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Don't use Bayer 3-in-1 on a flowering tree. It contains imidaclorpid, which is neonicitinoid (will kill pollinators) and a systemic (so what you apply now will probably still be hanging out in the plant when it goes back outside and blooms. I just had a very satisfying experience asphyxiating...

It's adorable that people think that you won't need a heater. You will, probably not yet though. What do you have set up for a temperature monitor? You'll want something beyond just the thermostat to give you a reading of actual temperature, preferably something that you can monitor remotely...

Are you sure they aren't etiolating (stretching to the sun?)

And now my ears are tingling. Will, welcome! I'm glad that you've made it to MBS (and Bonsai Nut). Your trees are in the hands of someone who is in good hands. Because of how late you've dug these, your best bet for these trees is to keep them at "cold frame" temps -- 35-40°F for at least...

To be clear -- the point of the paintbrush is to get all of the foliage wet with alcohol, which will kill the scale (even the adults) on contact. Systemic insecticides will be slower, and other contact-based insecticides (neem, malathion, pyrethrins, etc) have trouble penetrating the scale...

Foam paintbrush or makeup applicator (something that will hold lots of liquid, but not be torn up by the needles). Dip in isopropyl alcohol, "paint" from base of branch outward over whole tree. Rinse foliage. You may want to protect the soil from drips while you do this. Spray with neem 1x per...

I try to apply Integrated Pest Management principles to my bonsai and other plants. For me, that's meant: * favoring species that grow better in my environment (tropicals are an obvious exception) * being thoughtful about which pesticides I use and when. I keep honeybees, and I would much...

That's honestly a pretty tame Nigel hair day. He must have done a partial defoliation.

Adam Lavigne does a lot of good work on ginseng ficus. Example: https://adamaskwhy.com/2013/04/07/what-shall-you-do-with-a-ginseng-ficus/ When you repot next summer, you can definitely cut the roots off flat at a level that you like. For watering, stick a chopstick or bamboo skewer into the...

Plants don't photosynthesize light in the UV spectrum.

LOL... Found it: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/copper-wire.29955/post-499653 That post even involved a spreadsheet to manage my background research.

What's your process for annealing? $10 says you're not getting all of the wire hot enough for long enough. I think I posted a rant at some point about how annealing wire is really not all that difficult.... As an (amateur) jeweler, I can say with confidence that what jewelers consider to be...

1/4 and 1/8 are the sizes of the sifters that I use for "medium" sized particles. TBH, I usually skip the big sifter for Optisorb because there aren't enough pieces that are larger than 1/4" to matter. I've never bought NAPA 8822,but from what I understand Optisorb is a little larger.

Nothing It happens... The trees weren't particularly high dollar value, and I probably conflated your experience/advice with other people's raves about growing in straight DE. Plus all the other things I did wrong last year.

Yes. Straight. (and I'm comparing to other trees in straight DE with smaller particle size)

Your best bet is to use it for suiseki (viewing stones) Otherwise, it could be the base for a saikei style planting, where the roots of the plants are anchored into a tall stone and this just works as a saucer. Alternatively, masonry bits are a thing.

Everything that I had growing in the Axis DE Coarse from @milehigh_7 died. I am fully willing to believe that that was due to grower error, but I have better luck with sifted Optisorb (1/4"-1/8")

No, not really. There's plenty of users on this site for a robust community. But not all of them are going want to buy whatever someone happens to be selling. It takes more eyeballs, plus more sellers/selection, which will lead to more interest and more eyeballs, and bring more selection, etc...

I'm not convinced that this forum has enough active users to sustain a robust marketplace, especially as Facebook has been improving its user experience for sales on that platform. I do see new "sales" posts here, since I mainly browse through the "new posts" feature.

Thanks all, I will stay the patient course. One more question. Was this "partial chop" approach the right way to go here? Or should I have gone with the 'Hail Mary' ? I'm trying to learn to be more cautious, but at the same time, I look at all of those branches above my planned cut that I am...

It would probably be great sautéed in bacon though, right?

In my couple of years experience with spekbooms (much better common name IMO than "dwarf jade" , which just confuses people), the only way to kill them really is overwatering. You weren't at the best time of the year for this repotting, but they'll be easier to water appropriately over the...

I purchased a tall, skinny ficus (green island, I think) in June, with the intention of making a short, fat, ficus. I've had less than stellar luck with blind trunk chops on ficuses, so I decided to play it safe and cut to just above the lowest branch, with the plan of cutting to an even lower...

On a scale of one to "that's not bonsai," how inappropriate would it be to put some proper moss down, snip the big leaves, and enter my just-for-fun Capsicum annuum 'de Padrón' in my club show tomorrow? (Exhibition only, I'd request no critique from our guest judge.) I wouldn't even consider...

Oh... I should add that live spaghnum moss is a++ good for your airlayer. All the nice anti-microbial properties, but alive now... so more active. Peter Chan recommends growing sick or recently collected trees in straight live spaghnum for at least a season to establish healthy roots.