Question regarding a privet

[KupoX666]

Hi there,

Two days ago I bought my first bonsai, a Chinese privet which is seven years old. It was sold to me as an indoor bonsai but I read that it can be grown outside as well. I live in Ireland so despite the weather being fairly changeable, in terms of temperatures we don't get any extremes. Even during Winter the worst we get at night is -1 or 2 C and apparently the privet only needs protection around the - 10 mark.

The fact that it's my first tree is why I want to make sure if I leave it out it'll be OK. We have an open air drying area in the garden which I could put in in in case of rain etc. (which I did earlier on today, it's been outside since early morning) where it would be kept dry.

Photo of the tree;

Just a query to throw in there, I dunked the tree up to the rim of the pot to water it yesterday morning. It's remained moist since so I guess it worked out OK, but the little mound the tree sits on is still dry. I watched a video where apparently the best way to water is to submerge the pot in water for a couple of minutes, about up to an inch of the bark. Should I try this with mine to make sure the wee mound gets soaked too?

[rainbowgardener]

ummmm ......

that is not looking like privet to me:


https://www.bonsaietc.com/images/shop/chineseprivet.gif


https://swindon-bonsai.co.uk/wp-content/ ... G_0725.jpg


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... ense_2.jpg


I'm no expert, so maybe others will join in....

[KupoX666]

Its definitely a privet, the lady who sold it has been selling them for twenty five years so I'm sure she knows. The leaves also have small holes in them that were there the day I bought it but since two of the leaves have slightly yellowed at the edge. One or two also had black spots which I hope are just from the sun...

[rainbowgardener]

Black spots are not from the sun. If it is getting too intense sun, it will get pale, bleached out/ thinned out spots:


https://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/images ... scald3.jpg

sunscalded spots might be white, cream, beige, tan, but not black.

Black spots are more likely the beginning of some kind of fungal disease.

Trees in general do better being outdoors as much as they can be. Chinese private is rated as hardy down to about 0 deg F (-15 deg C). If your weather gets colder than that, or stays that cold very long at a time, then it will need to come in at least for the coldest part of the winter. Otherwise, outside.

[KupoX666]

Appreciate the advice thanks! What would you recommend for the spots? Also I think bugs may be eating the leaves, there's a lot of little holes in some.