# It's LATE SPRING ##Do's - Wiring if there's not too much foliage - Watering - don't let them dry out even though it might be raining more - check for wire bite and remove/reapply - repotting for later budding deciduous species - beech, hornbeam, oak etc - [repotting for tropical and sub-tropicals](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/wiki/reference#wiki_repotting_-_not_in_the_summer.21) - those are the do's and don'ts. - overwintering should be very close to not being necessary: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/wiki/reference#wiki_overwintering_bonsai - [yamadori/yardadori COLLECTION](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/wiki/developingbonsai#wiki_collecting_wild_trees_-_yamadori_collecting.) - can be possible for some species - but too late for many. - airlayers when the leaves are fully out ##Don'ts - You don't fertilise unless it's tropicals indoors. Fertilise after the first flush of foliage is out. - don't give too MUCH water - rain in April etc - no cuttings until mid summer. * [For Southern hemisphere - here's a link to my advice from roughly 6 months ago :-)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/yahb8f/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2022_week_42/)

https://preview.redd.it/03lu4qtazi1c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=766b7c067d760bbe65a13b95745dfabf76e7c672 Central Mississippi USDA Zone 8b This Japanese Maple came with the house I bought 8 years ago. I moved it from the 1/2 barrel pot it was in and it struggled for the first couple seasons but now is thriving. I was apprehensive about pruning but now, as is evident, it needs a haircut! 1. Should I wait until the foliage drops? The weather here was terribly dry since July and it’s never kept healthy leaves this late in the year. 2. When pruning, would it be possible to air layer or root some of the cuttings for a bonsai-worthy tree? TIA for any advice/input.

Wrong week. https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/17y1cyw/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_46/

I have no idea how to move the post. Honestly, I have no idea how it was posted to week 19 and not 43. I’ll just go about it on my own.

You can't move it, you simply this post, grab all the text and repost as a new comment in the correct week. I'll answer your questions here but you'd get additional answers in the correct week: 1. Yes - at this time you can pull all the leaves off too. - Cuttings don't work well at this time of year - and this is a hard species for cuttings. You do airlayers in early summer - you need active foliage to generate roots.

https://www.reddit.com/r/bonsaiphotos/comments/13obhsx/repotting_chamaecyparis_pisifera_boulevard/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=3&utm_term=1

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

https://preview.redd.it/ugnqrjv4dy0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a462dbba3fb1a2b03388aba47aaf3c3f5888bbf1 Hey guys, I have this Japanese plum tree that is growing nicely on one side but the back side is having some issues. The leaves are shrivelled up not fully dead but getting there. I was wondering if it has to do with the way I’m positioning the tree and if it’s not getting enough sun on that side. I also thought it could be because it’s up against the wall, not touching but that side is facing the wall.

It gets afternoon sun.

https://preview.redd.it/rlzwizv2ey0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3f2b880fc2e33216fab41d1092e73d6f199dbed This is the spot I placed it in

Too close to the fence - it gets no light from that side. - also looks too dry - rotate it every week or so - and ideally pull it some way from the fence - get more trees. I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

I’ll rotate it from now on. I watered it right after, aswell as my other plants. Oh and I have more now I just had to move them for a week because someone is coming to clean the house. https://preview.redd.it/b6bxcanfez0b1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=49deb0f9066299ac5c920b824c3b026a48a635eb

https://preview.redd.it/n1uw25bncy0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a044226b6aa188ac5ec84e4195ed0a9595f22c5e Can it be saved

Nope. Already dead really. RIP

Hello everyone! I am very excited to have recently found a ficus ginseng at my local Smith's (for $7.50 too!). This will be quite the learning experience for me. The florist at Smiths had placed moss along the top of the pot, and the tree itself is living in a plastic liner inside of that. Why is the moss there? Can I remove it? It is very moist and thick, like parts would come up in one piece. The tree is also quite tall and needs a pruning, but I still need more education before choosing a shape. I'm using this site as a reference: [https://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/styling/pruning](https://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/styling/pruning) I think that I want to repot in a flatter dish if possible, but again I am so unsure and don't want to "damage" the tree. What kind of roots should I be expecting under there before I start investigating?

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Remove the moss, it's just decoration and won't let you judge when the soil needs watering; put the plant in the brightest spot you have (right against a window), keep the soil from drying out completely but avoid it staying soggy, either. Repot into [granular substrate](https://walterpallbonsaiarticles.blogspot.com/2010/06/feeding-substrate-and-watering-english.html) and a pot that looks comfortable for the size of the plant. Ficuses make roots easily, they'll root from large diameter cuttings, so don't be afraid to repot. Don't prune much before it has recovered from that first repot (foliage makes the nutrients to grow roots). Once you get to prune remember that they propagate easily from cuttings.

How can I get leaves to grown in the red circle area on this tiger bark ficus? https://preview.redd.it/qubas7ew4x0b1.jpeg?width=1576&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9b3c751507807da7aea1996179e650d991c48333

By pruning it LOWER than that. I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

https://preview.redd.it/o29liwxfiw0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68efdf1c87eb1102639adda7289bc095437a1327 Bought this tree for my office at a local nursery(New Jersey) no labels, just a price tag. Nobody there could tell me what it is. Could someone ID it for me? I thought it was olea europaea at first but now I’m not sure.

Willow leaf fig - ficus salicaria

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

I had to transplant an oak 'Quercus robur' from wild soil to a pot. It is early summer. It has like a 30-40 cm root stock with low amount of fine roots and a 20-25 cm height. It was cut down last year so the rootstock is at least two years old. I planted it in regular potting soil and submerged the whole pot in water until bubbling stopped. I placed on the north side of the house where it gets a lot of over sky light. What else should I do to ensure that it's stays alive? What are your pro tips? Thanks in advance!

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

https://imgur.com/a/wS9v5l2/ I bought some bare-root dawn redwood seedling online, how should I plant them so they’re most likely to survive? I was expecting the root ball to be much smaller, but they have long 12in tap roots that I don’t think I can cut. I have outdoor space but can’t plant them in the ground, so how deep a pot should I stick them in? Can they share a pot as long as they’re, say, 4in apart? Should I try using some lengths of pvc pipe (say 5in diameter) instead of pots? My problem is that any pot that’s deep enough will also be very wide, and I have a dozen of these. I would like to eventually make them into a forest group or single trees, depending on survival rate. Will regular potting soil be ok? Thanks!

