Brand New to Bonsai! My First Tree is a Fukien Tea

Hello to everyone, first post here and looking for some general feedback on my very first tree...

This is my Fukien Tea, I am thinking it is about 4-6 years old? I JUST repotted it after having it for about 3 weeks or so. I put it into a soil mix of 1/3 organic : 1/3 Granite grit : 1/3 Calcined clay, which I think is quite good soil.... Anyhow, I am wondering about styling, something tells me the tree is still too young for me to do much to it... But I would be pleased to hear everyones thoughts? Thanks! Here is some pictures:









Thanks for looking!

Malt_Meister said:

Hello to everyone, first post here and looking for some general feedback on my very first tree...

This is my Fukien Tea, I am thinking it is about 4-6 years old? I JUST repotted it after having it for about 3 weeks or so. I put it into a soil mix of 1/3 organic : 1/3 Granite grit : 1/3 Calcined clay, which I think is quite good soil.... Anyhow, I am wondering about styling, something tells me the tree is still too young for me to do much to it... But I would be pleased to hear everyones thoughts? Thanks! Here is some pictures:

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Thanks for looking!

Click to expand...

Well I hope that you enjoy the hobby of bonsai as much as I have. Several things...

your tree is not too young to work on, however since you repotted it... this is the reason you shouldn't do any styling to it this season. New growth produces new roots and that is your biggest need right now.

Your tree suffers from what most immature trees suffer from...to much extension. If you hadn't repotted and showed us this picture I would have suggested a pretty radical cut back. You have a lot of really long limbs that should be shortened.

Your major need for this growing season is give it all the light you can give it. Put it outside if you can after your evening temps are above 40. Fertilize it and let it get as healthy as possible and then a year from now when it is fully recovered from the transplant you can trim and style it.

I love Bonsai4me.com It has a lot of interesting articles about bonsai in general, as well as pages specific to the species you are working with.

Learn about good branch selection and how to get things to backbud. The difficult part of bonsai is figuring out how to keep foliage close to the trunk, while letting it grow!!

For now: water, light, fertilize(not for a month since you repotted), read about bonsai, find a club??, ask questions, enjoy!!

Thanks a lot for the input! You are right though, I think I will wait til next season to get all the proper trimmings done on those long branches... Are you sure I should leave it? Or should I cut them down maybe in a month or 2?

Welcome to the forum, and to bonsai.
I would take things slow for a bit, and learn the most basic (and also the most important) bonsai skill, which is proper watering. Especially as you've chosen a fairly picky plant to start with. Put a wooden skewer into the soil, and check it daily. Only water when the skewer starts to read nearly dry. This is important especially now that you've done root work, and you won't want to overwater.
Have fun with it, once you learn how to keep it alive, there will be plenty of time for everything else!

I understand that the chopstick method is when you stick it in the pot, and then leave it for 15 minutes and check how wet it is when you remove it right?

Are there other methods just as simple? I also thought that once you can notice the color change in the top of the soil as it becomes dry that is the time to water as well?

I read somewhere also that when watering soak the soil up to the rim and allow it to commence draining from the drainage holes, and then do it again to ensure all of the soil is equally wet and leave it till next time? Thanks for the tips so far!

Look at some photos of Fukien tea trees. The young shoots could be wired. Once they harden up they snap pretty easily. Once you try to bend them. IMO.

Malt_Meister said:

I understand that the chopstick method is when you stick it in the pot, and then leave it for 15 minutes and check how wet it is when you remove it right?

Are there other methods just as simple? I also thought that once you can notice the color change in the top of the soil as it becomes dry that is the time to water as well?

I read somewhere also that when watering soak the soil up to the rim and allow it to commence draining from the drainage holes, and then do it again to ensure all of the soil is equally wet and leave it till next time? Thanks for the tips so far!

Click to expand...

I would leave the wooden skewer in the soil all the time. The top of the soil is only ... well .... the top of the soil. What matters is how wet the whole rootball is.

You can do a soak water, but I wouldn't recommend it for long term. Unless the soil is so dry that it won't re-wet. (like dry peat based.)

Oh so you leave the Chopstick in all the time?

If the Stick isn't wet, then its time for water, but as long as you can tell it is wet then the soil is sufficiently wet?

That's a pretty good trick, but is it well tested and quite accurate?