I KEEP KILLING MY BONSAI AND I WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL

[BEEMERW]

WELL I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GROW OR AT LEAST BE SUCCESSFUL WITH BONSAI FOR YEARS...I LOVE THEM AND HAVE TRIED. I FOUND YOUR WEBSITE SO MAYBE YOU CAN HELP. THIS IS 3 PARTS... 1)MY JUNIPER, I WAS DOING PRETTY GOOD WITH IT. GOT IT FOR CHRISTMAS, WITH NO DIRECTIONS. MY HUBBY BOUGHT THIS FROM A STORE THAT SOLD ITEMS FOR DESKS. I DID NOT EVER KNOW THAT JUNIPERS WERE OUTSIDE TREES.

SO #1 ALWAYS INSIDE. I THINK I USED TO SUBMERSE WHEN I HAD A FLOWERING ONE, BUT WHEN WE MOVED WE DID NOT HAVE A BAY WINDOW ANYMORE AND IT GOT BUGS AND DIED. SO MY JUNIPER WAS FANTASTIC GROWING, BEAUTIFUL SHOOTS COMING OUT AND WE ARE IN NJ AND IT IS WINTER AND THE HOUSE IS AT 67 OR 68 DEGREES AND EVEN AT THE WINDOW I HAD IT AT WAS A LITTLE DRAFTY AND I DID NOT EVEN HAVE IT AT THE BAY WINDOW. BUT I PRUNED THE TOP AND BOOM. IT TURNED BROWN. SOME BRANCHES ARE BROWN, BUT SOME FALL OFF AND HURT. SOME ARE FLEXIBLE. SO NOW I HAVE IT IN THE BAY WINDOW. IT IS DEAD, OR CAN IT BE RESURRECTED?

#2- I JUST GOT A INDOOR GARDENIA JAPONICA RADICANS YESTERDAY. IT CAME IN A BOX, BUT IT WAS SEALED IN A BAG, SO WHEN I OPENED IT THERE WERE SOME DEEP YELLOW COLORED BIG LEAVES, LIGHT YELLOW SMALL LEAVES LOTS OF GREEN LEAVES AND SOME LIGHT GREEN LEAVES. MY SISTER GOT ME A HUMIDIFIER DISH AND SOME OF THE PEBBLES. THE PLANT WAS SHAKEN PARTIALLY OUT OF THE SOIL, SO I KNOW IT WAS IN SHOCK, SO I TALKED TO IT, PUT THE SOIL BETTER AROUNG IT AND THERE WERE HARDLY AND PEBBLES IN THE SOIL SO I ADDED PEBBLES IN THE SOLIL AND PUT IT ON THE HUMIDIFIER DISH I GUESS IT IS FEMALE BECAUSE IT'S CONTAINER IS A SCALLOPED DESIGNED BIG BOWL SHAPE WITH LOTS OF ROOM FOR HER. VERY FEMININE. I HAVE ALSO BONSAI PRO. SO I PUT ABOT A 1/2 A TSP, NOT EVEN IN SOME WATER IN A VERY STERILE JAR CAP AND WATERED THE PLANT TO GIVE SOME NOURISHMENT. THE SOIL WAS NOT DRY, I DID NOT WANT TO SOAK IT. THE DIRECTIONS SAID EVERY 3 DAYS TO WATER. SO IT IS ON THE LEDGE OF THE BAY WINDO FOR DIRECT SUNLIGHT. DO I TAKE OFF THE YELLOW, OR IS SHE IN SHOCK?

#3 I HAVE A MINIATURE MAPLE TREE COMING, FOUND A TREMENDOUS DEAL, I WILL SHARE WHEN I GET IT FOR 1ST TIME CUSTOMERS FOR THIS PARTICULAR GARDEN PLASCE. THEY ONLY HAVE A JUNIPER OR A MAPLE TO CHOOSE FROM FOR 29.99, BUT THEY GUARANTEE $25.00 OFF, SO SHIPPING IS 9.99. THEY JUST HAVE I GUESS 2 STATES THEY DO NOT SHIP TO. I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHICH. IT IS ONLY FOR IST TIME BUYERS TO TRY THEM I THINK IT RUNS UNTIL MAY. BUT I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MAPLES TOO. IT SHOULD COME ANY DAY. THAT COMES WITH A STARTER KIT, BUT SOMETIMES YOU GUYS MAY HAVE TRICKS THAT INSTRUCTIONS OR BOOKS MAY NOT HAVE. THANK YOU FOR ANY INFO YOU CAN GIVE. SO SORRY. I LOVE THIS ART, ALWAYS HAVE.

