I'm new to bonsai please help me
- Thread starter SecretO
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Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
It looks like a ficus. They can be kept indoors but ideally they go outdoors for summer.
Ficus requires lots of light or they will stall and drop foliage, and regrow very, very very slow.
In a south facing window they might do fine. But my ficusses/fici are kept as houseplants; a huge pot and random bouts of water. Usually someone will chime in with more tailor made advice.
Ficus requires lots of light or they will stall and drop foliage, and regrow very, very very slow.
In a south facing window they might do fine. But my ficusses/fici are kept as houseplants; a huge pot and random bouts of water. Usually someone will chime in with more tailor made advice.
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
It would help to know (generally) where you live? My ficus are still outdoors, and will remain there until night time temps drop into the low 40's F.
I'm in the UK down south. The temperature here is 8 degrees in the morning and then around 13 degrees in the daytime.
I repotted it during the summer with bonsai soil as it looked like it was dying. Then it flourished. It's getting colder here in the UK. It's around 8 degrees in the morning now. Could you post a photo of your Ficus?
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
Here's one from last year
At 8 C (45 F) to 13 C (55 F) your ficus can tolerate outdoors, but it's not going to be growing much at those temps. Probably time to find a good indoor spot for the winter, but get it back outside in spring when things warm up.
At 8 C (45 F) to 13 C (55 F) your ficus can tolerate outdoors, but it's not going to be growing much at those temps. Probably time to find a good indoor spot for the winter, but get it back outside in spring when things warm up.
Your tree looks amazing! Wow I can only hope one day I would be able to have such a beauty.
My girlfriend has said that we need to bottom water to get rid of the white mold is this correct? Also is it supposed to drop leaves? Lastly, can you please let me know ideal temperature for keeping it indoors. TIA
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
We typically water bonsai from the top, and water thoroughly until water is running out the bottom. You do have holes in the bottom of the pot, yes? Then don't water again until the substrate starts to dry out at the top. Your ficus is going to want as much heat as you can give it. It will do best with supplemental lighting indoors. If you keep your house cool, an incandescent bulb that also puts off heat is useful. It will also want more humidity than most people like in the house. Some folks try to create some kind of enclosure to trap humidity around the plant. It can be a lot of work to set up ideal conditions for a tree indoors, so you do the best you can.
Yes the pot we have put the bonsai in has water. I have been watering it when it's dry and then when the water comes out of the bottom I stop. However, now there's mold on top I'm thinking I over watered it.
I have now moved the bonsai to the conservatory. (Photo attached) it is above the radiator which comes on for an hour in the mornings 7-8. I have also stuck my finger in the bonsai soil and it's damp at about a finger nail depth. I shall continue removing the leaves that have dropped and hopefully it will get better. Should I feed it with anything?
I have also added a short video of the bonsai tree in its entirety, which can be found below.
Attachments
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
FWIW the white stuff is more likely lime scale or mineral build up from watering. Bottom watering will make thanwoelrse and isnt great for the tree. It keeps the root mass too saturated top watering is most effective unless the soil has completely dried out
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
You guys sure this is a ficus? Doesnt look like a ficus to me.
too fluffy for limescale residue..
mine for reference :/
at that vid white thing looks more like mold on some decomposing organic things (i would get rid of that things)
dead leaves, parts of plants with dieback,deadwood and wooden support sticks will get mold quite fast in such enclosure
healthy plants seems unaffected
mine for reference :/
at that vid white thing looks more like mold on some decomposing organic things (i would get rid of that things)
dead leaves, parts of plants with dieback,deadwood and wooden support sticks will get mold quite fast in such enclosure
healthy plants seems unaffected
darzuo
Yamadori
I had this thought as well. Most (if not all) ficus have alternating leaves for one, and the leaves look too thin and too vascular (if that makes anything sense) for ficus imo, although I don't have the experience to provide an ID.
darzuo
Yamadori
It's certainly not a chinese elm. Elm leaves are slightly serrated and also have alternate growth pattern. Not sure about curry, but AI image search is, in my experience, quite inaccurate in plant identification.
I did another search and it came up Ficus
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
This iis most likely a common privet. privet is a common mass marketed bonsai species.
It’s tough but keeping it inside will weaken it significantly. It can overwinter outside in your region with its pot and roots mulched into a garden bed
It’s tough but keeping it inside will weaken it significantly. It can overwinter outside in your region with its pot and roots mulched into a garden bed
