GoblinGirl
Seedling
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 18
Hello everyone
I've been reading here for a few days and I wanted to share my plans and ask a few questions.
I got my first tree - cheap Fukien mallsai. I really should've gotten it 2 months ago so if can spend summer on the balcony but that's that. I know they're finicky but I like a challenge and it wasn't expensive....So. Here's the situation:
- I'm based in London, England, summer is coming to an end and it's starting to get colder at night (10°-13°)
- I have a corner balcony, half is south facing, half east, but the east part faces a forest of buildings.
- I have a South facing window which gets cracked open during the day frequently
- I have a desk right next to said window
- I have a fukien tea
- I have a grow lamp ~2500 lumen (supposedly) at the desk
This is the amount of light the tree can get right by the window on a sunny day. It's definitely been enough for the sun loving VFT to thrive through this summer.
This is now getting rare as we're approaching September. Yesterday was the only day this week it's been like this.
Here's what the light set up looks like - approx 1m away from window
Here's my dillema - if I put the tree on the dresser directly under the window it will definitely get additional light but it will also get additional cold and the ratio of light benefit to cold disadvantage will keep getting worse with every day as we go into winter. Even if I stop cracking the window open during the day the closer you are to the window the colder it gets. What is going to be better for this tree until next summer when I can take it out on the balcony for a few months - move it on the dresser (and move the lamp with it) or keep it on the desk?
Second question: I know those buggers hate their roots touched. I think this guy can definitely do with more airy soil but I'm not feeling great about repotting him now when the days are getting shorter. The question is am I correct in my assumption that he can do with a repotting in spring or should I not touch the roots at all any time soon?
Final question - I am not even looking at the pruning shears right now because a. There's really not that much going on (except messy overlapping short branches) to get pruned anyway and all branches are very short and b. I want to get him settled and healthy before I consider doing anything. All the better - more time for planning. However do you see a potential in this guy to be turned into an interesting bonsai at some point? There's so much going on in the crown I can't really imagine what can happen with it... I'm glad it's not an exaggerated S shape, maybe I can get him a bit leaning? but other than that right now it doesn't look like much and he's fukien ugly bless his roots. I love him anyway.
Some more details:
- I got him delivered yesterday
- he dropped one leaf. ;( At least he didn't drop all of them overnight like my boyfriend expected
- Soil was damp when he arrived yesterday but it topped it up a tiny bit. This morning I stuck my finger in to my first knuckle and realised that the surface seemed wetter than it was inside. Watered over the sink until it started coming out of the drain holes. Waited 30 seconds and watered again. Prompted pot up on rocks
- It has a humidity tray. This is also an open plan living room/kitchen/my office so there's humidity from cooking. I was misting him yesterday but read that that kills the flowers and it doesn't do much so I've left him alone today.
- we have underfloor heating, no radiators and no AC
I've been reading here for a few days and I wanted to share my plans and ask a few questions.
I got my first tree - cheap Fukien mallsai. I really should've gotten it 2 months ago so if can spend summer on the balcony but that's that. I know they're finicky but I like a challenge and it wasn't expensive....So. Here's the situation:
- I'm based in London, England, summer is coming to an end and it's starting to get colder at night (10°-13°)
- I have a corner balcony, half is south facing, half east, but the east part faces a forest of buildings.
- I have a South facing window which gets cracked open during the day frequently
- I have a desk right next to said window
- I have a fukien tea
- I have a grow lamp ~2500 lumen (supposedly) at the desk
This is the amount of light the tree can get right by the window on a sunny day. It's definitely been enough for the sun loving VFT to thrive through this summer.
This is now getting rare as we're approaching September. Yesterday was the only day this week it's been like this.
Here's what the light set up looks like - approx 1m away from window
Here's my dillema - if I put the tree on the dresser directly under the window it will definitely get additional light but it will also get additional cold and the ratio of light benefit to cold disadvantage will keep getting worse with every day as we go into winter. Even if I stop cracking the window open during the day the closer you are to the window the colder it gets. What is going to be better for this tree until next summer when I can take it out on the balcony for a few months - move it on the dresser (and move the lamp with it) or keep it on the desk?
Second question: I know those buggers hate their roots touched. I think this guy can definitely do with more airy soil but I'm not feeling great about repotting him now when the days are getting shorter. The question is am I correct in my assumption that he can do with a repotting in spring or should I not touch the roots at all any time soon?
Final question - I am not even looking at the pruning shears right now because a. There's really not that much going on (except messy overlapping short branches) to get pruned anyway and all branches are very short and b. I want to get him settled and healthy before I consider doing anything. All the better - more time for planning. However do you see a potential in this guy to be turned into an interesting bonsai at some point? There's so much going on in the crown I can't really imagine what can happen with it... I'm glad it's not an exaggerated S shape, maybe I can get him a bit leaning? but other than that right now it doesn't look like much and he's fukien ugly bless his roots. I love him anyway.
Some more details:
- I got him delivered yesterday
- he dropped one leaf. ;( At least he didn't drop all of them overnight like my boyfriend expected
- Soil was damp when he arrived yesterday but it topped it up a tiny bit. This morning I stuck my finger in to my first knuckle and realised that the surface seemed wetter than it was inside. Watered over the sink until it started coming out of the drain holes. Waited 30 seconds and watered again. Prompted pot up on rocks
- It has a humidity tray. This is also an open plan living room/kitchen/my office so there's humidity from cooking. I was misting him yesterday but read that that kills the flowers and it doesn't do much so I've left him alone today.
- we have underfloor heating, no radiators and no AC