New Serissa Foetida from Bunnings - advice please

[dcmerunnin]

Hello everyone
This past week I took the plunge and became a bonsai parent. I had the intention of starting with a maple but I came across a beautiful, healthy looking Serissa at Bunnings who already had one bloom going.
I brought it home, gave it a soak as it was bone dry and removed the decoration pebbles off the top as I wanted to see the soil situation and possibly change out the stones after fertilising.
In the week since, there have been an additional 2 blooms and it looked pretty happy and healthy. I watered it again about 3 days after the first watering when it started to look dry on top. Then the next day, a few of the leaves looked a bit yellow at the bottom of the tree and fell off easily and the first bloom fell off the tree the day after that. No wilting on the flower, it just dropped (i realise the blooms only last 1-2 weeks but unsure if that's normal). The rest of the tree looks good and it did have two buds open.
I bought this tree already in a bonsai pot though I believe it is quite young. The trunk looks pretty good but I would like to thicken it up as well. I know it needs some pruning as well but there is so much conflicting info out there on what and when to do things that I wanted to get some experienced opinions.
It is headed into winter in Australia and it gets cold here so it just lives inside by the windows at the moment to keep warm and get sunlight.
If anyone has any recommendations for pruning, wiring(eventually), what i should do to encourage nice large trunk/roots. And any care tips people have found really work for them. I'll take any and every bit of advice. Lots of conflicting expert videos out there so I wanted to see what works for people at their homes. Cheers guys!

 

[TrimmyWhimmy]

Serissas are sensitive to overwatering. Better for them to be a little bit dry. It will be happier outside if you can leave it there. I leave mine next to the house where it never frosts over (Melbourne).

 

[Nera]

I wouldn't worry, Serissas tend to throw "tantrums" when they are moved around so some leaf yellowing/dropping is quite normal until it acclimates to it's new home. Better to keep the tree outside, in a sheltered section from the cold if you can or otherwise just cover the tree overnight when it drops low.

 

[dcmerunnin]

Serissas are sensitive to overwatering. Better for them to be a little bit dry. It will be happier outside if you can leave it there. I leave mine next to the house where it never frosts over (Melbourne).

Thank you! I have read this as well but I guess I'm still figuring out how much to water it. I waited until the top inch of soil was dry but it seems like that wasn't a long enough wait.
Unfortunately im out in the Western Plains region of NSW where it is heading into frost temps so I can't put it outside until it gets warmer. No sun room either so the windows ive got it next to is the best I can do for the cold months i think.
Have you placed yours in a pot outside or just straight in the ground?

 

[dcmerunnin]

I wouldn't worry, Serissas tend to throw "tantrums" when they are moved around so some leaf yellowing/dropping is quite normal until it acclimates to it's new home. Better to keep the tree outside, in a sheltered section from the cold if you can or otherwise just cover the tree overnight when it drops low.

Thank you.
Ive read they are quite finicky plants. I expected it would do worse from transporting it home. I just want to get it set up for success.
Unfortunately the area I live in is getting a bit too cold for it to go outside. What would you normally cover it with? Cloth or a container cover of some sort?

 

[TrimmyWhimmy]

Thank you! I have read this as well but I guess I'm still figuring out how much to water it. I waited until the top inch of soil was dry but it seems like that wasn't a long enough wait.
Unfortunately im out in the Western Plains region of NSW where it is heading into frost temps so I can't put it outside until it gets warmer. No sun room either so the windows ive got it next to is the best I can do for the cold months i think.
Have you placed yours in a pot outside or just straight in the ground?

Mine are in pots outside. But I do keep them in a frost free location. I have the variegated type that you have, the straight green type, and the "Little Kyoto" variety. I used to have "Pink Thousand Stars" as well but killed it with overwatering. Lesson learned.

 

[Nera]

Thank you.
Ive read they are quite finicky plants. I expected it would do worse from transporting it home. I just want to get it set up for success.
Unfortunately the area I live in is getting a bit too cold for it to go outside. What would you normally cover it with? Cloth or a container cover of some sort?

Frost cloth or a plastic cover will do. We are going into winter next month here (South Africa) and I just use cut up hessian around it.