life? Should I wait for his new growth to fill out to do this or should I do it now? This set of questions is really important to me.
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0757.jpg[/img] [img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0756.jpg[/img]
He does have some new growth!
You say to cut below the leaf stalk to get him bushier (after he's healthier, of course), but I must be thinking the leaf stalk is something other than what it really is because cutting below “myâ€
Last edited by Laine on Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:31 am, edited 2 times in total.
he's looking good yo. It's up to you what pot you wanted in. Shallow bonsai pots will tend to restrict/slow down growth rate. If you want more massive trunk, it's better to thicken it up in a bigger nursery pot or grow it in the ground where u are u have longer growing season than up north.
I can tell you my ficus retusa started just like yours and I've been growing them in different bonsai pots over the years and the trunk still fatten up quite nicely.
Just make sure to wait until the tree is totally healthy before repotting and root prunning considering you've defoliated it, should probably wait until next spring. Just cut the longer or dead roots off with some scissor shorter. Don't remove more than 1/3 of the root mass. Spread them out so it'll fit into the bonsai pot.
I can tell you my ficus retusa started just like yours and I've been growing them in different bonsai pots over the years and the trunk still fatten up quite nicely.
Just make sure to wait until the tree is totally healthy before repotting and root prunning considering you've defoliated it, should probably wait until next spring. Just cut the longer or dead roots off with some scissor shorter. Don't remove more than 1/3 of the root mass. Spread them out so it'll fit into the bonsai pot.
For now I would say survival is most important so I would leave them. That said I think in the long run they would not contribute to the overall look of the tree. Once the tree recovers you can either leave as sacrifice branches them to help the trunk grow faster or chop them off.Laine wrote: Would removing the two low branches (you can really only see one from this angle, but they're both about the same height) help him or is that just a matter of aesthetics?
Again, survival is key. Leave it all alone until you are sure the tree has recovered, then remove what is definitely dead. A lot of times you will know because it will be very brittle.Laine wrote: Where do I prune on the dead parts? Do I just do a little bit at a time until I get some life? Should I wait for his new growth to fill out to do this or should I do it now? This set of questions is really important to me
Laine wrote: You say to cut below the leaf stalk to get him bushier (after he's healthier, of course), but I must be thinking the leaf stalk is something other than what it really is because cutting below “myâ€
I've had Fitz for two weeks now. He lives in my bathroom window; it gets all of the good morning sun. I think I've only had to water once or twice the whole two weeks. I decided to wait to repot him until he had recovered a bit from being in the store, so he's still in the same pot and soil he came in. I spritz him once in the morning and once at night; plus he has the humidity from my showers, and he seems to be loving it! I have some before and after pictures, but really, they don't do him justice. Seeing the difference in person is just astonishing to me.
Before:
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0755.jpg[/img]
After (2 Weeks):
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0787.jpg[/img]
Close ups of his new leaves (he only has 4 original leaves left):
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0788.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0789.jpg[/img]
He's got more where those came from, too! He's still got lot's of buds. It takes him just 2 days to grow a whole new leaf from a green bud-and with no performance enhancing drugs! I'm sure this is run of the mill to you guys, but I'm new to this plant thing, and it's just amazing to me how quickly they grow! This may sound crazy, but I swear I actually watched a leaf bud open over a period of an hour! (There's not much you can do when you're stuck in a chair with your foot up.) When I can get back up on my feet again, I'll put him in his fancy new pot, but for now he’s doing great just the way he is!
Before:
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0755.jpg[/img]
After (2 Weeks):
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0787.jpg[/img]
Close ups of his new leaves (he only has 4 original leaves left):
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0788.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy280/lainewh/Plants/Fitz-Ficus%20Bonzai%20Tree/100_0789.jpg[/img]
He's got more where those came from, too! He's still got lot's of buds. It takes him just 2 days to grow a whole new leaf from a green bud-and with no performance enhancing drugs! I'm sure this is run of the mill to you guys, but I'm new to this plant thing, and it's just amazing to me how quickly they grow! This may sound crazy, but I swear I actually watched a leaf bud open over a period of an hour! (There's not much you can do when you're stuck in a chair with your foot up.) When I can get back up on my feet again, I'll put him in his fancy new pot, but for now he’s doing great just the way he is!
happy to see it's on its way to growing good. If you want faster growth, give it more light than just morning sun. I keep mine outdoors until night temperature falls below 50F. It gets full sun until 3pm. When summer 1st started I keep a strip of shade cloth over him so he doesn't get scotched in mid-day sun. It'll do fine indoors all year round too. It will benefit from a little fertilizer but since it's indoors and still recovering I would really dilute it before feeding him.