[horse&garden]

hi and welcome. I just started here too!

First: Read all of the stickies on the top of the forum. And visit www.bonsai4me.com Excellent source of info! (thanks to Gnome & aliosis for that info!)

You will be surprised as I was to find they really do belong outdoors. And the amazing variety of trees that can be used for bonsai.

(oh and just a side note, sometimes the whole post in ALL CAPS can be hard to read and on most boards and forums I've been on 'all caps' indicates yelling. )

[kdodds]

First, Congratulations on your (new) choice of hobby and welcome.

The trees you've chosen so far are not really conducive to indoor bonsai keeping. That's the bad news. The good news is that there are TONS of tropical trees to choose from, not like 10 or 20 years ago. I would suggest placing your current trees (owned or on order) as outdoor bonsai. If you'd like recommendations for indoor species, you might try Barbados Cherry, Ficus benjamina, Serissa foetida, Natal Plum, etc.

[mistygardener]

Hi, another newbie to the forum here. Another one I would add to the list is Jade. They make beautiful specimens for a bonsai. I will see if I can find the pics of mine and show them to you.
Good luck and Happy Gardening!

[Gnome]

BEEMERW,

I see you've received some good responses. Unfortunately once a Juniper gets like you describe it is almost certainly dead, they are one of the least likely indoor bonsai. Maples are not really appropriate either so yours should go outside as soon as weather permits. Start slowly so as not to shock it. A few hours a day in part sun will ease the transition. By all means post a picture when it arrives.

I don't grow Gardenia so I can't really help there. Paul Lesniewicz in his volume "Bonsai in Your Home" lists Gardenia jasminoides as an appropriate indoor species. Note that this is not the same species you listed but it may give you something to base some further research on.

Glad to have you aboard.

Norm

[kdodds]

Great book. I believe the species are considered synonyms. True, Gardenias can be kept indoors, but they do, like Pomegranate, Pistachio, and other subtropical bonsai, require a cold house in the winter, with temps from 50-60ºF for best results.

[BEEMERW]

Thank you for the input(I am used tocaps since my accident. Cuts down on so much thinking. I did not realize it looked like shouting.) weel I pulled off the dark yellow leaves. there were only 7 of them and they were tuerning brown. On wednesday when I got it, I had I nat looking bug when I set it up, none thursday, then 1 Friday, then I just watered this morning, added Bonsai Pro and moved it to a sunnier portion of that pictur window. It looks better without those 7 leaves. so I am looking into that book. How do I post pictures? the Japanese Maple is on its way and I just got word that my seed for my Heavenly Bamboo are being shipped now. My twin 5 year olds have a full day of pre school so in between their schedule and my rehab, I need my hobby to keep me sane besides the crafts I have a hard time doing right now. so this is such a blessing. Thanks for your help. You truly do not know how much this site means to me.

[Gnome]

BEEMERW,

Thank you for the input(I am used tocaps since my accident. Cuts down on so much thinking. I did not realize it looked like shouting.)

You're very welcome and don't give the caps a second thought.

How do I post pictures?

You must use another site to actually host the picture and insert a link here.

1. Go to https://imageshack.us/

2. "Browse" to the location on your PC where the image resides.

3. Then click the "Host it" button.

4. After the file is done uploading choose the appropriate image code from the list, "thumbnail for forums" is good.

5. Left click on the code to highlight the code, then right click and COPY the code.

6. Come back here and right click and PASTE the code into your next post.

My twin 5 year olds have a full day of pre school so in between their schedule and my rehab, I need my hobby to keep me sane besides the crafts I have a hard time doing right now. so this is such a blessing. Thanks for your help. You truly do not know how much this site means to me.

