Bonsai as Christmas present. How to take care of it?

Amnz

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Hello! My name is Albert, and I'm from Barcelona, Spain (If I'm not wrong, Barcelona is a 10a zone of Hardiness). This Christmas, my grandparents gave me a Bonsai as a present (as far as I know, it's a 5 year old Ficus retusa). I've been reading this forum, watching YouTube videos, and searching for some info online, and I'm quite confused as to how I should take care of him. So I have a few questions:
  • Most people say that in winter it needs to be indoor, but I'm not sure if it should be in direct sunlight (photo 1) or with indirect sunlight (photo 2). I have a big window in my dining room with a lot of indirect light almost all day, but direct light just for 4-5 hours. So, should I keep the bonsai all day with indirect light? Or should I put it in direct light those 4-5h and then indirect the rest of the day?
  • I'm very confused on when, how much and how to water the bonsai. I've read that you should water the bonsai when you feel that the soil is dry. But it just feels like it's dry every day. So, I'm overwatering it? And how much water should I put every time?
  • Repotting and pruning: The instructions that came with the bonsai said that you should leave the bonsai in the same pot for 2 years. It also said that the first pruning should be with the repotting of the bonsai. Is this correct? I feel like my bonsai is too “open” (photo 3)and that maybe pruning a little I could do a “round form” so it keeps growing like that. I also read that u should prune the branches that have 4 to 6 leafs (photo 4). Is this correct?
I hope you can help me clarify some of my doubts so I can take care of the bonsai.

Thank you guys! :)
 

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Looking good your Ficus.

Assuming you leave in an apartment I’d put it where it can get most light. Ficus love light and warmth.

Water when dry. It could be every day, multiples times a day, every week. Hard to tell and it will change seasonally and overtime. This is one of the most tricky parts of bonsai keeping. Feel the soil feel the weight of the pot. Overtime you’ll get to know when you need to water. When watering do so abundantly until the water runs through the pot holes underneath.

You can probably get away with repotting Ficus every other year. But like with watering, you need to pay attention. Is water percolating? If not, it probably needs repotting.

Trim to the desired silhouette when overgrown. Let it grow a bit to get it strong and then trim back. Always leave at least one leaf in each branch to avoid dieback.

Hope that helps.
 

Carol 83

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Welcome to the forum! A ficus is a great tree for your first bonsai, very forgiving. In your climate it should be able to live outdoors most all of the time.
 

Paradox

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Welcome to the forum.
Ficus are fairly easy to care for.

As for watering, to learn when your tree needs water, use the "chopstick method"

Take a wooden chopstick or a 6 inch piece of wood dowel and stick it into to pot as deep as you can. Leave it there. Every day, take the chopstick out and look at and feel it. Water your tree when it is almost dry. Do not let it get completely dry. Do this for a couple of years and you will begin to learn when your tree needs water throughout the seasons.

It will be happiest outside as long as the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (I know you probably use Celsius over there but I don't have the conversion in my head....sorry.

Depending on how hot it is there, you can leave it in full sun if it's not too hot. Otherwise I'd recommend morning sun and partial shade during the hottest part of the day.
 

Potawatomi13

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Huge question: Does pot have hole or holes in bottom? MUST have drainage! Stabbing sticks in pot is great way to break, tear, destroy roots. Stupid idea. Learn how to tell moisture by observation or scratch surface to see. Being Ficus can live indoors unlike conifers given as presents/this is good. Looks healthy😉.
 

Amnz

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Looking good your Ficus.

Assuming you leave in an apartment I’d put it where it can get most light. Ficus love light and warmth.

Water when dry. It could be every day, multiples times a day, every week. Hard to tell and it will change seasonally and overtime. This is one of the most tricky parts of bonsai keeping. Feel the soil feel the weight of the pot. Overtime you’ll get to know when you need to water. When watering do so abundantly until the water runs through the pot holes underneath.

You can probably get away with repotting Ficus every other year. But like with watering, you need to pay attention. Is water percolating? If not, it probably needs repotting.

Trim to the desired silhouette when overgrown. Let it grow a bit to get it strong and then trim back. Always leave at least one leaf in each branch to avoid dieback.

Hope that helps.
Wow. Thank you for all the advises! I will keep them in mind! 🙌
 

Amnz

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Welcome to the forum.
Ficus are fairly easy to care for.

As for watering, to learn when your tree needs water, use the "chopstick method"

Take a wooden chopstick or a 6 inch piece of wood dowel and stick it into to pot as deep as you can. Leave it there. Every day, take the chopstick out and look at and feel it. Water your tree when it is almost dry. Do not let it get completely dry. Do this for a couple of years and you will begin to learn when your tree needs water throughout the seasons.

It will be happiest outside as long as the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (I know you probably use Celsius over there but I don't have the conversion in my head....sorry.

Depending on how hot it is there, you can leave it in full sun if it's not too hot. Otherwise I'd recommend morning sun and partial shade during the hottest part of the day.
I've read a few times about this “chopstick method” so maybe I try it out. What I've also seen is that people use moisture sensors to have more information on their phone about the bonsai. Is this something that will help me or just a waste of money?
Thank you for your answer! :)
 

Amnz

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Huge question: Does pot have hole or holes in bottom? MUST have drainage! Stabbing sticks in pot is great way to break, tear, destroy roots. Stupid idea. Learn how to tell moisture by observation or scratch surface to see. Being Ficus can live indoors unlike conifers given as presents/this is good. Looks healthy😉.
Yes, it does have 2 big holes in the bottom. I would say that it have a lot of drainage. When I water it, most of the water drain through the bottom.
About the "stick method". Do you think that a moisture sensor is a good idea or just something that I won't really need/use white time?

Thank you for your answer! 😁
 

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Paradox

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I've read a few times about this “chopstick method” so maybe I try it out. What I've also seen is that people use moisture sensors to have more information on their phone about the bonsai. Is this something that will help me or just a waste of money?
Thank you for your answer! :)

Waste of money imo.
I prefer to keep it simple.
The best moisture sensor in the world is your own skin but it's hard getting that big finger into to pot. The chopstick is easier and you can feel how moist it is. I used to also press the stick against the skin right under my nose which is even more sensitive then the thicker skin on your hands.

I disagree that sticking a chopstick in the pot will damage roots. I used them on all my trees (probably somewhere around 100 trees) the first few years when I was new to bonsai and learning the watering needs of my trees and never had a problem with it. Lots of people have used this method to learn.

You can't tell what the moisture is deep in the pot by just looking at or scratching the surface
 
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penumbra

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I concur with paradox in everything posted above. Though I personally do not use the chopstick method, it is a valuable aid for many people. There is nothing stupid about having another tool in your box. It is helpful for many beginners and for more experienced practitioners as well. To suggest that a simple chopstick inserted into the soil is going to harm the roots is beyond ludicrous.
 

eugenev2

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Considering the number of people on this forum who cut 50% or more off of the roots, as well as the number of people who basically constantly "air prune" their pines with anderson flats/pond baskets, i think the 1 percent chance of damaging a fraction of a percent of roots via a chopstick is acceptable, considering the alternatives of over or under watering.

Besides speaking from experience here i had numerous issues with my trees with either over watering and then under watering as a knee jerk reaction to the former (as a number of trees respond identically to over/under watering )...now the part that sounds like a advert in my head...chopsticks changed my life
 

JackHammer

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It is in a pretty small pot with good drainage which is important. I would put it in a window and water it most days. In the summer, I have mine in a small greenhouse but outside in direct sun should also be fine.
 
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