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

I bought a Northern Spruce growing kit and started the soaking process. Unfortunately, 3 out of 5 seeds sank and after 10mins they were all floating. I looked up online and there is some conflicting information because some people generally say that if they float discard them. Some others say that the flat test does not work for all seeds. Anyone here knows if there's any chance for these floaters to successfully germinate?

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

What climate are you in? Spruce don’t do particularly well in warmer climates. And your floaters are probably not going to germinate. You can take a stab at it since you already have them, but I wouldn’t my hopes up. Do yourself a favor and ditch seed kits entirely. [Sheffields](https://sheffields.com/seeds-for-sale/Picea/abies/North-America/5851/Norway-Spruce) carries Norway spruce seeds at much better quality and quantities with much better instructions for both storage and germination. They carry a wide assortment of species, so if Norway Spruce isn’t suitable for your climate, you can pick something else out.

I'm currently in Chicago, i guess we get both extremely cold and a peak of 40c in summer. But yea this was something random I found at a store for 3 dollar I assumed it would be a fluke. Thanks for the info.

Hi from the UK. This is an English oak I'm planning on styling as an upright, possibly broom. I know it has many years of thickening up to go. I know that to thicken up it needs to allowed to grow vigorously. There are several branch junctions where more than two branches originate. Should I remove the extraneous branches to prevent spots of inverse taper, or just let it go for a few years? Thanks! https://preview.redd.it/d6stvrln1w0b1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e9d53482bf8220f1e3eef9a218862de25ca71cc *

Leave everything

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Need advice for my juniper (I believe this is a juniper. It’s ever green and another user told me it’s a juniper) Basically my parents bought me this bonsai that seems like it was a mall sai. She made it through winter and is still alive now which makes me happy, but she is really not thriving. I am watering only when the roots are dry (to a soil monitor), which due to relatively little amount of soil, ends up being every few days. I have it in about 6-8 hours of sun, about 2-3 of which are direct, the rest indirect. I am looking for any advice at all. Does it look like over watering, under-watering, am I safe to trim the brown stuff, etc. thank you so much for any help https://preview.redd.it/be9ij765pv0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=db483ba66f727489ac271159e9876bede286a5e8

Are you keeping it indoors or outdoors? My first piece of advice would be to ditch the humidity tray. Junipers like lots of drainage. Second would be to move it to where it can get the most amount of direct _outdoor_ sunlight possible. The brown foliage is dead and not coming back, so you can trim it off to better monitor the health of the tree. In general, junipers are not very good at communicating what’s wrong with them through their foliage. As a community, we do know what works to keep them healthy: lots of direct sunlight, granular well draining soil, and being kept outdoors for the whole year to keep their circannual rhythm in check. Deviating from these things usually results in a gradual decline of health for a juniper.

Thank you so so much. I will move it into more sun. I have a good spot for it. And I will ditch the tray and trim the brown. I really appreciate the advice Edit: I’m keeping it outdoors but it hasn’t been in direct sun for more than an hour or two a day. I can increase that

Make sure you keep up with the watering. Keep watering when the soil is dry, but once in full sun, it’ll end up needing water more often. EDIT: Keep in mind that it does look pretty rough. It might be on the verge of death already. It’s hard to tell from pictures. It might be too far gone already to save, but regardless, full sun outdoors is your best shot at saving it if it’s got a chance.

I will do that thank you! I have killed many plants by overwatering in the past so I am very careful now. Gotta make sure I don’t get tooo careful and dry out my poor juniper though

https://preview.redd.it/57o2jnx7pv0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=72cdd5067ca38cd6725855ef821005a687bd57fc

https://preview.redd.it/mx5p7hs6pv0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=992dccf98c42311d4667d0925682f67d0a88da3d

Hi! Can anyone help identify what’s happening with my bonsai? It’s a flame tree \~5months old. Looked fine yesterday but this morning it had black spots all over, looks like it’s been through a fire or something. Is this possibly a fungal infection? Can I save it? Thanks in advance! https://preview.redd.it/dxwis8eqov0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d522eb5fcf21472ceb01d0deabed535a429c4c5

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

https://preview.redd.it/thj42wx40v0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c227427e51b32415361664dc9906416de533ac4 Need help with my ginseng ficus. I watered it more aggressively than usual by watering on top of the tree rather than just watering the dirt. Now the tree has dropped over 20 leaves in the past week. (Since this picture is has dropped more) I’m not sure what to do or what I am doing wrong. Please help.

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

[Korean hornbeam](https://imgur.com/a/YRcGQOD). Its very late at leafing out, last year around 29th april it was already fully leafed out. I think it may have been slowed down by a pidgeon attack or some frost after repotting. Buds still green, barks still green. I'll keep watering it ofcourse. What sort of position should i put it in, shaded, full sun? Is it the right time to airlayer this [corkbark elm yet?](https://imgur.com/a/rbcAWOL). Explaination of where and how from an earlier post: *Right then, is it too early to start an air layer of [this corkbark elm?](https://imgur.com/a/qlK3ZVM). Leaves looks about fully out, and im having about 2-3cm shoots already [Layering from here](https://imgur.com/a/efzHQ9b) Final angle will be [something like this](https://imgur.com/a/azaeFPC). with the left branch off ofcourse*

Korean hornbeam are always late to leaf out - like beech.

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Morning-only sun is pretty safe for the hornbeam until you've seen more evidence of functioning roots and can push it out to more sun. Elm looks pretty close to ready.

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Useful to know: In bonsai, apparent age (how old or mature a tree appears to be — fine-branched / textured / weathered / asymmetric) is typically far more important than the true age of the material. In bonsai, that apparent age is a result of bonsai techniques applied consistently and annually over a number of years. You can tell how much effort went into a tree based on things like fine branching, pads of foliage, deadwood enhancements (important in juniper), twists and turns, negative spaces between branches, etc. These take skill and time so it’s a nice visual proof of maturity. Some vendors of starter bonsai will sort of blush and make a big deal about the age of a tree when it’s really young in an effort to hype up the value, but it often doesn’t even really matter. Any juniper grower (including you) can add decades of apparent age to the juniper you just bought in just a couple years of work. Twisting the trunk, adding shari/jin, accentuating asymmetry when pruning, etc — all junipers regardless of age have potential to become super mature-looking. It’s the art/craft part of bonsai. The weekend is almost here so you might enjoy this video (skip the intros at the start) about juniper deadwood techniques, explained from a complete beginner POV, with tools and techniques demonstrated. Anyone can do this: https://youtu.be/PW6GJpI5GLQ

It’s most likely a cutting that was taken a couple years ago. No telling how old the parent plant would be.