I'm glad that we can be of some small assistance to you. Make sure to keep us posted about your new plants.

Norm

[kdodds]

Just wanted to give you a source for bonsai materials. This site offers starters from 2" pots through 4" refined and more with a large selection of indoors, cool house, and outdoor bonsai, as well as accent plants and a modest selection of bonsai tools, pots, etc. I actually stumbled upon it by accident flipping through google searches and it was maybe 4 or 5 pages deep, so not very easy to find. But, I can attest to the quality of their plants and service. Anyway, here's the link:

https://www.meehansminiatures.com/

[BEEMERW]

Thanks for the all the sites!!! So the Gardenia has no bugs anymore, but I recieved in the mail Essential Tips Bonsai They have the kind of bugs I did kill. I think the 3 were black aphids. but like I said. 1 was when it 1st came, then 1 the second day, then I th8ink 1 mare on like Saturday. that's it. Once I got rid of the dark yellow leaves, they seemed to leave. but should I get an insecticide? also, I just recieved my seed. the Japanese heavenly bamboo- Nandina Domestica. It has red berries. Does anyone have any experience with this? there are directions, I was just curious if anyone has one or has heard of this. I have to soak the seed for 24 hours before planting to soften the coat because it is hard. I do not understand what they mean they say, "Tamp the soil after sowing the seed 1/8" deep." Obviously I get sowing, but not tamping

[arboricola]

After sowing the seed gently push the soil down so it comes in contact with the seed. Don't push down on the soil too hard. You don't want to compact it.

Phil..

[BEEMERW]

Is it ok to add small pebbles, or leave the soil bare. I have some I can put on the soil, but I do not want to compromise any water from gtting to the seed right now. The instructions said to put some soil, some root stimulator or peat moss and the seeds together in a bag for a few days to loosen the shell some more. So there are 5 good seeds in shells, 2 without shells. so they will be in moist dirt until for a few days. maybe thursday. Thanks for the planting tip. I will refer back when I start to make sure it is correct.

[Gnome]

Barbara,

Is it ok to add small pebbles, or leave the soil bare. I have some I can put on the soil, but I do not want to compromise any water from gtting to the seed right now.

Bonsai soil usually is rather gritty and I use a loose, gritty soil even for seeds. I'm not sure if putting pebbles on the surface of the soil will be beneficial though.

I had to do some research on the seeds you have purchased. It seems that this species can take several years to germinate so you might have some difficulty with them. Another source indicates that fresh seeds are preferable. This is similar to Japanese Maples which do much better if the seed is collected fresh and never allowed to dry.

Growing bonsai from seed is obviously a long term project and can be frustrating. Acquiring older plants is a much shorter route to decent trees. I like to look to the urban landscape for material. Since this may not be feasible for you another option is to buy one or two gallon nursery stock from the local nursery or home center. If you want a variety suitable for indoors you can usually find Ficus at most home centers. Schefflera is also popular. Here is some more reading for you.

[url]https://bonsaihunk.8m.com/cultural.html[/url]

Norm

[kdodds]

I agree completely with Norm, growing many trees and shrubs from seed can be very frustrating. Looking at that pot with that bare dirt for a year, or two, or three, is going to get really old. And, even under the best of circumstances, with some species, your success rate may be 0%, especially when using packaged seeds. That's a long time to wait for a whole lot of nothing.

Just an FYI, you can get Nandina in 2" pots for $3-5. At this size, they're more than seedlings, but still just as workable, and the results that you will get will be as if you had raised them from seed. Of course, you don't get to pick a "one of many" "best specimen", but I don't really think that you can tell what a bonsai will be just from a seedling anyway. So, you'll really kind of have to get the seeds to a point where there will be a difference, usually around a year.

It's worth it for some, growing from seedlings, me included. But, I would suggest you make this only a side project, lest the hobby become increasingly frustrating. You already have the odds stacked against you with the traditionally outdoor and cold house species being kept indoors and nothing can be mroe frustrating than a complete loss only a year into the hobby. Good luck!

