Advice if you can :)

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by Nessa, Jun 1, 2009.

  1. Nessa

    Nessa Member

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    Location:
    Timmins, Canada
    I've been wanting to get a bonsai tree for few years now, and a while back my boyfriend's mum bought me one of those Wal-Mart glued to the rocks trees. It's alive and well but unfortunately I can't do anything with it because it's glued down. Not only that but it's not really attractive.
    I've done research for nearly a year now, and I've been practicing the wire shaping deal with my trees outside ( My mum nearly killed me :P) and I think I've got a loose hold on the deal. Now I simply need to start teaching myself using the real deal.
    I've decided on a Juniperus X (sp?) type of tree, as it has had relatively good "ratings" as a starter tree for beginners.
    I would like some advice other then what i found on Google. As in, how often do I have to re pot it during its first few years? How acidic should its fertilizer be in the summer? How much less in the winter? How much light should it have? Can I use a lamp if the sun is not out? Etc.
    I understand that this tree may die or end in a misshapen disaster, but naturally I need to start somewhere, and I figure now before summer would be a good time.
    Thank you in advance,
    Nessa♥
     
  2. corcor

    corcor Active Member

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    Hi Nessa, the tree from wal-mart, you should get those rocks off ASAP!! they arent too healthy for the tree. To do that you can use a flat head screw driver to reach below the rocks and pry on them, once you start to get them loose they come off pretty easily. You will want to re-pot it as soon as you get a chance into a faster draining soil the stuff it comes in is a pretty poor quality soil. As long as it is an indoor tree it should be ok, im just guessing it is a ficus which is an indoor tree.

    As for the juniper, these are OUTDOOR trees, sorry bout the caps there but it is a very, very common complaint i hear about junipers dieing, they might live for a month inside or they might live for 2 years inside but they will die way before their time if they are not kept outdoors. You should only need to re-pot every 1-2 years at most and you will want to do this in early spring before new growth starts. You can fertilize with normal fertilizer every 2 weeks spring through summer, late summer you will want to cut back on nitrogen, the first number on the fertilizer. It should be something like 0-10-10 for late summer-fall, and late fall you should stop fertilizing. Just let it be outside if the sun isn't out, no need to bring it in for a lamp. It wouldn't hurt to feed once or twice a year with a fert meant for acid loving plants, Good luck!
     
  3. Nessa

    Nessa Member

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    Thank you so much!
    I jumped for a screwdriver sitting in my drawer as soon as I read this. My poor Wal-mart tree has started to die since the day I posted this message! I will definitely re pot it as well. ( That means I get to go to the garden store! :D)

    As for the juniper being an outdoor tree that's perfectly fine, I was worried really, because I will be spending most of the time outdoors during the summer anyway, and I didn't want to leave my new little baby alone! Do you suppose it will be okay in my house during the winter? I would not want to leave it outside, especially because we have been having some very poor winters lately.

    Thank you again for replying so quickly! I was not expecting a reply at all really. I will post updates if I can on my poor wal-mart tree and my new guy when he comes in!

    Have a good day eh!
     
  4. corcor

    corcor Active Member

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    the juniper needs the cold winters, if you keep it inside that would be like keeping yourself awake for a month, the winter is when it sleeps, to protect it just set it close to your house for a wind break and burry it with mulch or dig a hole and put your pot in it and cover it up
     
  5. Nessa

    Nessa Member

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    Oh I see, thank you. I will do that when it snows again. And hopefully it isn't anytime time soon!
    I ordered some Juniper seeds today and hopefully, the U.S. border won't pull a fast one on me and never send them to me like they did for my art supplies last year ( >:( )

    I repotted my walmart guy and he looks a lot greener today! He is very vibrant, thank you!
     
  6. corcor

    corcor Active Member

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    Nessa, just curious how your bonsai are getting along...any updates? :)
     

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