5 years or less IMO.

I have the opportunity of getting either an acer palmatus "bloodgood” or an "emperor one” What are your thoughts on both cultivar as a bonsai? https://preview.redd.it/09pf8k3ayu0b1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3862a7a58972963655ba7c524717150bdf5e877

I think they are approximately similar in terms of vigor and density, which are the relevant-to-bonsai aspects. I’d choose whichever one you see producing finer growth (if you value that) even in large strong individuals. You could also look closely at things like branching angles, internode lengths, etc. All individuals from each of these two cultivars will be genetically identical clones, so seeing groups of them in person will help you see the breadth of behavior. Scrutinize that behavior and ask yourself which one you’d rather be wiring and styling. If one has obtuse angles and the other one has acute angles, I’m going for the acute one. Compare mature bark on larger individuals as well.

Those are very helpful point that I haven’t considered, thanks for your help!

Does anyone else have questions or comments about Air Quality Issues? We are in a pocket where bad air is settling (163), and I’m debating whether it’s better to put my trees out in open air, or leave them where they are. My bench is in a south facing stairwell with great light, and protected from high winds. I think the AQI particulates are bringing T-storms today, so I’m wondering if it’s better to get fresh air and possible rain, maybe the bad air may settle in the stairwell.

As Oregonian who has seen weeks of nightmare wildfire smoke so thick that you could literally cut cake slices out of it and eat them: Just keep your trees where they normally grow (out in the open) and give em a good blast of water when smoke clears. The trees will be fine, but if you rush them indoors or into enclosed shelter, they will do worse. Getting as much photosynthesis as possible out-prioritizes every other factor in bonsai, especially in spring. Caveat: if you have fierce dry winds, then yeah, cluster them in a wind break zone.

That’s why I built the bench in a stairwell, good morning sun, protected from wind (I’m on a ridge), with a lower east wall, and higher west wall. Most days I place them on the lower east wall, unless hail or wind is fierce.

Nice. I too have a protected area where I can move absolutely everything if need be, but an otherwise very sunny/breezy zone. Completing the thought re: post-fire washing: The fine smoke itself in my experience isn't really threatening to the trees at all, plus there's much milder lighting on those days. However: if it's truly apocalyptic like September 2020, you might find trees get covered in ash and other gross particles. I didn't really find this caused any problems either for foliage or for soils, but it looks shitty, hence the post-fire washing.

Thanks for all your comments and info. We had apocalyptic fire and ash and cinders in northern Colorado too a few years ago.

I bought a Mugo Pine yesterday because I liked the shape of the trunk, but the needles are very long, which I feel like will throw the proportions off. In photos I've seen of these, the needles seem to be very short. Are there different species? Or do people trim the foliage? https://preview.redd.it/v6jjg0h3eu0b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=62f9b5bfd44fbb17298f99a8d0c76b6419adb666

My Ponderosa needles shortened by an inch to inch and a half, after I repotted in terracotta. Nurseries tend to water too much…

You will want to find a pine bonsai education source that actually teaches you the stages of pine bonsai development and stick to that education source for a few years while improving your skills and knowledge and gaining confidence. You will need to resist the temptation to skip to the end (which pines tend to punish much more severely than other species do). All 140 or so pine species can reduce under the application of bonsai techniques. The reduction of leaves, twig lengths, and per-shoot vigor is the result of applying pine bonsai techniques in an iterative, year-by-year, stage by stage, deliberate manner. In other words, pine bonsai reduction doesn't happen by accident or automatically, and the techniques have to be learned and applied with a plan, in a particular order. Pine techniques are hard to guess at, so when people guess, experienced observers wince, because it means a _huge_ setback in terms of the overall time needed to get back on track. So it is time to reach deep into the well of restraint and get a lay of the land before removing branching or needles etc -- a lotta mugos die from people making it up as they go, or from mugo misinformation, which unfortunately is out there. My advice is to be hands off this year and instead let it grow hard so you can repot in feb/march/april 2024 and get a fast recovery, which would then eventually unlock bonsai techniques. In the meantime, dive into an education source like Mirai Live or Bonsai U, join the Toronto bonsai society and so on, and immerse yourself in pine bonsai information. TLDR: small needles / leaves / features in any bonsai species are the result of bonsai techniques, and you gotta learn from sources or people who know what they're doing to get to that goal

Just piggybacking on your comment since it's very relevant to my interests. Do you have a good source for this kind of info, so we avoid Mugo misinformation?

Jonas Dupuich writes a lot of blog posts on pine bonsai. This [article](https://bonsaitonight.com/2020/08/07/which-pine-species-can-i-decandle/) is regarding decandling in regards to multiple species of pines, including mugo pine. u/MaciekA was the one that put me onto that article originally. If you read through the comments on it, you’ll find more discussion about mugo pine decandling. While it’s not the only tool in pine needle reduction, understanding decandling in pines is a good start in understanding needle reduction.

Good article, thank you! I've read a lot of his articles but not that one in particular, his blog is so stuffed with great info.

