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craigger7

Fukien Tea Beginner Tree (Yeah Right)

Craigger7
11 years ago

Hey Guys
This Winter I decided I wanted to get into Bonsai. I figured a few trees would look great around my Koi pond. I first started with a Lowes special. That all went pretty good so I decided to move on. I ran across the Bonsaioutlet's page and bought 2 Fukien Tea's, which were marded as beginner trees. Well after doing some research, after I bought them, I found out they can be really tricjy. Tree #1's leaves started turning yellow. I corrected that by using the chop stick method. This allowed me to know when I needed to water the tree. Tree #2 is just totally blowing my mind. Over-night, all it's leave dried up, are brittle and fall off to the touch. I did some research but can not find the reason for this. I am useing the chop-stick method for watering. I also attempted to repot the tree in a clay mixture bonsai. I even went as far as to get a humidifier for the room the trees are in. Any help would be appreciated

Craig

Comments (12)

  • dalenlynz
    11 years ago

    I'm having same problem I'm no positive but could the tree be going dormant maybe as I've read this is possible with Fukiens

  • Craigger7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I've tried to get allot of information of this tree. I originally ordered 2 and got 3. I'm new to bonsai, but like anything else, once I get involved with something, I jump in. I've recently read that the Fukien Tea does not require allot of light. I have huge floor to ceiling windows that run on the southern side of my house. This is where I have been keeping the trees. My Holly and one tree that is doing well I'm not touching. However, the two that have dried up, I've moved to two seperate areas in the house. One tree is in the original soil and trainer pot, the other I repotted into a bonsai soil that has lava cinder rock, composted fir bark fines and calcined clay. I'll let ya know if there is any change. I hope it is just going dormant.

  • dalenlynz
    11 years ago

    this is what's happens to mine a week ago these leads had just sprouted now it looks poorly

  • Craigger7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Plant #1

  • Craigger7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Plant #2, I can't figure it out, same soil, same room in my house. I tried moving this plant around a few times. I'm really hoping this plant recovers

  • Craigger7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi dalenlynz
    I found some new information on Fukien Tea. I've read that they can go dormant and possible lose all their leaves. I've also read that even in it's dorment state, you should still feed a Fukien Tea once a month. This is different than a Ficus which states you should not feed while it is a no growth stage, or slow down phase. I took this advice and fertilized my dormant fukein Tea's along with my other Bonsai. The fertilizer I use is a liquid 7-8-6. The bonsai in the bottom picture has shown incredible new growth. I'm hoping that my other will pick up as well.

  • dalenlynz
    11 years ago

    stil no life in my little tree hows yours doing mate

  • dalenlynz
    11 years ago

    stil no life in my little tree hows yours doing mate

  • Craigger7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi D, I was wondering how you were doing. So far knock on wood there doing great. Let me download some pics and I'll explain

  • Craigger7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ok that first picture was a pic of my tree that was doing well. This next one is of the leafless one in my last set of photos.

  • Craigger7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    This one, I really thought I was going to lose at first. When I first got the tree, I did not like the position of it. So I repotted it. In doing so, I have to really work the roots, and cut allot off for it to fit in the pot.
    As you can see by my pictures, I am completely sold on the chopstick method. It is bonsai watering for dummies. I've actually started to notice by the looks of the leaves when a pot is really dry. I end up watering them about once every 3 days, and spray once a day. It's really hard to do anything else with my work schedule.
    I first noticed growth when I fertilized them. I seen an article that informed me that it was ok to fertilized fukien tea while dormant. I quickly did the same to the second tree and moved to the same spot by the window. So far so good. If you see the thread I started, Cheap Bonsai at Walmart, check out the picture. I got another cheap fukien tea for $10. I only bought it because I thought I was going to lose my other trees. That tree is now leaf-less and dormant like the others were.Hope this helps...Craig

  • dalenlynz
    11 years ago

    Glad your trees are sound mate think mines dead still showing no signs of life but never mind ill try agen lol

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