Bonsai dried out after 10 day vacation but is back budding again.

nairb

Sapling
Messages
42
Reaction score
4
Location
Italy
USDA Zone
9
I just thought I might add this to the newbies forum for any other newbies out there with a similar problem. I went away on a 10 day vacation recently and asked my neighbour to water the plants, I forgot to emphasise that my Privet bonsai was higher priority! When I came home after quite warm weather at home, the privet's leaves were all brown and withered! I gave it plenty of water and put it in a bedroom window which is partially shaded. I scraped one of the twigs and saw that it was still green underneath. After a few days I noticed a few buds and now about a week or two later its covered in buds! Phew!
The only things I did apart from watering was remove the dried out leaves (they fell off when touched anyway) and I removed some of the smaller end twigs that had turned dark brown and were dead.
 

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
Messages
13,016
Reaction score
29,687
Location
SE MI- Bonsai'd for 12 years both MA and N GA
USDA Zone
6a
Rumor has it that privets are immortal and can't be killed...;). Having said that, I'm wondering if this tree is being kept outside or inside...it would prefer being outside...even when you're on vacation:cool:.
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,750
Reaction score
23,250
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
If you're not gone for too many days, you can water the tree well, wet down some shredded newspaper and put it on the soil. Wrap the whole thing in more wet newspaper, then wrap again with alum. foil. Will keep the tree pretty wet for a week or two, depending on temps. I use this in the winter for my tropicals inside. I also put pans of water with them to keep the humidity level, or use a humidifier on a timer.
 

nairb

Sapling
Messages
42
Reaction score
4
Location
Italy
USDA Zone
9
Rumor has it that privets are immortal and can't be killed...;). Having said that, I'm wondering if this tree is being kept outside or inside...it would prefer being outside...even when you're on vacation:cool:.
I do keep it outside, just last year I moved to Rome in Italy where the climate is kinda temperate though it gets very hot in the summer but the winters are mild (doesn't go much below freezing point) I kept the tree outside during the winter but I'm not sure it liked it, the leaves looked fairly battered with brown edges but with the spring it came back pretty good until this drying out mistake!
As for them being immortal, too true! This tree is just a mall bonsai that I bought to practice on and I've learned so much from it, its not the prettiest of things but I've grown attached to it!
 
Last edited:

nairb

Sapling
Messages
42
Reaction score
4
Location
Italy
USDA Zone
9
If you're not gone for too many days, you can water the tree well, wet down some shredded newspaper and put it on the soil. Wrap the whole thing in more wet newspaper, then wrap again with alum. foil. Will keep the tree pretty wet for a week or two, depending on temps. I use this in the winter for my tropicals inside. I also put pans of water with them to keep the humidity level, or use a humidifier on a timer.

Thanks this is a good tip!Before I left I really drenched the tree and left it in the shade under a big pine tree in the garden, I also really soaked the ground around it but I guess the trick was to enclose it like you said.
I've been thinking of getting one of those water drip systems or a hose sprinkler on a timer.
 

nairb

Sapling
Messages
42
Reaction score
4
Location
Italy
USDA Zone
9
Just thought I'd add some photos of before (dried out tree with no leaves!) and after (this morning its come back nice and strong...phew!)
20130612_090506 (Large).jpg20130612_090324 (Large).jpg20130520_201557 (Large).jpg20130520_201541 (Large).jpg
 
Top Bottom