[BEEMERW]

Maybe I am a bit odd, but I enjoy waiting, as long as I know it does take a while for the seeds to germinate. I read from Whatcom Seed Company that a Heavenly Bamboo is a plant that people keep at their front or back doors like a welcome and women cast their cares and talk to them to help them grow. So that is right up my ally. I do not mind. They also change colors and do not always grow berries right away.

So I just got the japanese Maple- Acer Palmatum "Altropurpureum" bonsai. It is Deciduous. it looks like a cut branch from a real maple. the leaves look big. When it came, a little wilty, of course, the beautiful pot I need to replant it in (thank God there was a starter pot with soil already) was boke, so I called and they will send a new one.

The weathger is getting better, so as soon as I get the pot I can put it outside.

The Gardenia is responding well now, but I will start to slowly bring it outside a little at a time.

Now, I use to have a beautiful Fukien Tea that was thriving in a pictur window I had. it had little purple flowers. But when we moved, it did not have enough sun, got the aphids and, died. So, yes, I ordered a Fukien Tea I found on Amazon.com. It was $17 from a nursery, baby plant and has I guess white flowers, they said it varies.

But the very last 1 I would like is from a seed again. I found through that seed company above. It is a Crape Myrtle. Lagerstroemia indica. It is zone 7. NJ is zone 6. Can I grow this still? Or should I try to find this already started. it is amazing. different dimensions of flowers and colors like you you would not believe.

[kdodds]

You must be pretty far south as I'm right on the NY/NJ border and in zone 4/5. Anyway, I'm fairly certain that Crape Myrtle will not grow well outdoors north of the Carolinas, but it does make a nice indoor plant. It's a VERY slow germinator though, potentially a year or more.

[BEEMERW]

The Nadina sounds interesting. I will have to look at that. Forgot to add- with the specs on the Maple, they said it is 5 years old (leaves are big and I read to prune doen to 2 or 3 leaves in a bunch and not let stems cross. founs a site just for these Maples also. so much overgrowth, they said prune, take a step back and prune and shape.) It also says the maple has 5 lobed, with fine toothed edged in a brilliant red color. The pictur has such small leaves and dimension and this bonsai has large leaves, a trunck with brancheches shooting up, but not those smaller leaves. so the 101 ways for bonsai book says all the leaves come off for winter for buds to grow, but do I take off everything and leave sticks?

[kdodds]

Nandina makesa beautiful bonsai, especially in clumps, but has to get pretty old before it starts to look tree-like.

On the maples, they should go dormant and drop leaves in the winter. I think what you're talking about is spring. Once the first leaves are in, you snip them off, leaving the petioles (stems). These will fall off and a new crop of smaller and more plentiful leaves will grow in their place. From what I understand, this should not be done every year, but rather every other year.

[BEEMERW]

Though my bonsai are doing great, pruned everybody. The gardenia I shaped...yes I took pictures, but I have to figure out the download. I even wired the Fukien tea in the new pot.

now I read if I prune the leaves of the Japanese Maple the same year as repotting, it is bad. I have been cutting leaves because iread how, but now that is wrong. I cut the big leaves at the stems, but some materials say to leave partial for new growth, some say to bare the tree altogether in the spring for new growth.

So will it now die now that I pruned the big leaves and I have smaller leaves coming out? It was bushy, but I pruned the leaves down, like I read to. Do I give up on this 5 year old tree? He has been ok. I keep the soil moist. Until the new pot comes, I give a little bit of liquid fertilizer and a lot of water and combine that with a little vitamins for strength because he does not have that pot and I did trim him down. But now I read not to feed. I have time released fertilizer for the new pot. this liquid is very, very diluted and not strong because it is supposed to be in a gallon of water and I do not mix 1 gallon. It is 4 plants, counting my seeds.