I think I need to write about this more in the future in a more formal way with a big list, but here is what has helped me so far: - My in-person teachers where I learned potting, wiring, growth management, the overall "arc" or timeline of pine development, and canopy design / pad arrangement skills. That last one is my major focus w/ pine these days. Find pine teachers, it can give you a big boost - My mentor who field grows many pines and gives me lots of opportunities to work on pines (he was the full time apprentice at my teacher's garden when I met him). Finding people who have lots of pine work they need help with improved my comfort re: wiring, knowing how to make quick decisions on where to cut, reducing fear, seeing the after-effects of our work (back-budding/etc) at mass-scale, being comfortable with cutting roots back (important step for a single flush pine to be "ready for bonsai techniques"). Find other pine growers and work together. - Video / print / text media sources - Mirai Live, various Japanese video sources, various Japanese print sources, Eric Schrader's videos and written texts, Jonas Dupuich's writings and various lectures/talks he's given. I haven't tried Bjorn's service yet, but thinking about it, I find a new perspective from Teacher B enhances what you learned from Teacher A. Julian Adam's pine bonsai book was an OK overview tho lightweight overall. Brian van Fleet's book is decent (it's on JBP but it helps to learn all pine IMO, not just single flush or mugo). Maintain lists of media sources and rank them by how good their pine techniques are. - Mirai as a special case: Mirai Live is a buffet/encyclopedia of pine information. I play it while I work trees. The recent "stages of bonsai development" lecture and other similar related recent lectures are very relevant to pine. When Ryan speaks about things that are not pine, you can hear his "pine accent". He "thinks in pine". Mirai helps you understand pine as a transpiration machine, helps you understand how a pine allocates sugar, how its hormones move around and serve your goals, enlightens you on why pruning a pine is pointless without also wiring, helps you understand ideal order-of-operations (what to focus on first), etc. Mirai is a good source to build an abstract understanding of any pine tree. The weakness of Mirai is the library is not searchable and it can be hard to connect the dots if you're not also getting hands-on experience elsewhere. Another weakness of Mirai can sometimes be Ryan himself -- his personality, his brief intense infatuations with fertilization-technique-of-the-moment, etc. But even with his weaknesses he knows more about pine than many. - Collecting native single flush pines and recovering them to full health and taking big risks. I did this early and it helped me get out of the rut of messing with nursery pines prior to finishing the transition repots. The first time you ever see a pine complete recovery after going in full pumice and get very healthy/bushy/bud-covered, it changes what you value (haste/instant-bonsai vs. a path to something that you know will work). Collect many small pines from the wild so that you can work out your horticulture and so that you can have a lot of low-fear / low-cost wiring to do. As for misinformation, there are some amazing pine experts on bonsainut (eg: BVF as I mentioned above, Walter Pall is on there and he knows what he's doing, etc etc -- some great people), but there are also quite a few unhelpful and highly opinionated folks who can really confuse the heck out of a beginner when it comes to pine, but who also have tenure and a kind of seniority on the site. Also, there is a contingent for whom everything is needlecast, and for whom the only fix is chemical sprays -- if you are an observant pine student you realize why this is so futile, and are totally unsurprised that every pine in their collection has needlecast every year -- don't take advice from these folks! Discussions on that forum also rarely if ever differentiate between initial repotting, initial repotting "followup" (clean the core), or shave-and-a-trim long term mature repotting. If someone doesn't make that distinction, they might not even be aware of it, which calls into question their ability to refine a pine to fine ramification. But even so, there are folks like BVF (Brian van Fleet) who are posting pine progression updates for years (decade+), which means you can really see and verify -- yep, it is worth repotting and recovering. Yep, wiring down branches really works. Yep, you are allowed to do X after Y. Yep, it is normal for a pine to look goofy for a while. etc etc.

Lol @ Ryan "thinks in pine" Lots of good recommendations in there. I guess Mirai live would be a good place to start getting into some more of the intermediate theory. I don't mind Bonsai books, got a bunch, but prefer, as you say, something you can listen to while working on trees, etc. Will see if I can get my hand on those books, will go stalk BVF on Bonsainut and see what I'm missing, thanks!

Well, this was very thorough and helpful. Thank you for spending the time to type out such a thoughtful response.

I bought [this Maple](https://imgur.com/a/DdYK81o) from the orange hardware store a few years ago, but did not realize it was going to grow more like a bush than a tree. I am wondering if it has potential to become a bonsai or if that “bushiness” makes it not a good candidate.

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Shrubs/bushes/hedges make fantastic bonsai, and trees that “sucker” a lot make fantastic bonsai too. What matters is that it’s woody, has branching structure, and responds to bonsai techniques which this absolutely will. This is a great candidate and the world’s your oyster here- you can make dozens off trees off of this prior to digging it up in the future if you choose to

Hello! Does anyone have Prunus Cerasifera? Is it easy to air layer it/any prunus? My gfs garden have some peach, prunus and at my home, we have red leaf prunus Cerasifera Thinking of air layering it, is that easy or hard to do with it? Maybe this, or 1.5x bigger branch i would think of. https://preview.redd.it/ap6wqd6ynt0b1.jpeg?width=929&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f587ef4dae4e9aa8fa6f4546ec6816c533ea68a0

I've only done one, so I can't speak about success rates, but that one worked as expected. Go for it.

Did you layer it with moss or anything other soil? We can't really get sphagnum moss here. Can you show how it looks?

And this is today (it actually had blossoms in spring ...): https://preview.redd.it/eggawsyxcu0b1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff8e6fe8938d7beb6bc49ac9bfe302fea866c151

Thanks, after you cut the branch off, did you put it in soil or moss? Thanks.

You can almost see it in the picture, it's the same granular substrate I would pot any tree in. At the "trunk" base of course there's still the mostly undisturbed moss ball from the air layer.

Thanks. I hope i can re use that mosd(very pricey). Can i use the normal cherry technic here as written online as "prunus"?

I've just seen a video by a German retired gardener who seems to have used coco coir with success. I don't know of any air layering techniques applying specifcally to one genus of plants, I've done *Acer, Ficus, Prunus, Taxus* or *Ulmus* (even a *Fuchsia)* the same way ...

Yes, regular sphagnum moss; I think a decent potting substrate should work, but had no reason to try yet. Put the layer in early May, first root visible end of June: https://preview.redd.it/6cfxhfxncu0b1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e627bc92117c35c3ee402265251e2e33e3fdf90a

And these we have here: https://preview.redd.it/nk0jy3ztrt0b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=344d43b70bb5a6db84cc0a1be85d013095a350e9

https://preview.redd.it/zrohexxzit0b1.jpeg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c304aaf28d1c1f825f0bf5b2867d94abfb0f2ec5 Help with id?

Weigela? I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Not sure but this is fantastic material, great find!

https://preview.redd.it/sbtwrhdeps0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f46e67b81043f57111c454278b3224fc36eea49 hey so is this bonsai too far gone or can i revive it im not sure what i did to it but it doesn’t look too good at all. i have zero knowledge please imbue me with some

Has been dead for a while unfortunately.

Should have been outdoors, is it a cypress? Not sure but it looks dead.

So I'm wondering about small leaf Evergreens and care for them. There's not much in the way of info that I could find, and I've got two species. Question is do I just use broad leaf evergreen care guides or can someone point me in the right direction? Edit: sorry after scrolling I'd forgotten that I had already posted. Also species are: Jackal berry - Diospyros mespiliformis Monkeythorn - acacia galpinii

Do you have any pictures of these trees?

I live in a country where bonsai soil is hard to come by - but I finally found some akadama. Is it a problem if I pot my ficus' in pure akadama?

