New Bonsai Indoors, Low Light

[gward]

Hello,

I've never done a bonsai before, I'd like to have one at my office. The problem is there aren't any windows, so no natural light. I have a pretty good grow light that I could put on a timer if needed.

I also live in an area where it would have to be indoors for half the year, which unfortunately means the air is also dry. I could help with that by misting or the pebble water tray if needed.

The temperature indoors is anywhere from 65 to 70 F.

So that brings me to the question, any recommendations for an attractive bonsai for a beginner in those conditions?

 

[Sansui]

There ought to be a law about workplaces with no windows! Trying a ficus or fukien tea plant would be my suggestion, but there are many other indoor varieties that thrive indoors.

 

[bonsaichile]

Bonsai need to be outside. Trees dont grow insidr. Even in winter, bonsai need to eb outside. You can keep some tropical species alive indoors with a proper set up, but the trees will be unhappy and not develop properly

 

[amatbrewer]

Maybe consider mushrooms?

 

[penumbra]

Ficus is your best bet. Consider a willowleaf or better yet one of the benjamina. My experience with them is that the benjamina will grow inside under proper lighting and pebble tray, with regular fertilizing, as it will outside. Additionally it is easier to keep track of. Most of my other tropical s really do respond to going outside in warm weather, but my ficus is growing as well as it can under t-5 fluorescent lighting. I literally have to prune it every 2 to 3 weeks.
Best of luck to you.

 

[Carol 83]

Consider a willowleaf

My willow leaf drops all it's leaves and sits like a dead thing all winter. And it is in a southern exposure with grow lights. Maybe a different ficus would be a better choice. Or a jade.

 

[BrianBay9]

Schefflera

 

[gward]

Ficus is your best bet. Consider a willowleaf or better yet one of the benjamina. My experience with them is that the benjamina will grow inside under proper lighting and pebble tray, with regular fertilizing, as it will outside. Additionally it is easier to keep track of. Most of my other tropical s really do respond to going outside in warm weather, but my ficus is growing as well as it can under t-5 fluorescent lighting. I literally have to prune it every 2 to 3 weeks.
Best of luck to you.

Thanks for the info I ordered some ficus benjamina seeds, we'll see how that goes. I've seen some that are thirty years old and they look really cool.

 

[penumbra]

Thanks for the info I ordered some ficus benjamina seeds, we'll see how that goes. I've seen some that are thirty years old and they look really cool.

Holy crap! Seeds? Really? Go to any green house and pick up a descent size plant for $5 - $10. Seeds sound like a back up plan but it will be many years before you have something to work with. You can pick up one at a local greenhouse and start training it right away.

 

[gward]

Holy crap! Seeds? Really? Go to any green house and pick up a descent size plant for $5 - $10. Seeds sound like a back up plan but it will be many years before you have something to work with. You can pick up one at a local greenhouse and start training it right away.

I would love to, but I live in Alaska. Most online stores won't ship live plants because of crazy agriculture rules and there just aren't many options in the way of stores that might carry it. Low population and all. I'll have a look around, but no luck so far.

 

[penumbra]

Sorry man, that sucks. Do you have a Lowes or Home Depot?

 

[coltranem]

How about get 5 or more outdoor bonsai. Keep them outside and bring into the office for the day as a feature. Bring home at night. Bring a different one the next day. That way you don't deprive any of light for more than one day a week. It won't work in the winter but it would change things up a bit.

 

[gward]

How about get 5 or more outdoor bonsai. Keep them outside and bring into the office for the day as a feature. Bring home at night. Bring a different one the next day. That way you don't deprive any of light for more than one day a week. It won't work in the winter but it would change things up a bit.

That's a great idea, I didn't think of that.

Sorry man, that sucks. Do you have a Lowes or Home Depot?

We have one of those within a 6 hour drive lmao. They already pretty much closed up their gardening center for the year. I'll have to see if I can find a store that'll ship it online.

 

[Carol 83]

That's a great idea, I didn't think of that.



We have one of those within a 6 hour drive lmao. They already pretty much closed up their gardening center for the year. I'll have to see if I can find a store that'll ship it online.

My son spent the summer in Alaska, working at a salmon processing plant. Beautiful place, but no cell service, extremely limited wi-fi. I can only imagine the challenges of living there.

 

[coltranem]

Not sure where in Alaska you are but you will need to figure out what species are easy to get through your winter. I was on the Anchorage and Kenai areas this summer and noticed a lot of native spruce.

 

[eryk2kartman]

My son spent the summer in Alaska, working at a salmon processing plant. Beautiful place, but no cell service, extremely limited wi-fi. I can only imagine the challenges of living there.

This sounds like a proper life, not controlled by smartphons and other civilisation bullshit.

 

[Cajunrider]

This sounds like a proper life, not controlled by smartphons and other civilisation bullshit.

I've done plenty of that and to me that kind of life is way way way overrated.

 

[eryk2kartman]

I've done plenty of that and to me that kind of life is way way way overrated.

It all depends what you are looking for, i was born in time that color TV was very rare and i really enjoyed my childhood etc,
now days, smartphones are talking over everything, people are addicted to search engines for any info, kids dont talk to each other, books nearly dont exist anymore....
I read yesterday some researches that they did on kids, 87% could not recognize bumble bee, and milk is coming from the shop - that was an answer
so do your own maths on that.......

anyway, sorry for off topic

 

[Cajunrider]

Hello,

I've never done a bonsai before, I'd like to have one at my office. The problem is there aren't any windows, so no natural light. I have a pretty good grow light that I could put on a timer if needed.

I also live in an area where it would have to be indoors for half the year, which unfortunately means the air is also dry. I could help with that by misting or the pebble water tray if needed.

The temperature indoors is anywhere from 65 to 70 F.

So that brings me to the question, any recommendations for an attractive bonsai for a beginner in those conditions?

My office condition is exactly like yours: No windows. 63-70 deg F. I was able to keep my Green Island Ficus alive under 16 hrs of grow light/day without any issue. It grows much slower than the ones outside but no ill effect. The one thing I am glad is that I don't see the elongation often observed with low light. This picture was taken a while back. It is a big bigger and more developed now.
Knowing the long day you are still having, I'd grow the seed at home with outdoor light and let it grow a bit before bringing it into the office.

 

[Carol 83]

This sounds like a proper life, not controlled by smartphons and other civilisation bullshit.

Unless, you're a mother and not able to communicate with your kid for two months!