Hi! I just purchased my first Bonsai from a man selling beautiful Bonsai's on the side of the road. I bought one of his smallest plants, because the larger ones were very expensive! I spoke to the Japanese man and I was so amazed that I just had to buy one. I really don't want to kill it. I need help.
He told me to give him water (I think it's a boy, lol) every 2 days and the Bonsai food every 3 weeks. I got online as soon as I got home and found this forum.
I'm worried that the pot I purchased the Bonsai in does not have holes on the bottom. Is this going to be a problem?
I also started reading a little about dormancy. "Yikes!"
Oh jeez... I'm sorry, but you are sort of the definition of clueless. To start with never buy bonsai from some guy by the side of the road! Where you want to purchase is from a reputable dealer who will still be there when you go back and will answer questions and has some accountability.
Next there is nothing we can say without knowing what kind of tree you have. Bonsai is not a kind of tree, it is the art of maintaining any of a number of different varieties of trees and shrubs in miniaturized form in small pots. Different trees have different requirements. If you don't know what kind of tree it is, post a couple pictures here and we can probably ID it.
Your tree will die in a pot with no drainage holes, sooner rather than later. It says something about the lack of ethics of the person you bought it from that he would sell it to you like that. He also gave you very bad information. Do NOT water your bonsai every two days. Water it when it needs it, which is likely to be different lengths of time in different seasons and conditions. Put a wooden chopstick an inch or so down in to the soil and leave it for a few minutes. If it is dark and damp when you pull it out, your tree does not need water. If the chopstick is dry, so is the soil and it is time to water.
If your tree is a juniper, which is the commonest form of bonsai sold by malls and roadside vendors, then yes it needs to be outside. These are sometimes sarcastically called "mallsai." They are cheaply produced branch cuttings, rooted, trimmed, stuck in a pot, and sold off quickly, with no instructions or wrong information. They usually die. What you learn from working with this little tree will help you do it better next time.
Well I'm glad I found this forum.The "Mallsai" did have some beutiful Bonsai's of different varieties. I will use the chopstick.Thanks for the info. What about fertilizer. Should I leave the plant outdoors everyday in full sunlight until it gets cold again? Also, can you give me any info on the plant needting to go dormant?
If you have photos on your computer, posting them here is very easy. Scroll down below the typing box, past where it says Preview Submit Save Cancel.
You will find File Name ______________ Browse. Click the Browse button and it will show you a list of the files on your computer. Find the picture file you want, select it, and then click the Add the File button just below.
Can't tell you anything more specific until we know what kind of tree it is. I am still guessing it is juniper, because that is what is commonly mass produced and sold on street corners, but I could be wrong.