Im new to Bonsai got my first Bonsai Firethorn

Jaco1981

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I would like to know from the more experience people if my bonsai look healthy.

Got it as a give always loved them but was scared to get one and now i got one as a present and love it don't want it to die.

It's a Firethorn Bonsia it's 3 years old if some one can help with some info.

what should i do and what not and will add picture.

And can some one tell me if its healthy or not

Thanks

Love all the Bonsai love to see mine become a master piece
 

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sfhellwig

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Oh, oh, I'm the first to get to say it needs to live outside. Sorry to get excited, I'm not usually first on the scene with the general questions. :D There are others, far more experienced than I who will chime in. But generally all bonsai, unless "tropical" need to live outside year round. Pyracantha included as long as it is cold hardy in your area. Many people think because the plant was sold indoors that it will live indoors. This is not true.

Your header says you are in South Africa. Here in the states we have our cold hardiness zones that we refer to. I have kept a pyra in a larger pot through a zone 6 winter (-10F). If you don't get that cold then you should be fine on it surviving. Should also be able to take quite a bit of heat. Without seeing what size plant and pot and knowing the soil I can't say much other than don't let it dry out but they also aren't the kind to wilt much either. Pretty strong unless you let it go real dry, then you could lose a primary branch.

Post those pictures and the advice will flow in.
 

RogueFJ

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Oh, oh, I'm the first to get to say it needs to live outside. Sorry to get excited, I'm not usually first on the scene with the general questions. :D There are others, far more experienced than I who will chime in. But generally all bonsai, unless "tropical" need to live outside year round. Pyracantha included as long as it is cold hardy in your area. Many people think because the plant was sold indoors that it will live indoors. This is not true.

Your header says you are in South Africa. Here in the states we have our cold hardiness zones that we refer to. I have kept a pyra in a larger pot through a zone 6 winter (-10F). If you don't get that cold then you should be fine on it surviving. Should also be able to take quite a bit of heat. Without seeing what size plant and pot and knowing the soil I can't say much other than don't let it dry out but they also aren't the kind to wilt much either. Pretty strong unless you let it go real dry, then you could lose a primary branch.

Post those pictures and the advice will flow in.

Where do you keep yours during the winter when is-10?
 

Jaco1981

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Hi just add a pic

Hope you can let me know what you think of the bonsai thanks
 

Jaco1981

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My Firethorn Bonsai

Its 3 years old and i think its looking good would like to year from the experts.

what should i do and what not.

Just got it about a month back.

Its outside only gets some morning sun.

will attached a photo.

give it water every second day.

spring just started should i do any thing special.

I give it bonsai food once every second week.

Give some advice

love it to much don't wont it to die

thanks for all the help
 

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sfhellwig

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That was my other thought about being on the other side of the equator, your seasons are backwards. So you are coming into your growing season. Watering should be fine until you get used to what it wants. If your not familiar with the chop stick in the soil , search for that. It is a way of having a measuring stick to check the dampness of the soil. After a while you will be able to pick up the edge of the pot and know whether it is on the dry or wet side. Depending on the numbers of your "bonsai food" you could probably use it once a week. Potted plants get watered more often effectively leaching many nutrients out of the soil. While I error to the side of less is safer, there are quite a few people who run heavy feeding regimines with great results. My plant is a larger specimen being reduced back and is in a large grow flat but it lives in full sun most of the day and had no problems with burning. We did take a summer FULL of 100 degree weather. Your local weather may be dryer or windier and you are in a smaller pot.

Where do I keep it in the winter? On the ground crowded up with a bunch of other plants. Most of what I have are in 2-3.5 gallon pots and in the winter I bury then part way into the ground and mulch around them. Last year I put up a few palettes as a wind break. Since the pyra was in a large box (16x16x8) it got left on the ground, in the middle of the group. What die back I did experience was already happening from the end of the summer and attributed to root problems that were removed this spring. I just reduced it back to a main trunk and am letting the branches regrow. I HAVE NOT taken it through a winter in a small pot yet. But the way it has handled things each year I suspect it would just need a little more protection. I do plastic wrapped frames for many seedlings and last year kept a dwarf yaupon holly in one. It went from complete burn and defoliation the year prior to only a little burn and virtually no leaf loss after spending the winter under cover. Practically the same temps but no wind. The pyra is still in a slightly smaller flat so it will stay out on the ground again this year. It's large root mass will help it survive. I would think a bonsai pot under cover should be able to handle the same winter. The yaupon is rated as zone 7 and lived. As for actual -10 I only remember seeing -8 but we spent plenty of time in the 20s and several dips to the 0 mark. All below suggested holding temps for any "small" plants that are on the cusp of your zone. Either I'm lucky or I will start loosing a lot of plants when I finally start shoe-horning them into bonsai pots. I think getting to that stage and advanced winter protection go hand and hand.
 

Jaco1981

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Thanks

thanks for all the tips so tell me does my bonsai look healthy or not and when is the best time to trim.
 

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sfhellwig

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Well from your pictures the tree looks just fine. No mis-colored leaves, trimmed to shape. My stock is mostly growing on so I haven't done any refinement and I have never bought an already styled tree. What I do know about pyras is that they tend to grow aggressive shoots that I refer to as "rays." When ever you see one extend beyond the outline of the tree, trim it back. You will have to assess branch placement to make sure they compliment each other, not lining up for any major crossing branches. Every time you cut it, it will likely answer with two shoots. You can pick which ones to keep or keep them all and get more finer branching. Then you have something to wire and advance the shape a little. Make it your own. I don't know how pyras respond to defoliation so I can't suggest that. If someone can chime in that they are fine with that, you could seriously reduce the leaf size, making the size of the tree looking dramatically larger. Hope that helps. There really are more knowledgable people I hope can add to this. Good luck. Constant trimming will keep you from ever getting "berries" but if you can let it go one year, the fruit truly are a sight. Like a holly but even better and usually heavier set.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Most PCs need all-day full sun. Hard to tell from the photos, but this appears to be pale.

Watering should be based on soil dryness, not a schedule. They're thirsty trees. You'll end up watering it daily when it gets hot...maybe 2x daily.

They're heavy feeders too. Don't be afraid to feed it more regularly; like weekly.

Let it grow a little out of bounds for a couple months before you cut it back. It will make the tree stronger.

Good luck.
 

plant_dr

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Please tell me that those rocks aren't glued on top of the soil.....
 
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