1st Bonsai am I doing it right

[Bonsailee]

So i got my first bonsai few weeks back. Just been concentrating on keeping it healthy whilst it gets used to its new home. Looking at starting to clip it a little bit or should I just let it grow out the rest of summer?

Few questions
- I have decided on a front of which has a branch growing straight out towards the viewer. Should I cut this back or leave for now?

- leader is growing well with good taper I think, what should I do about the stump above it, cut back or leave for now. I quite like the aged look of it.

- the Nebari is quite covered with soil, makes it hard to water. Looks like there could be a nice hidden route, could I remove the mound of soil to expose more roots and make easier watering or should this be left?

Many thanks in advance, hopefully the pics give you a better idea of what I’m talking about

 

[Njyamadori]

Pretty cool but get ready for the nuts to attack you

 

[Bonsailee]

Pretty cool but get ready for the nuts to attack you

lol thanks pal, all advice welcome as a beginner. I’m reading up but just wanted some hands on advice.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Hello and welcome! Waiting to do anything is never the wrong decision. Do you have any bonsai tools or wire? You could possibly pull the branch to the side so it's not straight at you. You can also take regular wire pliers and rough up the old leader to make it look more natural. An old toothbrush could be used to sweep the very top layer of soil off just a little so you can see more roots for now. None of this should be detrimental to the tree. Best of luck

 

[Bonsailee]

Hello and welcome! Waiting to do anything is never the wrong decision. Do you have any bonsai tools or wire? You could possibly pull the branch to the side so it's not straight at you. You can also take regular wire pliers and rough up the old leader to make it look more natural. An old toothbrush could be used to sweep the very top layer of soil off just a little so you can see more roots for now. None of this should be detrimental to the tree. Best of luck

Thanks for your response. I figured this is a long term commitment so best to take time
With it and concentrate mainly on health for now.
I’ve have some small clippers for the smaller branches etc and have ordered a wire kit and concave pliers which should arrive tomorrow.
When you say “rough up old leader” what do you mean exactly?
I’ll try the toothbrush to expose a bit more root and level the soil slightly.
Much appreciated

 

[Joelshack2362]

Definitely let it get healthy and used to the new environment. More importantly you need to learn the trees water schedule. Nice first tree you have.

 

[rockm]

First things first, before making ANY design plans, you have to be able to keep the tree alive and healthy, as that dictates any design decisions, particularly removing substantial branching, etc.

I'd get beyond a few weeks of care before deciding on much of anything

 

[Bonsailee]

Definitely let it get healthy and used to the new environment. More importantly you need to learn the trees water schedule. Nice first tree you have.

Thanks mate, I’m monitoring the soil daily (even hourly atm as I work from home) generally so far it seems to need water morning to early afternoon and a slight top up late in the evening.

 

[Joelshack2362]

Thanks mate, I’m monitoring the soil daily (even hourly atm as I work from home) generally so far it seems to need water morning to early afternoon and a slight top up late in the are

Are you keeping this outside for natural sunlight?

 

[Bonsailee]

First things first, before making ANY design plans, you have to be able to keep the tree alive and healthy, as that dictates any design decisions, particularly removing substantial branching, etc.

I'd get beyond a few weeks of care before deciding on much of anything

Thanks buddy, appreciate the advice.

Are you keeping this outside for natural sunlight?

unfortunately not as I live in flat with no outside space so she lives on my window sill.

 

[Joelshack2362]

Hopefully some others with more experience with indoor growing will respond. Might have some different techniques for indoor.

 

[Paradox]

I can't tell what it is.
Privet or some kind of ficus?

 

[Bonsailee]

I can't tell what it is.
Privet or some kind of ficus?

Privet buddy

 

[Paradox]

Privet buddy

I don't think privet can survive inside all the time.

If you can only do inside, consider getting a ficus and give it supplemental lighting with a grow light

 

[SeanS]

Thanks mate, I’m monitoring the soil daily (even hourly atm as I work from home) generally so far it seems to need water morning to early afternoon and a slight top up late in the evening.

How are you deciding when to water it? Daily seems excessive for a plant living indoors.