So I guess deep breath. I can order a new japanese maple cheap from the same Springhill nursery. It is cheap enough. Barb

[BEEMERW]

I read to cut all the stems on the Maple by so many websites before I found this info of not to do both repot and prune....But being 5 years old helps. Well small leaves are still coming in and little buds by the trunk and when I repotted, I read to cut the bigger root, rather than the smaller roots and wire, which I did. then I watered and layered slow acting fertilizer it came with. I then used joebonsaie premium Bonsai Vitamins in a liquid formula. It is supposed to help the roots stimulate and has essential hormones and has Vitamin B1. So I mixed with water and did this because it looked wilty all around because I pruned the bigger leaves. This morning. The remaining leaves look revitalized and the leaf stem is straigt out and the plant seems happy. I read it is a she. But it seems she got that boost. so now the weather is better, so at least during the day, my Bonsais are out.

The gardenia has new leaves that are yellow coming out. It is odd. no flowers yet. Just one section. I did prune her down. found some info and I know she was was too bushy. I gave her some vitamins to. it says to use distilled water. Can I substitute purified heated water? I do not use cold water, only room temperature as it says. Cannot find the yellowing info. Barbara

[Gnome]

Barbara,

Root pruning is done to enable the tree to replaced in the same pot. The older thicker roots are removed as the fine roots are the ones that are responsible for gathering nutrients. There is another aspect to root pruning as well and that is aesthetics. Surface roots are preferred as opposed to downward pointing ones, this allows us to use shallow pots. A root system that emerges in a radial manner all at the same level is always to be encouraged. Here is an example of a Maple that is starting it's fifth summer. The thick surface roots near the trunk will eventually be exposed and become a design element. Fine roots are retained at the perimeter to feed the tree.
[url=https://img505.imageshack.us/my.php?image=maplerootsrx3.jpg][img]https://img505.imageshack.us/img505/967/maplerootsrx3.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Each time you re-pot is an opportunity to improve the roots of your tree.

Defoliating is not usually performed on young material, it is a refining technique. If your tree recovers from its recent ordeal I would not do any further work on it this year, instead allow it to recover and regain strength.

Norm

[BEEMERW]

Thank you for the crepe myrtle info!

[BEEMERW]

Thanks norm. I spread out the roots and the info that was sent as well as info I have seen that matchches says that the type of root system has that huge thick one and the tiny ones that are around and not to touch them. they seemed pretty even so I did not touch them, reading they give food. I only cut the thick one down because it curled around the whole system. the original pot was very small and the new pot is very roomy, twice the size to spread out. but the big root was very tight around the poor tree, so I cut it according to this pamphlet, up to the other roots, so I took off about 2 inches, then gave vitamins, after layering it with this slow asting fertilizer. the leaves I left are getting taller and I do have buds growing and smaller ones coming up. I feel bad that information I read contradicted eachother. I made a folder, holding everything, but like, BluerRidgeBamboo.com says to prune the Maple leaf stalks. barbara

[BEEMERW]

One quick thing .....my maple has a little green on the big leaf veins now. it just started coming out....I know it changes color, but it just is interesting to see. I bring all my bonsais in about 4:30 or 5pm because it still gets cool here in NJ right now. Should I bring in the Maple since she is the only outside tree, or depending on the weather and the temperature, start leaving her out at night. it still dips to the 30"s to 40"s, sometimes 50"s depending. so since she is in a new pot and is newly pruned, I am cautious. I will tell you. The vitamins daily sparks her up. She seems to get a little wilty in the sun, though she is watered and sprayed, but if I give her a little of the vitamins to the trunk and to the leaves, it sparks her up. it is a root stimulator as well, so maybe it still needs that a little. .... I do promise I will not prune anymore. Hands off. I just am bothere by the way the tree trunk is. It has 2 straight up tree trunks, even when the bushy leaves were there. So waiting for the new leaf stalks will be neat. I feel bad, there are other websites that say so many odd things, why do they not say a universal standard way...or are tharer different ways people can raise their bonsai? Barbara

[Gnome]

Barbara,

I feel bad, there are other websites that say so many odd things, why do they not say a universal standard way...or are tharer different ways people can raise their bonsai?

There are so many factors to take into consideration that no one source seems to cover everything. For deciduous trees the usual practice is to develop the trunk first, then the primary branches and only then the fine twigs. When the trunk is the size and shape you wish the branches that are present today are often cut off and regrown later. Similarly, until the branches are well underway ramification (the fine twigs) is postponed. When you are advised to pinch new growth this is skipping the first two stages or perhaps assuming they are already complete. So you can see that the focus in early development and the focus during refinement are not necessarily the same.

