New Bonsai Mom in Colorado

[Clueless Bonsai Mom]

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!"

I'm in Colorado. Should I put him outside?

Any advise will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

[rainbowgardener]

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.

[Clueless Bonsai Mom]

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?

Thank you so much.

[tomc]

Mom its May, not September. Lets work on getting your mallsai's glued on rocks off (if it has any) and it to growing.

Unless you are in a really upland site (oh like Leadville) it will soon be warm enough at night to put even a tender tropical tree outside.

By June 1st to September 15th it will live outdoors.

DO NOT replace soil with pro-mix or potting soil, they admit too little air. Use cactus soil mix if you can't mix your own.

[rainbowgardener]

but do show us pictures. Answers to questions like this are very different depending on what kind of tree you have.

and besides getting off any glued on rocks, you must get your tree into a pot with drainage holes.

[Clueless Bonsai Mom]

I am trying to post a photo. Looks like the pot does have holes on the bottom. I really want to be successful. Any advise is appreciated.

[tomc]

Touch (as in) pick up, test for dryness, pick off bugs, tweeze out moss on trunk or other unwelcome places, daily.

Go to your library and check out books on bonsai. Once those are read go to the local used book store and buy up all their bonsai books.

Its May have your morning coffee on the deck and talk to your trees there.

[rainbowgardener]

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.

[Clueless Bonsai Mom]

Trying it again. So far he seems to be really happy in his new surroundings. All of his new friends have taken to him nicely!!

[rainbowgardener]

Did you ever figure out what "he" is?

Since you didn't post a picture, I will. This is a juniper bonsai:


http://s3-media4.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/ ... 0sGQ/l.jpg


they have little needles, rather than leaves.