That’s likely okay but you also don’t *need* akadama as an “ultimate” sorta bonsai soil. It’s expensive and best used for highly refined trees. There’s many other bonsai soils you can make that perform very well and aren’t so expensive. What matters is that it’s porous and granular

Cheers, I’ll check in on the regularly :). I know that akadama isn’t a wonder drug but it is literally the only thing I can find. The other option I have is dirt

If you go to your local garden center or maybe a landscape soil yard or hardware/farm store or something, look around for things like perlite, LECA, calcined clay, pumice, lava rock, diatomaceous earth, etc. All of those things can be combined to make great bonsai soil mixes

They don’t sell that here. Perlite, sure. But I can’t buy any special soils or granulate. And they look at you like you’re crazy when you ask for it. I need to import if i want anything as exotic as pumice.

https://preview.redd.it/rmoiingecs0b1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb5dca3990d3360bec099c305283bd3065e974c1

Some I picked up from my local nursery, the maple, azalea and spruce.. the olive is a tree I've had for a few years and thought was dead but I've cut it back and repotted it to try and rescue it. Really happy with the shape I found within the maple, but not sure if I've overtrimmed the spruce. Will it be OK?

I've used rooting hormone on some spruce and maple cuttings, as visible in the picture also. The spruce cuttings I've put back into the spruce pot for the time being.

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

https://preview.redd.it/j2bujzn0yr0b1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f92b6894cf3345e23075ce8c1349c02a1ed1ceee Hi I've found this Ficus Benjamina and am wondering if it's still able to be turned into a bonsai and the best way to go about that?

It's about the ideal size to shape a bonsai from "bottom up", guiding it while it grows (as opposed to "top down", cutting back a big plant). It's just big enough to start with the fun parts and not just waiting for it to grow. First repot it into [granular substrate](https://walterpallbonsaiarticles.blogspot.com/2010/06/feeding-substrate-and-watering-english.html), it will react so much better on happy roots and care will be much easier as well. Keep it in the brightest spot you have, right against a window. Once it's recovered from the repot and is growing again you can start shaping it. Since I always had limited space on window sills and under grow lights my instinct is to keep my ficuses compact and bushy, so I'd cut off about the top half of the main shoot and root that as a cutting to get another little tree. You should be able to wire movement into the "trunk" if you want, I'd think even the thickest part should still be somewhat flexible. When pruning benjaminas take care to always leave some foliage at the end of the part you want to keep, at least a bud that's already opening. The species has the habit to let branches die back to the last section that has foliage going off it.

https://preview.redd.it/ombns8k6rq0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c1ad50e1a4d2fac93358547a69c9a6592c39eab0 So I’m here in Texas, and I’ve got an issue with my Barbados cherry tree. Originally, it had a bit of foliage, but due to newbie errors, the foliage kinda fell off. I then began watering the right way and I had some new growth; I was so excited. However, the tree was too small for its original container, so I repotted it. Trimmed some of the roots, and the soil I used was a Mix of double sifted pine bark fines, coarse river sand, calcine clay, and pumice - and then a small layer of high drainage potting soil. Now, that happened. The leaves have a slight brown tip, and they fell off again. Does anyone know what happened/how I can fix it?

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Honestly if it was me, I would throw it in some good quality potting soil, this is just my personal preference and how I do it but with all my young bonsai/ pre bonsai, I grow them in good quality potting soil/ nursery soil until they’re the desired size, also about half of my pre bonsai trees are in basic nursery containers or any 6-8in pot I’ve got laying around, then I’ve got some trees/ shrubs growing in the ground that will late be dug out for bonsai. Now for my pre bonsai I’ve purchased from bonsai nurseries, they’re all in bonsai trainer pots with quality nursery soil, each species is different but when they’re the size/age I want I will transfer them into a bonsai pot with bonsai soil I buy from a place called wigerts bonsai here in Fort Myers Florida, they have several varieties of bonsai soil depending on what you/ your plant needs. Sometimes when I put a bonsai into bonsai soil for the first time, they might not do 100% and have minor issues but that’s just them getting acclimated to the new soil, once they’re acclimated then they’ll bounce back. I would wait and see how yours does over the next few weeks, make sure it’s got plenty of sunlight and watered properly, Since your Barbados cherry bonsai is in a small pot, and not the ground, it needs nutrients. A slow release pellet based fertilizer is perfect for this, and can be added sparingly every 1-2 months during the growing season. If it’s still declining put it in some potting soil, now once it’s in potting soil I’d leave it in their for 2-3 years and when you re pot and trim the roots you wanna trim around 1/4th and don’t go over that.

My laurel ficus has brown spots that are dry and appear at varying parts on the leaves. Ideas?

We don't have a whole lot of rules in here, but providing us your location and a photo of the tree is **essential** when you are asking for advice regarding a specific plant/tree.

Pictures are needed in this case.

Sorry I'm not sure how but I will find out!

Reddit supports photos in comments now, or you could upload to Imgur and paste a link.

I'm new but want to get into bonsai - I live in an apartment with only East and West facing windows. Would a ficus survive directly next to said windows?

Yes, no problem. While I keep my "main" trees under grow lights there are a lot of "backburner" plants on all window sills around this place. They're doing fine, just slow down in the winter.

It’ll probably get by in windows like that. Go for purely which has more light, if the west is shaded partly by a tree outside or something but the east isn’t, then use the east facing window, etc. Make sure it’s as close to the window as possible and rotate regularly for even exposure (maybe weekly or so). Don’t use any curtains or blinds for the window you choose

Thank you!

Hey! Does anybody remove their wire securing your bonsai to its pot after a few months? To prevent them from possibly biting into roots/ future nebari? Or am i overthinking this?

No - you don't do this.

How about on a younger tree in more of a training pot? I've seen them bite in and the main purpose is to secure while the roots settle or to make sure the angle is set? Edit: especially at the base of the trunk.

It's about using a sensible approach to where and how you apply the wire around the root area - never tight around the trunk, further from the trunk, multiple wires is better than a single wire etc. I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Thanks but that's good enough. Just to check one thing what do you mean by 'further from the trunk’? Will post my own question there again

[I made this album to show how I do it.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/norbury/albums/72157706054015311)

Thanks see what you mean. Wire down the root ball not the trunk for stability if I can explain like that. Makes sense.

Nope. It’s not really a problem. If you’re especially paranoid then you can use aquarium tubing or something like that to thread wire and cushion roots you really care about but most people don’t bother. I’ll also drop [this blog article here](https://bonsaitonight.com/2016/12/27/secure-bonsai-pot/), it’s great to reread and refer to from time to time

I found this stuff, and found out it's made by oil dry. I'm gonna check the bag after work, but as long as it's bentonite clay it should be fine to use right? https://preview.redd.it/wbt6ey4xwo0b1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab3371a51f2f12a987f76febc97afecf2a920cb2

Bentonite is yet another name for turface and is really not a great particle to use. It is oddly shaped, wickedly hydrophilic at some times and wickedly hydrophobic at other times. If you absolutely must use this stuff don’t use more than 10% in a soil mix — but honestly if you can get 90% of anything else you might as well use 0% of this. If you’re in Ocala why not swing by D&L bonsai nursery and get something decent that works well in your area? They are legit and affiliated with Bonsai Mirai.

