My First Bonsai Tree

vec

Here is my first tree. I am a newbie to bonsai so I am very very open to suggestions.

Port Jackson Fig
I have been told buy the seller that I need to water it twice a week in winter and everyday in summer. I live in Sydney, Australia and it is between about 12 and 19 degrees celcius each day right now.
I was also told buy the seller that this is an indoors plant only, no direct sunlight. But on the little marker that came with the tree is says 2-5 hours of direct sunlight? Also, at the base of the tree when I first got it there was a lovely lush covering or green moss, which I thought looked great. Over the past 3 weeks (as long as I have owned him) the moss has discoloured a little, and seems to be thinning out. Is there a special way that I should keep the moss moist?
I appologise for all the questions. Hope you like "Wallace"!

vec

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Earl

That's a nice tree. You have a great start. While figs don't have to have a lot of sunlight, I think the directions on label are correct...it does need some sunlight. I would suggest morning sun if you can provide it. Watering is learn by feel. I wouldn't go for his directions, either. They might be right, but maybe not. Check the soil. If it is dry, water it. If not, don't. My indoor figs only need watering every three or four days right now and probably once a week in the winter. But we do have air conditioning... the house stays around 75 degrees.

The moss tells me the tree was probably in a greenhouse where there was very high humidity. Somebody on the list can prove me wrong, but I don't think you can possibly keep the moss alive in the house. It's just too low of humidity. Where I live, you can't even keep it alive in a pot outside.

Finally, my figs go to town in the summer when I put them outside. They can't get too cold but love the heat. Their natural habitat is hot, dry country.

So I hate to disagree with the seller, but it seems like he was wrong on about every account. You can find a lot of info on the internet about figs (check under Ficus, too, that's the plant family), so check them out. And, others of you more knowledgeable than me, PLEASE, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong so I don't lead Vec off the path!!

Welcome to a fascinating hobby, Vec.

TreeBay

I think the *direct* sun part might have been the only part that the grower was correct about.

My ficus is in the greenhouse now and loving it. My neighbors moved their fig outside a couple months ago and it did well for about 1 month and then fried this past week. Not dead yet, just burned leaves.

Ficus is pretty adaptable, but everything has its limits. Indoors you're fighting another equation with low humidity and often quite dark. A bright window could work as long as there isn't a lot of heat.

Don't worry too much about the moss. As Earl says, it's nearly impossible to cultivate indoors (which is a good thing, or it would be growing everywhere!)

Regards,

Matt

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vec

Hey thanks guys, I really appreciate your input.

I read up a bit on the web about watering them and I went out today and bought a spray bottle to spray mist on the foliage and around the moss, to try and promote the moss growing.

I have no idea about pruning it at all, i think i'll just let it get used to it's new living conditions and let it grow. On the label that I got with it, it said it was planted in 1996.

Thanks again to you both, this bonsai is so fascinating.

Earl

Good point, Matt. Our recent 100+ ful sunlight might be tough on ficus. I do have mine outside in filtered sunlight and they are doing fine.

Earl

vec

Thanks for your input guys, I appreciate it immensly.

I do however have anothr question, what do i do with it next? It seems to growing vigorusly which is a good thing. The leaves on it are getting bigger and bigger and I liked the look when I got it of smaller leaves and less of them.

Do I need to just keep watering it and making sure it gets plenty of sunlight?

It is apparently 6 years old (planted in 1996).

What next?

stephentoddpope

i know that this was poasted a while back, but, a thing that keeps my moss alive, and green, is that i put a damp paper towell when i am not showing it, and it keeps pretty well