New Bonsai Help

[JapanLover18]

My dad bought me a bonsai tree as a present but I don't know how to take care of it. Also I don't know if it's potted well because it's in a pot with soil and rocks glued on top of the soil. Can anyone help me?

[ynot]

My dad bought me a bonsai tree as a present but I don't know how to take care of it. Also I don't know if it's potted well because it's in a pot with soil and rocks glued on top of the soil. Can anyone help me?

Yes ,

Welcome to the forum.

Pictures are always helpful,[url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]Click here for tips.[/url]
Bonsai are like pets in the respect that you are responsible for providing all they need, This is also the reason they can be inappropriate as gifts [Good intentions aside ] unless one is prepared to take care of them.

Since that ship has already sailed you have some research ahead of you to determine what species you have and the steps to take to insure it has a long life with you. [Basic care]

Please do take the time to put your location in your profile as well as reading the stickys at the top of the forum.

The very first thing I suggest is removing [carefully] the glue on mess as it is not beneficial to your tree at all and it inhibits aeration of your soil as well as making it difficult to determine if the tree needs watering.

Usually the rocks are glue there prior to shipping to insure everything stays put. Trees that come this way are often [usually] potted in an entirely inappropriate potting medium and by that I mean that it contains peat and is usually of such a fine particle size that it retains far too much moisture which can lead to problems.
The sticky on bonsai soil delves deeper into this issue, Please do read it [And the links/pix within].

Along with the stickys mentioned above I would suggest that you go to: https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics.html and start soaking up the info presented there.

I would start with these:

Bonsai Introduction, First Aid, Starting out, Learning to Walk in Bonsai, Indoor Bonsai, Watering Bonsai, Bonsai Glossary, Feeding, Winter Care Positioning, Wiring, Repotting & Rootpruning, When to Repot Your Bonsai, Maintenance Pruning,Timing [The importance of timing in Bonsai], Styling The basic bonsai forms illustrated and explained.

Don't expect to understand everything overnight and do ask questions if you don't understand something .

Most of all...Be patient and get used to hearing that . Time is a big factor in bonsai.

[url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3343]Click here to see some inspiring bonsai .[/url]

Good luck and get back to us.

ynot