Bonsai Sageretia tree

The Jammy dodger

Got a Bonsai Sageretia tree. Just wondering how often do you water your bonsai tree or does it vary from species to species?

I have to start feed it in the growing season every two weeks from march. I have decided on using chempak to feed it with. How do I take care not to burn the roots?

Any advice appreciated.

looksee

Looking after bonsai can be a bit specialised and I don't think we have any bonsai experts on here (apologies if I am wrong ) so this site may be of assistance http://www.bargain-bonsai.co.uk/Bargain-Bonsai-Sageretia-Care-Sheet.htm

Oldtree

have an old book 1966 on it, its a good read:
http://www.amazon.com/Bonsai-Culture-miniature-trees-Sunset/dp/0376030429

specific advice from the book about fertiliser is:

in diluting a commercial plant food dont make a richer solution than is called for in the directions as that can harm the plant very easily, better to overdilute then underdilute. Make sure pot is wet before feeding. drainage is very important with bonsai.

My own advice (based on growing many house plants like orchids), but not specifically bonsai, is to use a ready to use organic liquid manure, more than enough for any plant. also difficult to over do.
I also use a tray under the pots and this tells me when the pot needs water, this also keeps the pot at field capacity and avoids overwatering, maintaining moisture is important with your chosen plant.
I also use liquid seaweed in the water every now and then to bolster the micronutrients available to the plants, kinda like a vitamin pill to them I think.

there is plenty of specific advice for your plant on the net such as:
http://www.bonsaiempire.com/tree-species/sageretia-theezans
read as much as you can to get a good overview

The Jammy dodger

Thank you people for the advice. With the species I have, it normally survives in hot regions such as parts of china and America. But apparently it can survive just below freezing so definitely an indoor plant.

I guess feeding it will require overdiluting a little rather than under. I've read some sites now and they do say chempak is good for bonsai so might try that when the growing season approaches.

I'm thinking about the watering here. It says never to allow the tree to dry out completely before watering. That I should water it when slightly moist? I usually once a day or once every two days let it soak in very slightly luke warm water ( as not to shock this warm regional plant with cold water ) for about 10 to 15 minutes. I do this in order to let whatever water it wants to take it and then I let it drain. I cover the plant with the water that is and let it soak. Is that a good idea?

Oldtree

If you are happy to water every day or so then things should be fine as long as the drainage in your medium is good and the pot dosnt become waterlogged. The only problem is that the plant will get used to those conditions and if you go away then there would be problems. perhaps keep an eye on things and see how far you can go with the slightly moist conditions. It may be that you could go to every 3rd day or so depending on how hot or cold it gets. I prefer to stress my indoor plants by doing the minimum of water and fertiliser, sometimes taking them to the very edge of wilting.

One way around the watering when away (for smaller pots) is to fill the kitchen sink with water and then use capillary matting up onto the drainer. This ensures pots get sufficient water, but mine are used to being watered from trays underneath so i'm unsure if this will work with pots that are used to being watered from the top.

i saw some fantastic bonsai in chelsea when I went a number of years ago, the trees were startling in their form. the pruning of bonsai is clearly an art in itself.

The Jammy dodger

Yeah its just that this particular plant is tropical. So I think being watered often is not a problem for it. However I would like to see if I can at least stretch it to every 2nd day and just give it a regular misting in between.

At the moment there seems to be some white spots on some of its leaves, it then turns brown and the leaf eventually dies. Any idea as to what this could be?

Oldtree

sounds like a mould of some description, maby the plant dosnt need misting and watering so much esp in the cold winter here when the plant would not be transpiring as much.

The Jammy dodger

Oldtree wrote: »

sounds like a mould of some description, maby the plant dosnt need misting and watering so much esp in the cold winter here when the plant would not be transpiring as much.

Yeah could be over watering. Hard to know with a Bonsai.

Oldtree

I give my sundews and orchids rain water only, as they cannot take the chlorine in the tap water, I wonder if that would also have an impact on a bonsai?

The Jammy dodger

Oldtree wrote: »

I give my sundews and orchids rain water only, as they cannot take the chlorine in the tap water, I wonder if that would also have an impact on a bonsai?

Its a good idea Oldtree but I think the evidence would suggest that most people already take care of Bonsai with indoor tap water and seem to get on just fine. Interesting thought though.

I have tried a google search on these bonsai white spots. A quick search brought up nothing really. I have also posted on a bonsai forum and got no answer as of yet. On the same forum someone else posted about white spots on a different species of tree they had and got no answer from anyone either so I'm really lost as to what these white spots are. I wouldn't exactly call them spots but more or less look like patches of white scale and sometimes all around the outside edge of the leaf itself.

very odd and hope I can get down to the bottom of all this.

Oldtree

could you post a photo?

joseph brand

I just discovered a bonsai website run by a guy up North.

Reddit has a bonsai forum/ subreddit with lots of helpful links down the right.

Here's a guy in England who has a Youtube channel, showing how you can rescue a dumped tree/ shrub or simply purchase a plant from a garden centre and create your own bonsai.

I would love to start my own Scots pine or Hawthorn bonsai.