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emyline_gw

Many questions! Trying to help a Bonsai...

emyline
14 years ago

Hello, my mother just bought me a Bonsai Tree because I asked for one a couple weeks ago. I knew that a lot of care went into them, and I was planning on going with her to pick one out for my birthday (in April). I didn't know she'd buy one on her own.

I don't know where she got it, but it had glued down rocks, and (to my great disappointment!) the pot has no hole on the bottom to let water sink out. I just now pried the rocks out, but I poured A LOT of warm water on them to do so. I'm worried that now my bonsai is over watered, and I have no way to... unwater it.

I also have no clue what kind it is, even though I've researched and stared at pictures of different bonsai trees for a good hour or so. It has tear-drop shaped leaves, with the point part coming out of the branches. It doesn't have any flowers on it, but it's in the middle of winter so I wouldn't expect it to even if it can have them.

Most of the leaves are dark green and kind of thick (thicker than a piece of paper, but not as thick as a piece of glass, say). Some of the leaves were brown and shriveled, but I removed those. As far as I can tell, it's still healthy. It has some moss-like stuff around the base of the tree, and I'm not sure if that's good or not for it.

Right now it's in the middle of winter, and I live in New England, so there's a lot of snow and the ground is pretty much frozen solid. I don't know if any soil here would benefit the bonsai, but even if it could I don't think I'd be able to get to it. And I've read that Bonsai soil is expensive to buy in stores, so I doubt my mother will be too happy to get some. Do you think it can survive until spring?

So, a sum of my questions are;;

1. I removed the glued on rocks, but is the soil still good enough?

2. Is the moss around the tree okay to leave there? Especially since I don't know if the soil is any good or not.

3. I'm pretty sure I over-watered it while taking the rocks off- is there any way to help it without having to replant it in different soil?

4. Should I get it a new pot?

5. How can I tell what kind of Bonsai I have? Is there any REALLY good list of Bonsai trees that have detailed descriptions and pictures, at least?

6. Will it survive to spring on crappy soil, and can I make my own Bonsai soil just by taking the dirt from the ground here in New England?

I think that about sums it up... sorry for the long read! Even just answering one or two questions could really help me!

Thanks a bunch!

.Em

Comments (3)

  • larke
    14 years ago

    Hi, good for removing the rocks, but "is the soil still good enough?" is not much help here because I have no idea what the soil is, but I'll take a guess and say it's probably lousy. Ditch the moss. Do not, repeat, do not use any soil from the ground or anywhere else 'natural' (I hope you don't want a long explanation of that right now :-). The absolutely most crucial thing now is to get it into a pot with 1-2 large drain holes that you cover with plastic mesh (like you'd use for needlepoint) inside. The second would be to grab a bag of small sized aquarium gravel (any pet store, cheap) and mix it with some small sized bark from a bag of Orchid mix - the pieces will be mostly too large, but are soft and easy to break or cut up. Make them about 25% of the mix. Don't layer anything (but the mesh) on the bottom or top. Do get rid of all the old soil and cut back any extra long roots (vs the majority). The pot should be wider than deep, but not necessarily a tiny 'bonsai' one because it'll make it longer for things to develop and give you more styling options in future. Can you not get a picture (side on please, not from above) of it with someone's phone? Water til it comes out the holes when you do it, but from the sound of it, it could be a succulent (thickish rubbery leaves?) or Ficus and won't need water very often - it's the frequency that counts, not the amount.
    But a picture would really help. Give it as much light as possible for the most amount of hours every day. Don't spray it - waste of time and not effective.

  • head_cutter
    14 years ago

    Well, the OP found his/her way here so hopefully they also did some looking for 'Bonsai care', 'kinds of Bonsai' and other things along that line through Google after the post. Sounds like a typical 'Malsai' Ficus, probably a retusa.

    With the wealth of information available today it's a shame that some research isn't done before rather than in a total panic after. Oh well...

    It can be 'un-watered'. Use a deep dish or a pie tin and make a bed of rags or newspapers on it...gently remove the plant from the pot and place it on them, it's probably pretty root-bound anyway. This will wick the water off.
    While it's there do what Larke said and go looking for a decent pot and something to make soil out of.

    The plastic mesh is needed to keep the soil in place and not running out the bottom of the pot however, if the plant is being put into a much bigger pot (as suggested, which isn't a bad idea) I would suggest:

    Hit a hardware store and get a chunk of 1/8th inch galvanized screen. Cut squares a little bigger than the drain holes and use some wire to secure it through the bottom of the hole(s). If the plant is left in the pot for a few years the roots will grow up to the plastic mesh and cover it, even grow through it, stopping the pot from draining. With the galvanized screen the roots will grow up to it and around it but not into it.

    Bob

  • emyline
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi! Thank you for your help, both of you. I appreciate it so much, and I'm sure the Bonsai does, too.

    I think I gave you the impression that the end of leaves were pointed, but they're not, they're round. The leaves are actually kind of oblong. These are the pictures I got of it;

    {{gwi:4796}}

    {{gwi:4797}}

    {{gwi:4798}}

    Here are the links in case those don't work;;

    http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/DrTickTock/bonsai1.jpg

    http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/DrTickTock/bonsai2.jpg

    http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/DrTickTock/bonsai3.jpg

    I still am not sure, but I think it might be a Jade? In which case now I am truly worried that I over-watered it, as almost every site cautions against that.

    I'll get a new pot, soil, etc, as soon as I can, but I can't drive yet and my mother works until late, and usually is too tired or grumpy to go any where. Do you think it could survive for another week? At least until this weekend, maybe.

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