Bonsai recovery...
Discussion
I was bought a bonsai last Christmas. Seemed to be doing OK for a while, but most of the leaves have been falling off over the last month or two and it's looking more like a collection of twigs than a tree now!
Any tips on how to recover it?
What soil should we use? Does it need food? How often, and how, should it be watered (this is something we're not good at - the soil has been left to dry out a few times)?
TIA
Any tips on how to recover it?
What soil should we use? Does it need food? How often, and how, should it be watered (this is something we're not good at - the soil has been left to dry out a few times)?
TIA
Leaf fall can either be caused by over or underwatering - but you mention the soil dried out so my guess is underwatering, probably helped by the warm, dry air of central heating.
It's probably still alive. Is it in a terracotta (ie heavy) pot? If so you can't judge the wetness of the soil by lifting it - I'd try to lift the rootball out and see exactly how wet or dry it is. If it's bone dry, the best way to rehydrate it is to put it back in the pot and stand it in water so it can soak. (If you just pur water over very dry soil, it will simply run through and out)
That's standard houseplant advice; hoperfully a bonsai expert will come along soon. No care instructions with it?
It's probably still alive. Is it in a terracotta (ie heavy) pot? If so you can't judge the wetness of the soil by lifting it - I'd try to lift the rootball out and see exactly how wet or dry it is. If it's bone dry, the best way to rehydrate it is to put it back in the pot and stand it in water so it can soak. (If you just pur water over very dry soil, it will simply run through and out)
That's standard houseplant advice; hoperfully a bonsai expert will come along soon. No care instructions with it?
FlossyThePig said:
What type of tree is it? ...
A small one!Some pictures attached as I have no idea what it is!
Simpo - we were told to water it that way by default (soak it). Though I suspect a combination of being drowned and then dried out isn't helping!
Edited by Murph7355 on Monday 9th November 20:43
Judging by the leaves I'd say that's a sweet chestnut.
Murph7355 said:
Simpo - we were told to water it that way by default (soak it). Though I suspect a combination of being drowned and then dried out isn't helping!
ACtually I find that houseplants seem to prefer a wettish/dryish cycle rather than being damp all the time - but you don't have a houseplant, you have an outdoor tree, albeit artifically small, and I suspect you need to treat it like an outdoor tree.Ok here is the good news - looks like a Zelkova parviflora or Japanese/Chinese Elm to me. Very popular with the Chinese styles of bonsai.
Bad news, it is a tree and they are not really very happy with central heating. I have been keeping bonsai for over 30 years and can kill these little chaps in no time at all! Everything I have lives in the garden all year round and are hardy stuff. Junipers, Cotoneaster, etc.
Best plan:
Stand it on a large tray (Suiban) with gravel in it and have a small amount of rain water or boiled tap water in it all the time - this will increase the local humidity. Tap water will do but if you have hard water then it will produce those lovely calcium deposits. Make sure the pot is resting on the gravel and not in the water.
Spray similar water onto the leaves with a mister (nothing fancy required here).
Keep it away from radiators but very close to a window where there are no draughts (this can be tough as most windows have a radiator under them).
DON'T feed it yet - with any luck you should find some tiny new shoots may pop up. These indoor types should be evergreen BUT it may be responding to day lengths shortening and trying out being deciduous for a bit.
Water a tiny amount each time during the winter months - don't let it dry out but it should also not be soggy.
Keep tree like this until next March at least even if it looses all the leaves in case it sprouts again as day lengths increase.
If it dies keep the pot, get a good bonsai book and get something easy to keep out in the garden where it will be happy even if you forget if for 4 months over winter like I do!!!
Good luck, these little b@stards are harder to keep than a good woman.
Bad news, it is a tree and they are not really very happy with central heating. I have been keeping bonsai for over 30 years and can kill these little chaps in no time at all! Everything I have lives in the garden all year round and are hardy stuff. Junipers, Cotoneaster, etc.
Best plan:
Stand it on a large tray (Suiban) with gravel in it and have a small amount of rain water or boiled tap water in it all the time - this will increase the local humidity. Tap water will do but if you have hard water then it will produce those lovely calcium deposits. Make sure the pot is resting on the gravel and not in the water.
Spray similar water onto the leaves with a mister (nothing fancy required here).
Keep it away from radiators but very close to a window where there are no draughts (this can be tough as most windows have a radiator under them).
DON'T feed it yet - with any luck you should find some tiny new shoots may pop up. These indoor types should be evergreen BUT it may be responding to day lengths shortening and trying out being deciduous for a bit.
Water a tiny amount each time during the winter months - don't let it dry out but it should also not be soggy.
Keep tree like this until next March at least even if it looses all the leaves in case it sprouts again as day lengths increase.
If it dies keep the pot, get a good bonsai book and get something easy to keep out in the garden where it will be happy even if you forget if for 4 months over winter like I do!!!
Good luck, these little b@stards are harder to keep than a good woman.
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