Newbie to Bonsai needs advice

pinkandfluffy

Okay, for a while i have been quite interested with the whole idea of bonsai, and though it was quite cool. So, today, i went to my local garden place and bought a bonsai tree. About 8 inches high. Anyway, they didnt tell me anything to do, so i bought some plant food and i have secatares at home, so im all set.

Now, the label says...
"JAPANESE HOLLY (llex crenata). Slow growing evergreen bonsai with white flowers and berries. Best outdoors in summer, cool indoors in winter. Water & feed frequently in growing season. Temp. 40-70F."

What i want to know is this:

1) Do i HAVE to stick it outside in summer? cant i just keep my bedroom window open or something (its right next to it).
2)Water and feed frequently in growing season? what? Okay, first of all, WHEN is the growing season, how often is frequently, and do i not need to water and feed it at other times? How often at other times?
3) How much plant food should i give it? it says 5ml for one litre of water, but even i know i should chuck in a litre of water a day and hope it grows. Help on how to do this.

Any other tips and advice you think would be useful for someone who knows nothing of bonsai or gardening would be useful. Thanks all.

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md4958

hey fluffy,

1. your tree will do BEST outdoors in the spring and summer (trees are ment to grow outdoors). An open window would be your next best option...just make sure a gust of wind cant blow it off.

2. Water during the growing season means while there is active growth, ie spring, summer, early fall. DO NOT OVER-WATER YOUR TREES, as this can be worse than under watering...i know it is a daunting idea of when to water but there are a couple widely accepted techniques for telling. 1. Stick a WOODEN chopstick in the soil halfway between the rim of the pot and the trunk. Pull it out daily and check it it is wet, moist, or dry. You should water when moist. If you water when wet it will not allow the roots to recieve the oxygen they need to thrive. Dont ever let it get completely dry...thats bad. 2. The finger test. Stick your finger up the the first nuckle into the soil. Is it wet? Moist? Dry? Get the idea

In the late fall and winter months when trees are dormant they require rather little water. Your tree should be kept barley moist, but not allowed to dry out completely

Feeding (fertilizing) should be done with caution. Check this board for articles on feeding.

3. Feed your tree at 1/2 the recommended strength on the bottle. This will prevent OVER-fertilizing which can burn the roots. When it comes to feeding I go by the motto light, and often. Actually I use and love the slow release pellets. They kinda take the guess work out of feeding

I would recommed you get your hands on a good bonsai book...I recommed Bonsai techniques 1 and Bonsai Techniques 2, both by John Naka. Also, you may want to get some specifics on Holly...care sheets are availible in the "links" section of this website.

Good luck and happy bonsai-ing!
-Moe

md4958

holly care guide
http://www.bonsaitalk.com/lug/link_...link=1101&c=233

Aaron_K

Hi Pink,

I have a couple of Japanese Hollies that I've owned for about 18 months now. Mine stayed outside all winter without harm, and obviously all summer too. They can be kept indoors, as they tolerate lower light levels than a lot of species, but I'd be inclined to keep them where nature intended.

The growing season is from Spring till Winter, usually all the while that temperature is about 8-10c. During the winter months, they slow right down due to the cold and reduced daylight time. However, if you bring the tree inside for the winter, or even keep it inside 365 days a year - then the tree will not have a dormancy.

As far as feeding goes, follow the manufacturers directions if it is a specific bonsai fertilizer. If its just a regular feed, like babybio etc, mix at half the recommended dosage. You can also use slow release organic fertilizers too (rape seed oil pellets). Ideally your tree will be in a fast draining soil, so that water doesn't pool on the surface when being watered. Allow the soil to dry to just being damp before watering again.

If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.

All the best,

Aaron

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pinkandfluffy

Okay well you guys might be interested to know that i accidentally put in 5ml of fertilizer when i should have put in 1.25 ml (thats what it says on the bottle - you guys telling me to put half of THAT in is just making me feel worse). Yeah, it was a clerical error. What can i expect to happen? i think ill just buy some pellets, i dont trust myself.....