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Bonsai tree help

post #1 of 14
12/28/10 at 11:24am
Thread Starter 
Hi all, hope everyone has had a nice christmas and looking forward to the New Year,
My mum and dad bought me a Bonsai tree for christmas, I have always wanted one but I know they are hard to look after and I don't want to kill, it, it gave basic instructions on the back like pruning and not to water it directly but to soak it once a week in a bowl of water and then leave it to drain, well thats all it said really. Although it said about pruning it didn't tell me how to Does anyone know anything about them at all?Any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated, thankyou.xx
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post #2 of 14
12/28/10 at 11:35am
What kind of bonsai?
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post #3 of 14
12/28/10 at 11:48am
Thread Starter 
Oh the box just says a junior bonsai??? I will post some pics later.x
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post #4 of 14
12/28/10 at 12:24pm
Junior or juniper?
If it is juniper, it really won't do as well indoors.
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post #5 of 14
12/28/10 at 12:34pm
Depending on the species and how large you ultimately want it to grow influences the care.
One can wire train the branches to grow in a specific direction. I think the roots may need to be pruned too once the tree gets older.
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post #6 of 14
12/28/10 at 12:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arlyn View Post
Junior or juniper?
If it is juniper, it really won't do as well indoors.
Definetely junior, it is suitable for indoors, I will have to take some pics of it, oh dear this is goin to be hard x
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post #7 of 14
12/28/10 at 12:39pm
I bet the RHS website has some info for you or perhaps a book.
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post #8 of 14
12/28/10 at 12:47pm
Here is a Google search on "How to prune a Bonsai"
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post #9 of 14
12/28/10 at 2:27pm
Bonsai are stunted trees that are grown in an undersized pot - think of something up near the tree line on a mountain. Very little food, mineralized soil, harsh growing conditions.

Because bonsai have a restricted root zone they can easily dry out. At the same time I've seen more plants killed by over-watering than under-watering.

In winter when days are short, light levels low, and plants are not in active growth your bonsai won't need as much water as in summer. Even so, once a week seems rather skimpy.

Water your bonsai well, by soaking it as suggested on the care tag. Heft it in your hand to get an idea how heavy it feels when well watered. Do the same juggling act every day for a week to get an idea how quickly it is drying out. It might need watering every third or fourth day.

What's on top of the root area - moss, mulch, or something else? Can you wiggle a finger just below the surface of the soil and feel how damp or dry it is? That's another good way to check.

Good luck with your bonsai. I find them as intensive to care for as a kitten.
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post #10 of 14
12/28/10 at 3:55pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catapault View Post
Bonsai are stunted trees that are grown in an undersized pot - think of something up near the tree line on a mountain. Very little food, mineralized soil, harsh growing conditions.

Because bonsai have a restricted root zone they can easily dry out. At the same time I've seen more plants killed by over-watering than under-watering.

In winter when days are short, light levels low, and plants are not in active growth your bonsai won't need as much water as in summer. Even so, once a week seems rather skimpy.

Water your bonsai well, by soaking it as suggested on the care tag. Heft it in your hand to get an idea how heavy it feels when well watered. Do the same juggling act every day for a week to get an idea how quickly it is drying out. It might need watering every third or fourth day.

What's on top of the root area - moss, mulch, or something else? Can you wiggle a finger just below the surface of the soil and feel how damp or dry it is? That's another good way to check.

Good luck with your bonsai. I find them as intensive to care for as a kitten.

Wow, thankyou that is really helpful, yes I know its joing to be hard but a ood challenge, I really love plants and trees and I will really try my best with his, thanks again.x
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post #11 of 14
12/28/10 at 5:36pm
Oh, dear. My Bonsai tree didn't make it. It was a pomegranate (sp?) and died shortly after pruning which makes me think it could have been my fault. I hope you have better luck with yours. It is good I am much better with cats than with plants.
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post #12 of 14
12/30/10 at 4:09am
Thread Starter 
Here are a couple of pics of my bonsai






The fish food is for my fish not the bonsai x
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post #13 of 14
12/30/10 at 5:36am
Looks like there are alot of dead branches. Can you break one to see if the will snap off?
I would prune those out first. You then can get a look to see what type of forn you would like the plant to grow. I think some horizontal branching would look great.
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post #14 of 14
12/30/10 at 7:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by GailC View Post
Looks like there are alot of dead branches. Can you break one to see if the will snap off?
I would prune those out first. You then can get a look to see what type of forn you would like the plant to grow. I think some horizontal branching would look great.
Yes they do snap off, I have ordered a bonsai pruner, is that ok or what else can I use in the meantime? Thankyou for your help.x
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