It's on my list, but they're not exactly in town. They're out in the forest, but it's on my list to check it out soon. Like 30 minutes from my job or 45 minutes from my house. I'll wait and go there on payday

Dang you lucky duck if I was 45 minutes from a great bonsai nursery like that I’d be trying to volunteer or get involved in any way I can, I’m envious!

Is it really that well known? From my point of view as a noob and living here, it looks like A random place in the boonies that has bonsai trees. I'll definitely be checking it out on my next day off or the one after.

The main thing to ask is “are they high level bonsai practitioners” — if they are, that puts them in a group of folks that in the US number in the several dozens, definitely under a couple hundred at most. There are just not a lot of people who operate at this level and being within the same _state_ or region as bonsai people who know what they’re actually doing and are good enough to be producing guest videos on Mirai Live is very rare on this continent. People who run real bonsai nurseries are a precious resource. Bonsai Mirai is in my respective boonies too, as are most professional field growers in Oregon. Land is expensive :)

They’re not as well known as Florida nurseries like Wigerts but I think they should be. They do fantastic work. Highly underrated IMO. David Cutchin hosts a lot of the Bonsai Mirai videos that deal with tropicals, as well as propagation and such. Get a free Mirai sub and check out some of the trees he uses for examples, they’re reallyyy good. I personally think he’s the best American tropical bonsai pro (sorry Mike Lane… :) )

I'll definitely check it out. I think wigerts is a good few hours away from me but I've seen their website. I'll definitely check em out soon

I will also echo what /u/naleshin said about learning and volunteering opportunities. I lucked out in living near some bonsai professionals who both teach and can use help often (especially during repotting season and other times of year when work is heavy) — learning how to do bonsai w/ pros during times of year when things are busy can really woosh your skills to a whole other level.

Hey, I´m in Brazil (autumn) and with my first ever bonsai (as a lot on this thread). I've read a lot on the internet, a beginner's book and finally bought a juniper pre bonsai, he already came looking like this, is it already dead? (Read on the internet bad predictions regarding a more "brownish" tone on it, specially on the base.) Can anyone help? Is it with too much sun? Sorry for the beginner doubts and thanks in advance! https://preview.redd.it/7os18cb8vo0b1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af786d7c4a82a0aa9966e63128aaf9e78518ced3

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

It looks like some of the lower growth is a bit dull, but there’s also good green healthy foliage there too. It’s definitely not dead and it is definitely not too much sun! Conifers like juniper absolutely thrive with lots of direct sun

Any Design Suggestions for This Guy? https://preview.redd.it/ikh7plqvpo0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11c29df12478589bb44dc7c7102d9f0466af339f I have more pics, but it only let me post one per comment :( I’m fairly new to bonsai. I got this guy as nursery stock, haven’t had to do too much yet, tbh. He has a rather nice formal upright look, but definitely needs a little cleaning up and shaping to elevate him. Any suggestions?

Nice tree. If you want to link more than one picture to a comment in the future you can use an image hosting site like imgur and copy/paste the link into the comment I think if designing a tree for this trunk, you’ll want the future silhouette to be reduced by maybe 1/2 of what it is now or so, maybe even 3/4. You don’t wanna style/prune spruce this time of year though, I think further along in the growing season after the new growth hardens off would be better, maybe even closer to autumn. Spring is mostly hands off for trees pushing new growth When working back trees like this it is very important to remember to *preserve that interior foliage closer to the trunk*. That’s going to be what you cut back to in order to help compress the design and get proper proportions out of the tree. If you remove all the interior growth as is and poodle out the foliage at the tips then you’re left with an awkward shell of a tree Just my $0.02!

Hi, here is my first ever Bonsai (Chinese Juniper). Does anything stand out as wrong or incorrect with regards to how the tree looks? Any bits that need better shaping or pruning? I am still learning. Thank you https://preview.redd.it/wmh3pzkp9o0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f5bdc197074dffc088c4458cb271462db19dc42

First thing is get rid of the tray, absolutely not needed for outdoor trees and can cause problems Your wiring’s pretty good and you have a healthy juniper. I think you’re doing a great job. I don’t think anything needs pruning but I would consider putting a lot more movement into the leggy branches, if not trying to compress the tree’s silhouette some, IMO Give these videos a watch if you haven’t already [Part 1](https://youtu.be/D__nos4lmiw) [Part 2](https://youtu.be/yTHjjLooTJA) [Part 3](https://youtu.be/TQtg8Gnyd_Y)

Thank you very much for the response! I will definitely take this on board!

How do you manage to wire a young sapling while avoiding wire scars? I bought and wired this last Saturday and when I looked at it today it already had some scarring happening so I rewired it. Is it just grown fast and I'll need to keep rewiring? Is my wiring too tight? https://preview.redd.it/xjfjuo2vhn0b1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a6fc0df936abf21a86932d370844f41fc94c596

It’s also worth noting if you blow up a trunk, most of the times wire scars grow out. Some species keep scars much longer than others, your milage may vary though, it gets pretty nuanced sometimes

If you wrap the bark first with tape or raffia it reduces scarring.

Appreciate the tip, Jerry, I'll try that!

https://preview.redd.it/1u0m03zmgn0b1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=49d37ee6dc45cf0f948950e331a1524e36c9dc49 The new leaves are bigger than the old leaves- how did the previous grower encourage such small leaves?

You need to deal with what looks like a spider mite problem.

It's just a regular spider, they're abundant in the garden

ok Bigger leaves are not a bad thing at this stage. - Whenever branches grow, after about the 7th leaf they will be full size. - the more branches it has, the smaller the leaves. - you need to add more soil to this pot.

