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| So I have a problem. I'm in college right now. I was driving to Walmart when I saw an old chinese man by the side of the road peddling Bonsai trees. Curiosity overtook me and I stopped by.
He seemed very knowledgeable about the trees, showed me how they had strong roots. He had trees that were three, six, and nine years old. He was also selling quite large trees that were between 25 and 29 years old (being sold for quite a lot). I figured this was a good sign and bought a nice 3 year old tree for $20. I read that bonsais MUST undergo dormancy (about 1000 hours of temps under 40F). My tree is a Juniper Bonsai. Since I live in a college dorm, I can't grow it outside. My question is this: If I were to keep it well watered, would I be able to grow my bonsai inside of my car (where it can undergo the correct temperatures and also be protected really cold frosts)? I'll be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Hi. You've (unknowingly of course) made the classic newbie mistake in bonsai. You bought a "mall-sai" (sold by the thousands in malls nearby) from a roadside vendor who seemed so knowledgable. 1) He was no more knowledgable than your puppy, except in appearing to be so, working on the Karate Kid image of a bonsai expert, 2) if you keep a juniper 'well-watered' (never mind indoors) and "out of direct sunlight", you'll have a totally dead tree in about 5 mins. Allow more of the crappy, water retaining, peat filled potting soil it came in to dry than less of it between (good) waterings from the top, not by immersion in the sink, and give it lots and lots of good light all day long if possible (dorms are not noted for having same). Every species is different, so what you read about dormancy MAY be true for some trees in some climates for some time, but not necessarily all, BTW, but in any case, yours obviously won't get any so there's no point in going into it now. It's unlikely your tree will survive for long in that mix (trust me, it's crappy) and even if you were to peel off the layer of glued on pebbles on top (or is there miraculously not one of those - Wal-Mart's full of them) so you could judge wetness, etc., it wouldn't help much as your tree's not going to get the other conditions (air circulation, humidity - and don't go spraying it though please - etc. etc.) it needs indoors. Also BTW, the older trees that guy had are likely only l0-15 yrs old and they'd be the ones to shell out $20 for, not a '3 yr old' (more likely 2). Chalk this one up to experience and if you really want to get into bonsai, find a local club to join before spending another cent, as they can guide you as to what and when to look for and how to care for them (and if your environment's suitable) properly. I suggest you wait til you're out of the whole dorm situation first, though, as even tropicals (the only trees that can be grown inside) will have major light and humidity issues there. So sorry to sound so cynical and down, but yours is the oldest story in the book and is played out all day long all over the world - China cranks out millions of what you got every day, which is really more of a cutting, or stick-in-a-pot, and it's chances of every becoming a 'bonsai' are pretty thin. |
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- Posted by ryushiblade (My Page) on Fri, Nov 7, 08 at 16:43
| Thin's better than none! There wasn't any glued down rocks and the tree looks very good--no dead 'branches' and a nice green color. I think I may have gotten the '1000 hours of cold' thing from one of the sites you recommended--which one I guess I didn't really explain myself very well. The man if his trees get too much water, it WILL die. He advised me to water it so much that water drains out the bottom, then don't water it again until it dries out. He also said full sun in the morning, not so much in the afternoon--I just didn't want to give it too much light, but I guess that's okay? Forgive my optimism, but I've fallen in love with my Bonsai and I don't want it to die on me! I haven't given up yet! How can I tell if the soil is the wrong kind? You recently told stevebeau now is a good time to repot his juniper--same for me, I'm guessing? Also, the 30 year old tree he had was about a foot and a half wide and maybe a foot-ish high. I thought it seemed quite large! |
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| Glad you explained things... you know if the soil's good if it a) looks more like a bunch of grit (plus a helping of little bark chips (1/8" tops) than 'earth', and if when you water, the water goes almost straight out the bottom instead of taking any appreciable time to do so. BTW, an 18" tree MAY be older, but it's how wide across the trunk is just above the roots that will give you a better idea... any idea about that on the 30 yr old one? Anything over 1+1/2" would be decent, but it's still impossible to say for sure about any tree short of cutting it in half and counting rings. |
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- Posted by ryushiblade (My Page) on Fri, Nov 7, 08 at 17:03
| The trunk of his oldest tree was very thick. If not 1.5" wide then close to it. I was impressed! So--full sun and make sure the soil is gritty (repot with your recommended mixture of perlite, aquarium gravel, etc if needed)? Is there anything I can do at all about dormancy? Missouri gets cold, but we won't get consistent over night freezing for about a month yet. |
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| You're in a better position than I am to judge "Is there anything I can do at all about dormancy?" but remember it's not just about being cold for a time - there are other factors that you cannot replicate inside. Good luck with it. |
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| Hi, Ryushiblade. No one should judge you for where you bought your tree or for any mistakes you might have made in its care. We were all beginners once, going through exactly what you're going through. I'm glad you are cultivating this spark of interest in bonsai, and can assure you that if you're willing to pay your dues, that is to say if you're willing to learn all you need to be able to keep your tree(s) alive, your pursuit will richly reward you and teach you many things. ;o) As I see it, your biggest obstacle right now will be overcoming your separation anxiety when I tell you that you should keep your tree outdoors until temperatures are predicted to drop lower than the mid 20s, then bury it (pot and all) in the garden or flower bed, preferably on the north side of a building, out of sun and wind ...... and forget about it until there is little danger of of temps dropping below the mid-20s in spring. If you are able to keep it alive until you put it in the ground, it will be safe in Mother Nature's care. You cannot hope to keep the tree alive in your car or dorm room, so please give that thought over to something the tree favors more. ;o) I know my offerings only address the issue until spring, but when you dig it up and find you need other guidance, revisit us for encouragement & helpful advice. Good luck. If the spark lives, join a club - find a mentor, it will cut years off the learning curve. Al |
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| Hi, Ryushiblade. Dont worry too much about the Dormancy period for your tree, as it depends on where you are. Trees should live outside throughout the year, so they can enjoy all seasons. I have two Junipers which seem to be happy in my subtropical paradise(coldest morning this last year was 47 degrees F). Be carefull buying trees from other temperature zones, for example: dont buy a juniper in alaska & expect it to live in Southern California, buy one in california. Shifting climate zones can really upset trees. Just my two cents worth, Ron |
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