Bonsai Ficus

[JimmyNL]

?
just another guy with a question about the beginners tree; ‘the bonsai ficus’. Relatively new to the world of bonsai and yes desperately want to safe my bonsai!
Have had my baby bonsai tree since last year, it’s quite big, over a meter tall, came with a lot of leaves and slowly lost all of its leaves. Gave really good care to it, at least I thought until recently. Had a decent sunny/ light spot, not perfect but the sunniest in the house (western window). Plus I am based in the Netherlands, there isn’t a lot of sun here ? Recently found out this tree can’t handle draft and need lots of light, I think this was the issue and I overwatered it at the end. So I repotted cleaned and changed location. It looks far more healthy now.
BUT,
As there is almost no sunlight in the new area (it’s facing an eastern window) I want to buy some artificial lighting.
So I ve been trying to understand it but am really stuck now. What do I need?
Full spectrum red-blue-white LED?
Or just pure white bright light?
?
And how much of these lights this size of a bonsai tree requires?
Hope someone replies.
Many thanks!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

In all honesty, for grow lights, I suggest you visit your local grow shops and see what they are using. Where I'm at, marijuana is legal in the state where our family farm is at and only medicinal is legal in the state my home is in. Regardless of local laws, the marijuana growers tend to have the latest and greatest in under lights growing. If it is illegal in your area, the hydroponics shop will talk about raising tomatoes as the ''stand in'' for marijuana.

So look at set ups, and understand that Ficus need about one half the light to 3/4ths the light intensity that marijuana needs. So you do not need the full intensity that the growers do. Some set ups are attractive enough to be in your living space. Some are best for a work area where you don't have to look at it all the time.

Red & Blue LED's or White LED's. - either will work, it is a matter of where the light set up will be located. I find the set ups with just red & blue, give off a very disorientating light. I can't stand being in the same room with them for more than an hour or so. The appearance of color of foliage under these lights is very strange looking. They are normal when taken out into white light, but under the red & blue green looks nearly black.

The all white light LED's foliage, and flowers keep a normal appearance. I can spend all day in the same room as these and have no problem. So if your set up will be in a space you live in, spend time in, go with white LED's. If it is a space where you are seldom in for more than a short period of time, go with Red and Blue.

 

[JimmyNL]

Hi Leo thank you so much. Love this forum already, will post some progres
Would this do the trick? 2 of 1? Or need more watt?
https://m.banggood.com/290-LED-Grow...-p-1333322.html?rmmds=search#popupStatedetail

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I looked at your product details. The 30 watt LED with red, blue and white LEDs, gives 1500 lumens. This is not bad, but ''medium shade'', I use about this amount of lumens for shade loving Paph orchids. It will keep your ficus reasonably happy over the winter, especially if you get some additional light from the east facing window. Mount the light just high enough that the cone of light covers the tree, but does not spread much beyond that. You want the lamp as close as possible to the tree to get all the light from the lamp hitting leaves. Put the lamp on a timer, 18 hours on, 6 hours off. This will maximize the effect of the lamp.

By the way, full sun outdoors at sea level is around 10,000 to 15000 lumens depending on haze, clouds, etc., so the lamp is at best about one tenth the intensity of direct sunlight.

I keep my Ficus at home in a light set up that has fans on 24 hours a day 7, days a week. The leaves are always waiving a little. Moving air is not the problem. Possibly air cooled on the glass of the window, is falling on your tree giving it a chill. Set a small, cheap fan up blowing room air at the ficus, this will keep cold air from the window from falling on your tree. Or move the tree back away from the window a few inches. Maybe to a table next to the window. A fan is really helpful, add one if possible.

 

[JimmyNL]

Mmm. Thats sounds like adding more lumen is better for our trees. Do I achieve that by adding another of the same? Do you have an example of a LED light which would do the trick?

 

[AZbonsai]

Hydrofarm Agrobrite Designer T5, FLP24, 96W 2 Foot, 4-Tube Fixture with Lamps https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049XGYWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oyNmCbV9T5HRT
This is what I use. Cool white light 8000 lumens. Have grown tons of stuff under it.

 

[JimmyNL]

Super thanks for the advice.
???

 

[JimmyNL]

I have bought a different lamp. A UFO full spectrum 150w
It arrived yesterday. Will instal it today about 500mm distance from the tree.
Update with some pictures. Really curious how she will react.
Specifications:
Dimension:175mm*175mm *60mm (6.89*6.89*2.36 in)
Power: 150W
Wavelength: blue light (430~440nm, 450~460nm)/ red light (610~615nm, 620~630nm, 650~660nm)/ white light/ UV (380~400nm)/ IR (730nm)
LED chips: High Power LED
Lifespan: 50000-100000 hours
Body temperature: less than 60°C
LED working temperature: less than 65°C
Worldwide Voltage: AC85~265V
Lumens: 3850 lumens
View Angle: 90 degree and 120 degree mixed
Warranty: 2 Years

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

the 3850 lumens is very bright for LED, excellent choice

 

[JimmyNL]

She loves it
I already see a few small green leaves, and in the ground I see some yellowish really small balls. They look like seeds but are hollow with liquid inside.

 

[eryk2kartman]

The balls are probably slow release fertilizer.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Looking good.
Yes, I agree, the 'yellow balls'' are probably slow release fertilizer.

 

[JimmyNL]

? looks like the tree is slowly dieing from the top downwards... but there is still green in it except for the top. Still no new leaves even Though the light is on from 7 till 23
i have no idea what to do next i order to safe it.
Cut the top? HELP

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I’m going to be honest I have never liked growing with red lights. I don’t mind a few mixed in but I grow with mostly white 6500k lights. A few red and blue mixed in.
I started led growing in my aquarium and translated it to my ficus. If it worked well 18 inches underwater then it should work above water also.
Here’s an article
https://www.maximumyield.com/red-and-blue-lights/2/1387

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

When Ficus are deliberately defoliated in an effort to get small leaves preceding a show, in warm and sunny Taiwan, they allow 6 weeks for the tree to leaf out. You are in the Netherlands. If your temperatures are less than 18 or 20 C, your Ficus will likely take longer than 6 weeks to ''wake up''. Just give it time, it will be fine. As to die back from the top, that was a pretty radical chop, it may well die back a little. Did you seal the wound? If not you will get a little more die back than if you did. I have no doubt that the die back will stop, and not progress very far. You should be okay. Normally, it is best to do all repotting, and heavy pruning on Ficus while they are in active growth, which means during periods of warm weather. Above 25 C day and might is best, though unlikely even in June in the Netherlands. But in the future, I would only do repotting and heavy pruning in May-June & July while in the Netherlands.

Most Ficus come from tropical and sub-tropical areas, many areas are in wet-dry monsoon climates, or if not formal monsoon seasons, the areas have distinct wet and dry seasons. Most Ficus can remain dormant for upwards of 3 or 4 months without any ill effects. Dry season the skies will have no clouds at night, which means the temperatures are cooler. It is cool temperatures at night that tell a Ficus to go dormant. I have left a willow leaf Ficus completely dry, for 5 months, without any water, during a cool winter. When summer returned, set it outdoors, watered it, and it exploded in growth without any issues. Ficus are tough. If you have cool weather, just let them run dry, and they will be fine.