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joeeverett

New Bonsai

joeeverett
14 years ago

I apoligize for the vague topic title, but I'm very new to the art of bonsai and I could use all the advice i can get. I purchased a ficus religiosa seedling by mail and a book for beginners, and it would be very appreciated if a vetran to the art could check my progress. I have pruned the main shoot of the seedling, loosley wired the trunk for shape, added wire to the base of the trunk for thickening, and placed the pot in a tray with some water (for humidity). The base of the pot is not in the water, so the roots wont rot. i have directed an incandescent bulb on the seedling, as i live in a dorm room in Massachusetts (hardness zone 5b) and the light isn't the best, and i have a natural sunlight bulb on the way to replace the incandescent one. Would a flourescent full spectrum bulb be more beneficial? I water the plant only when necessary, and i plan to repot the plant when my ceramic pot arrives with my new soil, sometime within the next week. I'm looking to shape my plant into the moyogi style, with exposed roots. My only concern as of right now is a wrinkling of the leaves. I don't believe that this is due to lack of water, and the tray under the pot is supposed to keep the area around the plant humid. Is this enough, or do I need to purchase a humidifier? I frequently spray the leaves with water to simulate the tropical climate ficus religiosa is used to. Also, at this stage in the tree's life, should I be letting it grow freely for a few years? Or should I be pruning it each spring? I am very new at this and I appreciate the advice anyone can give to me. Thank you very much

Joe

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