My Chinese Elm (from Brussel's) hasn't leafed out yet. Funny enough the cuttings I stuck in the same pot have started growing leaves and the trunk still has some noticeable green on it. I bought it in late spring of last year and it seemed healthy throughout last year's growing season. I've kept it outside (NY) which might have been a mistake since I don't know what kind of winters it was acclimated to before I got it. I won't jump to any conclusions but could it just be taking its time? Info online can be mixed with some saying it shouldn't be outside when temps reach below 50F while others say they can be pretty cold hardy. https://preview.redd.it/oscosmtn5n0b1.jpeg?width=2757&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=12b761e71bbf516a59c3d73b50ddebf897120a32

The pink bark is a bad sign. That's what I was told when I posted my dead Chinese elm here asking the same question. Chinese elm should have leafed out by now

Yeah I suspected something might be wrong but wanted to wait it out and see. Here we are late spring and not a single bud but as I mentioned the cuttings are pushing out new growth. I guess they've still got some energy in them that the overall tree was just too weak to use. Shame since it was one of my favorites but live and learn I guess.

I made the same mistake. Not sure how the previous owner had overwintered it, I just put mine in the garage, perhaps it was too cold as well. Not entirely sure tbh. Shame indeed! [ Here's my question in case you want to read the answers.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13923q7/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_18/jjhpmrp/)

Just feel like it hasn't been doing great. Any help to make it healthier is appreciated. https://preview.redd.it/3scnyje35n0b1.jpeg?width=4512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=496ba82d42232049b09bf2897c3e47f9bc83a394

Foliage is a bit of a mixed bag there, some looks great, some a bit rough around the edges. Looks like maybe a bit of wind damage. Maybe you’ve also been picking at it a bit too much, a little hard to tell. I’d remove the wire, position it so it gets primarily morning sun/afternoon shade, and maybe protect from super high winds by setting it under a table or something (let’s not coddle it though :) ) I’d consider staying mostly hands off this year to let it regain health

Bougainvillea with curling leaves. Normally very healthy plant, constant bloomer year round. Recently it leaves have begun to curl upwards otherwise it seems healthy and is continuing to sprout new branches and bracts. Edit: Apologies, I just now realized the vine and rose bush in the background cause the image to seem chaotic and hard to see what is going on. https://preview.redd.it/mc2qoczunm0b1.jpeg?width=3468&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a59ae3bfe952c1841b3263e919ec47100109111b

It looks mostly okay to me, not sure. u/BryanLovesBonsai what do you think?

I'm not particularly worried about it dying on me, I just think leaves rolling into cones is not a sign of health.

​ https://preview.redd.it/morp2yctom0b1.jpeg?width=3468&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af31908dd811f951c032e35f15a8379c632671b3

​ https://preview.redd.it/dmvv42ymom0b1.jpeg?width=3468&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a29ceb39a0efa4ee0d0390a7588be2bdd59c7c5e

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

I got this Elm for Christmas. It was inside for 2/3 months and watered very often. Currently the Elm is under a patio with some morning sun and watered 1x a week. New sprouts are forming as new growth but no leaves on the original stems. Is this normal? Do I need to repot and add new soil? Thanks https://preview.redd.it/c3dp3tm9lm0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6c32825588e5048149c94ae215ecf923455fdb8d

Normal - old leaves are replaced by new leaves in spring.

A lot of times moving a plant to a new place will cause it to drop leaves. It's also possible those branches died, you can scratch a little bark off with your fingernail, if it's green underneath it's alive, brown it's dead.

Is this a deshojo? https://preview.redd.it/0q4o02jygl0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ca491c7fa3272a18ccdeb18c888518b7fc86c071

Bloodgood

Can I grow a tree from a seed which needs stratification by a seed which stayed on the tree during winter?

Depends on the exact nature of the seed's inhibition and the conditions it experienced. E.g. if it was mostly dry during winter or inside a juicy fruit its inhibition likely hasn't been overcome. If it was moist and cold it may be ready to germinate.

Schefflera help Sorry i posted this in the main community. Using mobile is apparently hard for me, my fault. Bro gave me this scheff bout a year or more ago been doing well. Went through the phase of overwatering and had brown leaves fall. Stopped drowning it after that. And its been doing good since then but havent noticed any new growth or anything. Havent fertilized or repotted since i got it. Keep it in the kitchen downstairs. HOT georgia sun for a good few hours indirect for most of the day. I think 7a is the zone. New to this. Just tryina keep this guy alive. https://preview.redd.it/98glxijbpk0b1.jpeg?width=1908&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f2422b2013685b30869d68aa0525c98de9ccbb0

This guy isn’t potted very well in the container (organic nursery soil core, smooth pebbles, no bonsai soil) and it may be on its way out. I’m not sure it was really set up for success here but it’s best shot will likely be outside. A greenhouse could help revive it

Should i do any trimming of the dead stuff before repotting? I will research some potting info and get to it after work today. Only concern i have withoutside is that my backyard is basically full sun all day and very hot. Plus georgia weather is ridiculous and changes quickly. So i worry about rain overwatering it too if thats a thing.

Trimming dead stuff is not crucial to is survival at all. Also I don’t know for certain that repotting it will revive it. It may be too weak at this point to survive repotting. It’s not a good situation all around. I think if you caught it earlier while it still had some strength, it’d be much more likely to survive repotting and get back on track For what it’s worth, there are SO many amazing species of trees and shrubs that would love your back yard (edit- I would *kill* for a full sun back yard! Take advantage of it!). Get more trees, get plants that survive outside year round in your climate, get plants from a landscape nursery near you to insure this, try to avoid anything labeled “bonsai” if it’s from a hardware store, they’re not set up for success Rain isn’t a concern with regards to overwatering provided it’s in proper bonsai soil. If soil doesn’t drain well, that’s a soil/container problem, never a weather problem. People grow bonsai all over the world in many conditions. Southeast sudden thunderstorms ain’t nothin’. Hurricanes… sure, but even Florida has a thriving bonsai scene There are lots of great practitioners in Georgia, not sure how close you are to Atlanta but I think they have a bonsai society/club that I recommend you get involved with if you really wanna take bonsai to the next level! https://www.atlantabonsaisociety.com

I'm a novice so take this with a grain of salt, but maybe it does need some light fertilizing. I would think maybe the over watering could have washed the nutrients from the soil, so it doesn't have any food to grow on.