To make matters more confusing different strategies are employed for different species. The steps I outlined above are great for Elm or Zelkova since they back-bud very easily almost anywhere on the trunk. The strategy is slightly different for Maples since they have a strong tendency to back-bud only at the location of the previous nodes. And this technique is not at all appropriate for Pines, but that is another subject.

If you look closely at the bark of the Maple you will see rings where old leaves or shoots have been. These are known as nodes and the spaces between them are called internodes. Long internodes create issues for styling. Maples call for some special treatment to avoid this situation. This is where pinching comes into play.

The stage of development it is at now and your goals for the future all play into the strategy you should employ now. Without a picture of your tree, or a better description, it is difficult to give you any suggestions that's why I suggested you slow down until you learn a little more.

[url]https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/trunks.htm[/url]
[url]https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/japmaple.htm[/url]

Norm

[Gnome]

Barbara,

In re-reading you previous post I feel I should note a few things.

She seems to get a little wilty in the sun, though she is watered and sprayed, but if I give her a little of the vitamins to the trunk and to the leaves, it sparks her up.

Japanese Maples, particularly red varieties, should be shielded from strong sun early in the season. In nature these grow in woodland conditions, meaning that they live in the shade of other taller trees. Strong sun and wind can cause leaf burn.

Should I bring in the Maple since she is the only outside tree, or depending on the weather and the temperature, start leaving her out at night. it still dips to the 30"s to 40"s, sometimes 50"s depending.

Unless temperatures take a rather extreme change you should have your Maple outside now. All of my temperate trees (and even the Ficus) are outside now. Only worry if you are going to have frost, I hope that is done for the year.

The vitamins daily sparks her up. She seems to get a little wilty in the sun, though she is watered and sprayed, but if I give her a little of the vitamins to the trunk and to the leaves, it sparks her up. it is a root stimulator as well, so maybe it still needs that a little.

I'm not entirely sure I understand what you are doing with the "vitamins" I have never heard of feeding through the trunk. I have heard of foliar feeding but I usually don't practice this. The roots of your tree have evolved as the primary avenue of its acquiring what it needs.

Get your tree in dappled shade, if there is any yet, or otherwise shade it more. Maintain even moisture and feed periodically. I fertilize about every 10 to 14 days. Since you have included timed release fertilizer in your mix you could stretch it a bit more.

I recently acquired the volume "Bonsai with Japanese Maples" by Peter Adams. It is excellent and Amazon has it reduced from $35.00 to $23.00


Norm

[BEEMERW]

Sprinhill nursery included a time release fertillizer, which is white solid, that they said to put in the soil when replanting for 3 months, then again, " Bonsai Food 3- 1- 4 Mix 1/2 packet (1 TBSP) of Bondsai Food in potting mix when transplanting your bonsai Tree. Three months later add the remainder of the packet to the surface of the potting mix and gently scratch the food unto potting mix."

So, the soiil is "organic (derived by peat, forest products, or compost), sphaghnum peat moss, horticulture vermiculite, horticultural perlite, a wetting agent, and limestone."

So, I do not know. I was scared to put the maple outside. I know you need a picture. With the finished pruning now, and the now changing laves, I will send this. I have to get my husband to download all of the pictures to disk, so I can get this to you. I do not think I can do this by camera.

I guess I should do plain water for the maple then, since this fertilizer is there and put her outside. It is overcast, In the 40's with no frost anymore. Strange. just to have her out all the time. I am putting the Gardenia and Fukien Tea out in the day and in at night right now still thogh. The temps are still a little cool and they are house plants. The gardenia is getting more green now!

[BEEMERW]

I mentioned everyday just about, since I recieved the Gardenia, I have seen 1 black bug... well I am seeing a whole bunch of aphids this mornign during my 3rd day watering. so it is time to get bug spray...I think I will spray all 3 because they hang out together and get watered together and the aphids flew around all 3 of them. the seeds are safe. barb. p.s. maybe that explains the problem with the yellowing leaves. my sis ordered it from proflowers, so it is ok.