As others have mentioned it probably won’t be too happy indoors for too long. A few months and it will probably start getting really unhappy. You may notice privets being grown in gardens and landscapes, that’s where they do best. Your privet in a bonsai pot is no different to one’s growing in gardens, they’re outdoor trees.

 

[Bonsailee]

How are you deciding when to water it? Daily seems excessive for a plant living indoors.

As others have mentioned it probably won’t be too happy indoors for too long. A few months and it will probably start getting really unhappy. You may notice privets being grown in gardens and landscapes, that’s where they do best. Your privet in a bonsai pot is no different to one’s growing in gardens, they’re outdoor trees.

Hi,
I check by the weight of pot and pushing a chop stick into the soil to see if it’s damp towards bottom of soil. Maybe I’m over paranoid and should slow down on watering. It’s only my second week of owning so still learning.

Yep quite a few people have said this now regarding inside growing. I brought the tree from greenwood bonsai who are very reputable (you probably already know) and this tree was in their ‘indoor bonsai’ section

 

[rockm]

Hi,
I check by the weight of pot and pushing a chop stick into the soil to see if it’s damp towards bottom of soil. Maybe I’m over paranoid and should slow down on watering. It’s only my second week of owning so still learning.

Yep quite a few people have said this now regarding inside growing. I brought the tree from greenwood bonsai who are very reputable (you probably already know) and this tree was in their ‘indoor bonsai’ section

If it's inside, I'd be amazed if it was using up so much water (And attention) as to require twice a day monitoring and a top up in the afternoon. Keep that up and you will kill this in a couple of weeks. Back off a bit. Benign neglect (doing nothing until it needs to be done) is a key to growing bonsai. Stop checking the chopstick twice a day. You're likely losing the ability to see the contrasts or imagining them between wet and dry. Let it alone for two days, THEN pull the chopstick out and have a look. Resist with all your will any futzing around day-to-day with no reason to. Relax about watering a bit.

Also BTW, as I said, I looked through Greenwood's "indoor" bonsai section online. They really DON'T have species that do all that well inside. Most of what they have are warmer climate species (some that require extremely high light-olives in particular). Warm climate doesn't make an indoor capable species. Lower light and higher temps are the combination you're looking for, but privet, chinese elm, olive, chinese box, pomegranate, and pistachio are all very marginal indoors without special high intensity lighting set up. Some may even require light dormancy int the winter.

Greenwood DOES have ficus listed. Ficus is the go-to for durable, tolerant indoor bonsai. They can take quite a lot of abuse without problems. If you're unable to grow outside, ficus is your tree. Privet indoors won't be easy.

 

[Bonsailee]

If it's inside, I'd be amazed if it was using up so much water (And attention) as to require twice a day monitoring and a top up in the afternoon. Keep that up and you will kill this in a couple of weeks. Back off a bit. Benign neglect (doing nothing until it needs to be done) is a key to growing bonsai. Stop checking the chopstick twice a day. You're likely losing the ability to see the contrasts or imagining them between wet and dry. Let it alone for two days, THEN pull the chopstick out and have a look. Resist with all your will any futzing around day-to-day with no reason to. Relax about watering a bit.

Also BTW, as I said, I looked through Greenwood's "indoor" bonsai section online. They really DON'T have species that do all that well inside. Most of what they have are warmer climate species (some that require extremely high light-olives in particular). Warm climate doesn't make an indoor capable species. Lower light and higher temps are the combination you're looking for, but privet, chinese elm, olive, chinese box, pomegranate, and pistachio are all very marginal indoors without special high intensity lighting set up. Some may even require light dormancy int the winter.

Greenwood DOES have ficus listed. Ficus is the go-to for durable, tolerant indoor bonsai. They can take quite a lot of abuse without problems. If you're unable to grow outside, ficus is your tree. Privet indoors won't be easy.

Thanks buddy, really appreciate your feedback and advise. I will chill out on the watering lol, and check every couple of days as advised.
think I’ll be getting me a Ficus in this case next pay day and just take my time with both, be patient and see where I get.

 

[Bonsailee]

UPDATE- so after just under 2 months of owning my first bonsai, she’s doing very well as an inside plant, I’ve got to grips with the watering now and very happy with the progress.