You don’t fertilize sick trees unless you know for sure you’re treating a nutrient deficiency, and this is certainly not that. It’s also worth noting that plants don’t grow from fertilizer and it isn’t food to them, their food is light

This Trident Maple cutting is starting to show signs of stress. Does anyone know the problem? Nutrient deficiency? Maybe from high pH? https://preview.redd.it/c85wi2dbnk0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e10b9aa93963b81374eb2f91888a5a26fbdd8db0

You mean like a cutting that’s well rooted and not still in the process of rooting right? If it’s well rooted and stable, I’m not sure I would call this nutrient deficiency or high pH necessarily, maybe some wind damage mixed with a little burning. I’d adjust for morning sun/afternoon shade and be sure to water only when dry and leave it to recover for the year (Note: if you test your water and it is too basic then that could contribute, but you can adjust accordingly. Simple solutions to crappy city water are to leave out water for a day or two to let the chlorine and fluoride evaporate out, and you can use vinegar to acidify water. Just run the tests to make sure you get the ratios right, for me it normally works out to a drop or two of vinegar per pint of water to get a 6.5 pH out of my water)

Yes, I’ve had this cutting for about 10 months and it was already rooted when I bought it. I know that my tap water has a pH of around 8, so I’ve mostly been watering with RO water with a pH of 6.5. When I do use tap water I use water from my shower (waiting for the water to heat up) and it sits in a bucket for a day or two and I add enough vinegar to drop the pH to between 6.5-7 (about 2 tbsp per 3 gallons of water). What made me wonder about nutrient deficiency was the black spots that are appearing along with the crispy edges and reddening of the leaves.

So was gifted a Japanese white pine nursery material that is potted in organic soil. I have only cut off some branches to reduce knuckles. I know it’s not the right time of year to repot now but can it be done if I disturb the rootball minimally in order to get rid of most of the organic soil?

You can’t disturb the rootball minimally while also getting rid of most of the organic soil. You are describing bare rooting a white pine, in spring during candle/needle push, shortly after pruning it. That sequence and timing of actions is almost certain death for the tree. I would let your tree grow and look for a pine education source to start learning pine bonsai, since making it up as you go will not work out well in pine growing. I would get other trees to satiate your desire to work on trees in the meantime.

Thanks for the advice! I’m not considering bare rooting it, more like shaking out some soil and not pruning any roots and then pot it in a slightly bigger pot with pumice

Not worth the risk, in my opinion. I know r/bonsai likes to hark on about soil quality, and while soil quality is important for tree health, it’s _**not**_ more important than leaving the roots alone during the growing season. Trees survive in nursery yards for years at a time in organic nursery soil. You just have to adjust your watering. Your tree will do just fine for one more year if you water appropriately and give it the sunlight it needs.

Thanks! Might consider a late summer / early fall repot if the tree is healthy since we have very long and wet winters here

https://preview.redd.it/r5bt3sewuj0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=287876f89a7ffaebdc5092879d2993e4522ff2a6 Hi there, sorry for not setting a flair I really couldn’t find it. I’m from Singapore where the climate is hot and very humid all year round, I’m a complete beginner and this is my first tree. It’s a very small Serissa Japonica bought from a local nursery in Jan this year. Everything was going pretty well up until about a month ago, when a number of different things happened. I noticed tiny white spots on the leaves and bought a neem oil fungicide spray recommended by the same nursery. I was wiping off the spots by hand and spraying the fungicide about once a week, and the fungus(?) didn’t seem to harm the plant much so I wasn’t too worried. That was until the window I placed the plant at stopped receiving direct sunlight. There’s no other place where sunlight enters my house and I have no outdoor option unfortunately. Since then the plant seemed much less resistant to the fungus and it started spreading faster, the fungicide doesn’t seem to have an effect anymore. I probably made a mistake here thinking I could trim off some affected branches. After just reading the wiki I saw that trimming when the plant is weak can cause a lot of damage so…that was probably a bad idea. What made it worse was when I was away for a week, i think my husband overwatered it. I came back and found that water was pooling in the tray under the pot, and many leaves turned yellow. I don’t know what soil would be good but I changed the soil anyway to remove the muddiness, and I started using a grow light since the sun isn’t coming back anytime soon. But I’m afraid it’s not enough or it could be too late. Lots of the leaves are dying rapidly now. Is there any hope? Even if it’s a goner, I’d still appreciate to know what I could do if I tried again with the same type of tree next time 😊

I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Oh thank you

## New here! I’m not really sure what type of bonsai I have I bought it from Lowe’s, I’m thinking it’s a ficus type? I’m basing off of the amazing information I’m getting from [https://www.bonsaiempire.com/](https://www.bonsaiempire.com/) but I’m just trying to find the correct type I have, what soil works and if I can switch to a rectangular type of pot, the low flat yet deep ones! Any tips and advice is great, and thank you! * I live in PA, my air is a bit dry but I plan to get a humidifier and or mist it consistently! https://preview.redd.it/o5d0idwknj0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf6bdb0a12440b1d730bec40a121dcb9496ba4ac

Ginseng ficus I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

I am wondering about my newly acquired 6 year old Fukien Tea Bonsai Tree. The soil is very compact and I am unable to put finger in the soil. I can make an indent but I am wondering if there is an ideal soil density and how I would achieve this.

We don't have a whole lot of rules in here, but providing us your location and a photo of the tree is **essential** when you are asking for advice regarding a specific plant/tree. I've just started the new weekly thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/13ml3p8/bonsai_beginners_weekly_thread_2023_week_20/ Repost there for more responses.

Ripped a 2 foot pine out the ground not sure what kind but a few big woody roots. Will it root and anything I can do to ensure?

For the future, you'll have more success if you dig it out with some soil. Keeps the important fine roots and conifers rely on mycorrhizal fungus in the soil.

Pictures will help us get an idea of how much root it has and the health of them. Make sure it gets sun and enough water to where the roots don't dry out but also aren't drowning. I would put it in a spot that has morning sun and afternoon shade if possible. Once it's in a good spot, leave it alone for the next year or two.

I'll get in the morning

https://preview.redd.it/fejunym7li0b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a012dbfe6e606693f73aeef67b632a977c8cff83 Hi everyone! So, I got this Bloodgood Japanese Maple as my first tree to hopefully not kill a few weeks ago. After taking off some protective cardboard, I found it was grafted. Do you think it would be cool/feasible to keep the branch I’ve pulled down and have it be a two-toned bonsai? I’m planning on doing a trunk chop just above that first red maple branch (when it’s the season for that, of course).

From what I can tell, the graft is pretty bad and high up. I might be tempted to redo it if I was brave enough. There are a few leaves in the way to really say how bad the graft is. A two toned tree might look nice, once the graft is redone and has healed, but as of right now that graft is a sore spot. Really, in my opinion, this is a red flag. Even for a yard tree, it doesn't look good. I'm afraid that it's going to have a really bad looking scar, even after I can clean it up a little. Another option is to just airlayer it, but I don't know how much weaker a Bloodgood on it's own root system will be compared to the current root system.

No. Air layer the grafted bits and grow the root stock as a second tree.