My first Bonsai

[Pierre]

Hi there

I am from Salisbury Wiltshire England, and I have bought my first Bonsai tree yesterday from our local nursery. I have no clue what type of tree is? Some say its a Chinese Elm tree but according to my label it says Zelkova, I googled it and it said that Zelkova is a Japanese Elm tree. I live in a flat on the second floor and I have got no access to a garden at all. So my bonsai tree is standing on my window sill. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[MrWunderful]

Hard to tell from pics. Chinese elm leaves tend to be smaller and rounder, zelkovas Leaves are more spear shaped with a deeper toothed margin. Does look like a zelkova to me.

Sometimes trees are mis-identified to clear customs though.

Spend sometime poking around the Elm forum, there are hundreds of threads discussing care.

The two main things to be conscious of:

-temperature, direction and Time in Sun

-Balance of water and oxygen in the roots, through specific soils (whatever is recommended and available in your climate) and watering.

Tons of amazing Bonsai artists in the UK- Peter Warren and Harry Harrington are two of my favorites.

Good luck!

 

[Pierre]

It looks like a Zelkova to me as well. My room has got light early morning and through out the day, but get sun in the late afternoon for a few hours before sunset.

 

[sorce]

Best strapping it to the outside window sill!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[Pierre]

Best strapping it to the outside window sill!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

There is a little problem, The windows can't open fully, so it would be impossible for me to place my bonsai outside, and just before anyone say it, I am saying before hand that I don't have access to a garden at all, cause I live in a flat on the 2nd floor.

 

[MrWunderful]

There is a little problem, The windows can't open fully, so it would be impossible for me to place my bonsai outside, and just before anyone say it, I am saying before hand that I don't have access to a garden at all, cause I live in a flat on the 2nd floor.

Most “bonsai” (ie. trees in general) cannot survive indoors year -round even with complicated lighting setups. Regardless of if the tree was sold as “indoor bonsai” or not. So be prepared for the worst- slow, uneven growth indoors.

 

[sorce]

impossible

I wrote this on my quick memo and forgot about it till I found it the other day.

"You must know what is possible to know what is impossible, and when you find out what is impossible, fucking do it anyway!"

What about the roof?

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Growing indoors is a touchy subject...

I have a relatively high output lighting set-up made from two medium-large led panels balanced in red and blue, about (depending on needs) 5 hanging lamps (lookin’ like heat-lamp shields) balanced in blue/white, two standing CFL 27 watt (square made of compressed tubes) grow lamps (65000k), and 3-5 (depending on need) normal lamps with “grow bulb replacements” (balanced... but leaning blue) as supplemental lighting in and around the plants and all situated toward a 12x6(ish) south-facing window with one pane of old glass and no screen....

I won’t even get into the humidity and CO2 monitoring.... frustrating

My trees struggle for light indoors in that area I made JUST FOR THEM... (ungrateful ) and “come around magically” when they are able to come out and play.... all those lights, positioned with care.. an environment geared towards “their needs”.... and it’s all GARBAGE compared to stepping outside.

In reality, they are not ungrateful (sorry plants)... they are doing their best. The downside is that “their best” indoors will be simply toleration.... and only certain species can even tolerate.

If you want some year-round indoor species, there are a couple that will survive and offer a little extra. This is assuming that you invest a little bit into creating that indoor environment for them.

 

[Pierre]

It looks like I am going to have a difficult time to grow my bonsai indoors. At our garden centre the bonsai trees are inside on a shelf and not outside.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Move to better accomodations. A small thing to do if Bonsai really grabs you.

 

[Pierre]

Move to better accomodations. A small thing to do if Bonsai really grabs you.

I am giving up, I dont know what to do anymore.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I am giving up, I dont know what to do anymore.

No! Not that! Just take a minute.. breathe...

You just have the one tree’s needs to think of...be calm.. and think about it..

It’s do-able.. we are here to help.

(Sometimes we get excited and “jump up” ... like excited puppies who don’t understand how large they are)

 

[ajm55555]

In general bonsais (trees) can live inside a house in places located at temperate latitudes if they're tropical trees and the place meets some requirements of light (plenty) and humidity (not too low).
Trees that need to feel the seasonal changes are very difficult to grow inside, as you can imagine, since inside a house there are no seasonal changes unless you can mimic them. At that point you'd be better off getting a tropical tree ;-)
Summary: you can still do bonsai in an apartment!

 

[ajm55555]

Last tip: get to know your tree before you buy it! ;-)

 

[HorseloverFat]

Pachiras (money trees), Jades, adeniums (Desert Rose), RoseMary, palms, RainTrees.. and other very tropical plants can survive and even thrive indoors with minimal to no supplemental light.

If you HAVE supplemental light, coupled with a possible area to “summer” your trees.. that list grows EXPONENTIALLY.. Serissas, Boxwoods, Bougainvillea, CrepeMyrtle, Chinese Elm, Guava, Tamarind, Pomegranate, certain citrus (depending where you live), callistemon, kumquat, olive trees (depending on the summer you can provide), Lavender star-flower, Gardenia, Camellia.......

There’s more too.... just don’t have my reading materials nearby.

Don’t give up... give in.

 

[Pierre]

How is it possible to grow a bonsai in a apartment?

 

[ajm55555]

How is it possible to grow a bonsai in a apartment?

With nutrients, water and light!

 

[Pierre]

Would drip feeders work for a bonsai

 

[JudyB]

How is it possible to grow a bonsai in a apartment?

It is important to pick the correct type of plant if you want to be successful inside with bonsai. There are several options as some people have listed already. Chinese Elm if that is actually what you have can sometimes live for several years inside if given enough light. Some of them can live without a dormant period, but not all elms are the same. I think you could try with this plant and see what happens. Or you can get a tropical as suggested, like jade or ficus. Ficus is an easy indoor plant and make very nice bonsai.

IF this is a zelkova, unless you have a way to give it dormancy over the winter, then it will not live more than this season. It is a temperate tree and needs dormancy.

 

[Forsoothe!]

How is it possible to grow a bonsai in a apartment?

First, characterize your light. Do you have a window where you want a tree or two? How, big; facing what direction; obscured by trees, buildings, overhangs, etc.; balcony or ledge suitable for summering? This is step #1 of many.