[kdodds]

I'm pretty sure aphids don't fly. Are you sure they're not something else, like gnats maybe?

[BEEMERW]

They don"t? I have no idea...I just know when I first git this< I had an odd little black small bug fly from the plant and I killed it. When I looked in my plant book, it looked like the Aphids, but I did not know they do not fly. So Maybe I do not have a bug problem? On Japanese Maples....with my pruning, I have to wait a while before I see the fullness I pruned before, right. They are slow growers. I know I read that they are not supposed to be too top heavy but I was not looking at pruning from bottom up. The green coloring on the stems is funny It is a consistent green with spring colors, not mottled around thee leaf. I will take a close up with the digital to show this.

[BEEMERW]

I did some more research and it does not match aphids, but I think I have black flies. and that is bad. That is what I think killed my Fukien tea in the past also. So I read to use either insectiside or even soapy water, but I cannot even tell where the eggs are. I think in the soil, like when I fir st got it. barb

[BEEMERW]

So, my sister called Pro Flowers and they had someone else complain of the exact problems I have with my Gardenia, so I get a free replacement. I will still try to get an insecticide to see if I can save this one though. barb

[BEEMERW]

well, good thing I am working on my memory and observations with therapy again because went back to the whatcom seed site and the Crape Myrtle is Zone 7-10, so yes, I can get it. It comes with 50 seeds. I am a nut, but I have time to wait. Being on disability with children in school and a hobby like this to nurture is a good thing for me.

I also found out the Springhill Nursery where I got my japanese Maple has a lifetime guarantee. they even said if these bugs spread to the maple, though the maple was healthy when I got it, they will still replace it free for a lifetime. Outrageous!!! They only have Jpanese Maples and Junipers, but it is worth it for a lifetime guarantee and if you by the tree single it is $19..You buy it with the new pot and training kit it is $29. Same with the Juniper. Awesome. Barb

[BEEMERW]

Ok, so I got the Gardenia quickly today and though it was not out of the pot, it still has 50% of the leaves either yellow and green or new leaves yellow. So my sis will get a refund basically.

[BEEMERW]

The new Gardenia had a bug on it this morning,but started getting more green with the plant food I gave it. And my Fukien Tea is now blooming. I have to get pictures!!!!!!!!!!!! My Maple has White dreis residue, I think maybe salt on the pot and leaves. It is flourishing, but has this. What is it? Barb

[Gnome]

Barbara,

Does the white residue look like this?
[url=https://img260.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ficusspots4ut.jpg][img]https://img260.imageshack.us/img260/5197/ficusspots4ut.th.jpg[/img][/url]
These are hard water spots, leftovers from misting. It is nothing to worry about in and of itself but is an indicator of hard water which can be a problem for certain species. The other option is that it is salts from the fertilizer you have been using.

I'm having a hard time understanding exactly how often you have been fertilizing each of your trees but I get the impression that it is fairly frequently, perhaps too frequently. When you are able to post pictures please consider starting a new thread for each tree we are discussing, thanks.

Do the insects troubling you look like this?
[img]https://bugguide.net/images/raw/YHUHRR6HHRUH9ZEH3HIL8ZMLNZNHRRNHWZXLUZILUZML9Z5LUZWHFHXH5Z7H1HXH6ZGLBZ5LVZWH.jpg[/img]
If so check out this thread:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7278

Norm

[BEEMERW]

Yes and yes, I did not get a real close look at the bug, but it seems to match. I just got Orthenex. It is supposed to kill everything and not harm the trees. The White residue does match that white on the picture. I have a low nitrogen formula fertilizer that is supposed to be safe daily, but I do not give it daily...anymore. I did in the beginning when I first pruned. We have a friend of the family who is an arborist, who said the same, that it may be too much fertilizer, but the backyard here has bugs that love low nitrogen fertilizer. so maybe I should try to use the water filter more for the Bonsais, or use boiled, then cooled, like distilled for everything, not just for the Gardenias. I will start splitting all the plants. It is getting too big. Barb