Please help with weak privet bonsai, with a possible fungal infection

[HeroAKKD]

Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention XVII

Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention XVII I first posted this thread back in March of '05. Sixteen times it has reached the maximum number of posts GW allows to a single thread, which is much more attention than I ever imagined it would garner. I have reposted it in no small part...

www.houzz.com

Thoroughly read the above and understand the fundamentals of what makes a good container soil.

Thanks for the link! This will be very useful for any other bonsai that I will have

 

[HeroAKKD]

Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention XVII

Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention XVII I first posted this thread back in March of '05. Sixteen times it has reached the maximum number of posts GW allows to a single thread, which is much more attention than I ever imagined it would garner. I have reposted it in no small part...

www.houzz.com

Thoroughly read the above and understand the fundamentals of what makes a good container soil.

Thanks for the link! I am sure that it will be very useful for any bonsai that I will have

 

[rockm]

If I was to put the bonsai outside, how should I do so? Should I take it put it out each day for some time, and gradually increase the time that it is outside? Also, before doing so, should I repot the bonsai? I really do not want to give up on it

Wait until the danger of frost has passed (even at night). Then repot in better soil. Put it outside 24/7 in a place that gets about 6 hours of morning sun. Make sure it doesn't go dry.

 

[HeroAKKD]

Also, any other thought on what should I do? I am thinking of getting new soil, repotting the bonsai and then placing it outside. I live in a block in London on the 2nd floor and have a small open balcony. My only concern is that it is very windy. But I also want to rescue the bonsai. I am also buying this and am planning to use it https://www.kaizenbonsai.com/bonsai-invigorator-bug-killer-and-fungicide.

 

[HeroAKKD]

Wait until the danger of frost has passed (even at night). Then repot in better soil. Put it outside 24/7 in a place that gets about 6 hours of morning sun. Make sure it doesn't go dry.

So I can put it outside streight away for 24/7 without any adaptation period? As I mentioned in the message just now, I live in a block. The bonsai will get sun for approximately 6 hours but it can get extremely windy.

 

[rockm]

So I can put it outside streight away for 24/7 without any adaptation period? As I mentioned in the message just now, I live in a block. The bonsai will get sun for approximately 6 hours but it can get extremely windy.

ONCE THE DANGER OF FROST HAS PASSED. It will not need any acclimatization. Moving it in and out will prevent it from adapting Constantly moving it will prevent it from growing. Plants don't like to move ;-). Your climate is fine for the species. You WANT wind and a lot of air circulation. That prevents all manner of disease (like fungus, gnats, and mites, which like still air).

 

[rockm]

FWIW, bonsai are NOT delicate plants for the most part. Temperate zone trees such as privet are very hardy. The species is so hardy and adaptable here in the U.S. that it has become invasive in many areas.

As an example of how hardy bonsai can be--this is how overwinter my oaks, bald cypress and elms. That's two feet of snow on them. Done that for going on 20 years. Coddling bonsai like hothouse flowers leads to their death. They need weather that suits each species' needs.

 

[HeroAKKD]

FWIW, bonsai are NOT delicate plants for the most part. Temperate zone trees such as privet are very hardy. The species is so hardy and adaptable here in the U.S. that it has become invasive in many areas.

As an example of how hardy bonsai can be--this is how overwinter my oaks, bald cypress and elms. That's two feet of snow on them. Done that for going on 20 years. Coddling bonsai like hothouse flowers leads to their death. They need weather that suits each species' needs.

This had really surprised me! Thank you for all the replies. I had just came back and will move the two bonsai out. Tomorrow morning I will take photos of where I can put them outside and will ask all of you for advice on what is the best time to do it

Once again, thanks very much for all of your replies

 

[rockm]

This had really surprised me! Thank you for all the replies. I had just came back and will move the two bonsai out. Tomorrow morning I will take photos of where I can put them outside and will ask all of you for advice on what is the best time to do it

Once again, thanks very much for all of your replies

The important part is --- make sure the danger of frost and freezes has passed before you put the plant outside and leave it. At this point, your privet has not had months to prepare to endure winter weather. Temperate trees undergo a cycle of preparations for winter that begins in mid-summer and lasts into fall. You cannot induce winter dormancy and hardiness simply by putting the tree outside now. Wait until spring is rolling, THEN move it out permanently. Once it's outside, it will adapt and next fall, after it's been hit by a few frosts and loses its leaves, just find a place in the garden that's out of the sun and mulch the pot into a flower bed, making sure the pot drains from underneath.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Hero, look and read about privet and understand their native environment. If a plant is hardy to usda zone 4 or 5, like privet, then london's usda 7b-8 wont an issue at all.

You say you will move it to your balcony. This is a great idea. What are the conditions on your balcony? Does it get full sun all day? Morning sun only? Late sun? Wind shouldnt be an issue, just tie the tree down at the pot. A lot of bonsai is improvising and adapting. Trees are great at this; humans not so much.

 

[HeroAKKD]

Hero, look and read about privet and understand their native environment. If a plant is hardy to usda zone 4 or 5, like privet, then london's usda 7b-8 wont an issue at all.

You say you will move it to your balcony. This is a great idea. What are the conditions on your balcony? Does it get full sun all day? Morning sun only? Late sun? Wind shouldnt be an issue, just tie the tree down at the pot. A lot of bonsai is improvising and adapting. Trees are great at this; humans not so much.

Thanks for the reply. I will create a new thread just for moving them outside so that I can refer to it in the future I will describe the conditions there