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Old 25-Jul-2004   #6
Jim Lewis
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Posts: n/a
Re: [IBC] sudden increase of leaf loss of our fukien tree

> Hello,
>
> we haven't repotted the tree yet. But we do keep it indoors.

This is
> our first bonsai and the book we bought said that it should be

kept
> inside, since it is, supposedly, sensitive to draft. Also, we

don't
> have garden, since we live in an appartment...
>
> We could buy some extra light and / or open the windows more.


At least give it as MUCH light as you can. A fluorescent light
right overhead for a LONG day is about right, according to the
indoor growers on the list. Beyond that, I don't know diddly
about growing inside the house.


>
> Another thing I forgot to mention is that we removed about a

half inch
> of the soil from the top and replaced it with another one. The

reason
> why we did that was that the soil was full of rotting leaves

and
> flowers... Only later, we found out that the soil we purchased

doesn't
> probably have the right composition. It was about 70% of fired

clay
> and only about 25% of pine soil.


That sounds almost EXACTLY the right mix for bonsai. What kind
of soil was underneath? Bonsai soil wants to be large particles
and relatively small amount of organic material.

This is a good time to repot most tropicals (but let a fukien tea
expert advise you on whether it is right for one of these,
please. I'm NOT the one whose advice you want to take for
trpicals.).


>I noticed that this layer probably
> prevents the rest of the soil from breathing so it's possible

the we
> kept that plant overwatered for a several hours.. Could that be

the
> reason?


Nah. It would take more than "several hours" of wet feet to
cause a problem. Some trees just complain when fiddled with.

Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL - Bonsaiests
are like genealogists: We know our roots!

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