Fukien Tea Repotting

[souki96]

I just potted my Fukien Tea with a soil that I bought from the nursery where got my bonsai from also. The soil they suggested I use was basically pebbles and when I watered my Fukien after potting it, the water drained in a few seconds. I was wondering if anyone knew if this soil was the right kind and it it was okay that it was draining so fast. Thanks for any help you can provide.

[ynot]

I just potted my Fukien Tea with a soil that I bought from the nursery where got my bonsai from also. The soil they suggested I use was basically pebbles and when I watered my Fukien after potting it, the water drained in a few seconds. I was wondering if anyone knew if this soil was the right kind and it it was okay that it was draining so fast. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Souki96,
Welcome

That soil sounds great [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3423]Watch the video at the bottom of this post[/url]and[url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422]read this.[/url] Hopefully it will make you feel a bit better knowing you have a properly sized [wrt particle size] soil. .

Post pictures please and possibly a bit about the contents of the soil. .

EDIT: I should have mentioned [As gnome did] that I was THRILLED to read your soil description. Please do post pictures and let us know if there is any organic ingredient in it {IE: bark bits}.

ynot

[Gnome]

Souki,

I was pleasantly surprised when I read the description of your soil. All too often we are reading about heavy, dense soils and all the problems that come with them. Be aware that your watering pattern will likely change now that your tree is in such a free draining mix. Just out of curiosity, was there any bark or other organic component in this soil?

Norm

[souki96]

[img]https://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r167/souki96/DSCF0783.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r167/souki96/DSCF0784.jpg[/img]

I hope that worked. That's my tree in its new pot and soil. the soil is mostly made up of different colored pebbles and tiny pieces of wood. The tree is looking a little bare and sad right now(as you can probably see) but it has small buds and shoots all over it so I'm hoping it's getting ready for the springtime here. Thanks for the help and if you could offer any other advice, it'd be much appreciated

[ynot]

Souki,

Did you read the links I posted?

It looks primarily inorganic which will be fine provided you continue to check it daily for moisture content by digging a bit down into the soil [A knuckle or two deep to see if it feels moist, If so continue] This soil is going to dry far quicker that your previous soil. It's slightly too inorganic for Fukien most likely [by the looks of it] but this just means it is far more difficult to overwater .

When you repotted: Did you remove all of the old soil from the root ball using a skewer/chopstick and then use the same to work the new soil into the root system? This is an important question.

ynot

[souki96]

I did follow those links. The water in my pot drains at about the same, fast rate as the water in the video. I used a skewer to remove the old soil from the tree's roots(gently, of course), trimmed the smaller roots back, and made sure that the new soil got into the roots. Is this okay? Also, is there a way I can add organic material(wood etc...) to the mix to make it better for the Fukien? What do you think about adding moss to the top of the soil too? I know it's just for decoration but would it retain some water or just take it from the tree? I want to make sure my tree does well in its new pot and soil so thank you so much for all your help

[ynot]

I did follow those links. The water in my pot drains at about the same, fast rate as the water in the video. I used a skewer to remove the old soil from the tree's roots(gently, of course), and made sure that the new soil got into the roots. Is this okay?

I like all of this a lot

trimmed the smaller roots back,

This... Concerns me a bit.
A little- a lot- How much? are there many left?

Do you mean the white hairlike roots? These are the ones you want to keep.
They are the feeder roots that actually provide the tree with its uptake of water/nutrients/ and gas exchange. The big roots are just for storage/stability.

Also, is there a way I can add organic material(wood etc...) to the mix to make it better for the Fukien?

It's not easy while the tree is in the pot, Not impossible though..lol.
For the moment see how it goes as you can always attempt to amend the soil with some organics [Bark] later.
[Did the shop where you got your soil know the species you have?]
Just be sure to check your tree daily to see if it needs a drink [Check more often than once a day during the heat of summer.]

What do you think about adding moss to the top of the soil too? I know it's just for decoration but would it retain some water or just take it from the tree? I want to make sure my tree does well in its new pot and soil

The only benefit of moss is decorative & And that is subjective. [And often when I see it...I wonder what flaw of the tree is that moss hiding]. It would do your tree no good wrt moisture as moss is on top of the soil and the tree is in it.

thank you so much for all your help

Your welcome .

Keep us posted,

ynot

[souki96]

No, I didn't trim back the little white roots. They looked too important to trim. The ones I trimmed were ragged, dry ones that seemed dead to me. The nursery said it was a Fukien Tea if that's what you were asking. When I got home today, the tree was still doing the same as yesterday. I know sometimes it takes a while for results(good and bad) to be visible but at least it's not wilting or anything. It looks promising. And about the moss, I guess I won't add it to the tree. I'm going to give the tree a while to adjust before doing anything else major

[ynot]

No, I didn't trim back the little white roots. They looked too important to trim. The ones I trimmed were ragged, dry ones that seemed dead to me.

Pk, Good.

The nursery said it was a Fukien Tea if that's what you were asking.

Actually no it wasn't, What I meant was this:

Were the people at the shop [Where you purchased your soil.] aware of what species of tree you intended to use the soil with?
EDIT:...I guess I do not get an answer to this....

When I got home today, the tree was still doing the same as yesterday. I know sometimes it takes a while for results(good and bad) to be visible but at least it's not wilting or anything. It looks promising. And about the moss, I guess I won't add it to the tree. I'm going to give the tree a while to adjust before doing anything else major

It usually takes weeks [4 or 6 or 8] to notice differences [good and bad].

Keep us posted please

ynot