Re-pot Bonsai or not? Please help

elitef

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Hello everyone,

I am new to plants and do not have much of a green thumb, but I purchased a Bonsai tree at a local store which had them on sale and I've grown to like it very much.
I purchased it about a month and a half ago, and have been watering it every week, once a week.

The tree is in a climate controlled room, not by a window.

This morning I noticed that the tree is starting to get dry spots on the branches/leaves, but not sure why since i water it once a week.

I was thinking of maybe re-potting it, but I am unsure how to do it, nor what is needed in order to get the job done.

The following is a picture of my tree in order for you experts to know what kind it is at least, because I have no clue.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

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Bonsai Nut

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The tree doesn't look bad/sick, but the soil looks REALLY WET - almost like it is a swamp. Here are general pointers...

(1) Soil should never be saturated (like a swimming pool). You should be able to water the tree and the water should flow right through the soil and out through the bottom of the pot. The soil particles will be wet, but you should never see any standing water.

(2) Moss on top of the soil is generally a bad thing. It blocks air and keeps the soil too wet. It is better to have mostly uncovered soil. If you want to have a little moss, that is fine, but it should not cover 100% of the soil.

(3) Make sure your pot drains freely. If water is pooling in the bottom of the pot, it is time to find a different pot. Bonsai pots typically are designed to have plenty of drainage.
 

elitef

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The tree doesn't look bad/sick, but the soil looks REALLY WET - almost like it is a swamp. Here are general pointers...

(1) Soil should never be saturated (like a swimming pool). You should be able to water the tree and the water should flow right through the soil and out through the bottom of the pot. The soil particles will be wet, but you should never see any standing water.

(2) Moss on top of the soil is generally a bad thing. It blocks air and keeps the soil too wet. It is better to have mostly uncovered soil. If you want to have a little moss, that is fine, but it should not cover 100% of the soil.

(3) Make sure your pot drains freely. If water is pooling in the bottom of the pot, it is time to find a different pot. Bonsai pots typically are designed to have plenty of drainage.

Thank you for the pointers.
This is the pot that it came in, and I have been water it once a week and that is how it is every time I water it. There is no drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, so I am assuming I would in fact need to repot it into a pot specifically designed for a Bonsai.

Any suggestions of a good pot for a small plant such as this?
Also, what kind of bonsai is it, any particular name?
 

Cypress187

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Welcome to the forum.

It's most likely a juniper (which should be outside by my knowledge).
And, are there holes in the bottom of the pot?

edit: Oh, i was to late :( :p
 

Vance Wood

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Where do you live, the State or Country would be helpful.
 

Vance Wood

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Welcome to the forum.

It's most likely a juniper (which should be outside by my knowledge).
And, are there holes in the bottom of the pot?

edit: Oh, i was to late :( :p
Not now, in my state it would die.
 

elitef

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Yes in my state it would die outside too haha I am in New Jersey, USA and with the temps the past few days, it feels like Russia lol =P
 

GailC

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First thing I would do is tip the pot on its side so some of the water can drain away. Then get yourself to a home depot store, purchase a similar sized pot that is somewhat shallow and has nice drainage. Since your juniper isn't technically a bonsai at this point, I would just grab some potting soil for now so you can get it out of the mud its in.

You can get proper bonsai soil/pot later, it more important at this point to get its roots out of the standing water.
 

Redwood Ryan

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It won't die in winter in NJ. If you put it out right now, however, it would. Come spring, put it outdoors and leave it out there, even during the winter.
 

aml1014

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Thank you for the pointers.
This is the pot that it came in, and I have been water it once a week and that is how it is every time I water it. There is no drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, so I am assuming I would in fact need to repot it into a pot specifically designed for a Bonsai.

Any suggestions of a good pot for a small plant such as this?
Also, what kind of bonsai is it, any particular name?
It apears to be a procumbens nana juniper.

Aaron
 

pgstroud@aol.com

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Hello everyone,

I am new to plants and do not have much of a green thumb, but I purchased a Bonsai tree at a local store which had them on sale and I've grown to like it very much.
I purchased it about a month and a half ago, and have been watering it every week, once a week.

The tree is in a climate controlled room, not by a window.

This morning I noticed that the tree is starting to get dry spots on the branches/leaves, but not sure why since i water it once a week.

I was thinking of maybe re-potting it, but I am unsure how to do it, nor what is needed in order to get the job done.

The following is a picture of my tree in order for you experts to know what kind it is at least, because I have no clue.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The tree looks as if it is in a questionable soil. If the soil is too full of fine particles which will pack around the roots like a common houseplant, they will be starved of oxygen. I use a mixture of a very small amount of soil containing bark & perlite, soil conditioner with a lot of bark, & 3 kinds of inorganic material: small stones mostly. Your soil appears to hold too much water. It is necessary to have a well draining soil & water it more than once a week if necessary depending on the weather where you live & the need of the plant to be watered. To water a plant if it does not need water is asking for failure! I bought an automatic sprinkler (not an expensive one but more like a lawn sprinkler), set it in a slightly elevated place (I use a strong patio chair), &set it to come on each morning for 5 minutes. I turn it off if we have several days of rain. Use your judgment as to how wet the plants are getting & proceed. Examine them by putting your finger a short distance down into the soil.Some plants such as Junipers & bougainvella I put outside the watering area since they must be in a very well drained soil with more inorganic particles than organic (bark or loam) since they are sensitive to too much water. I water them occasionally by hand. Know your plants & how much they need in soil to handle water. Like people, they all have their differences & needs. The internet is a great resource for learning about your plants & will give you good ideas as to how to proceed. The above watering method is for summer only! I move them all, along with the tables they're on, into my garage when the weather gets cold, & use 100watt daylight (I saw one the other day in Lowes labeled "natural light") energy efficient bulbs. These can be florescent or the clip-on type. The clip-on ones are easy to maneuver. I have a gas hot water heater in my garage which tempers the cold when it comes on. I've done this several years & never lost a one, even citrus bonsai & pre-bonsai I have grown, believe it or not, from supermarket seeds. You should see my orange, key lime & tangerine trees, all bonsaied, along with others like Chinese elm, California redwood, bougainviella, boxwood, Norfolk Island Pine (believe me, whether bonsaied or tall ones in a pot Norfolk Island Pines can easily be killed by too much water; they like to be on the line between dry & moist & they are one of my favorite trees. GOOD LUCK. KEEP AT IT AS I DID & PATIENCE WILL PAY OFF! You will kill a few as you learn but that happens to everyone.
 

M. Frary

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Yes in my state it would die outside too haha I am in New Jersey, USA and with the temps the past few days, it feels like Russia lol =P
It would die right now if you put it outside but as soon as spring comes it should stay outside all year long. They do here.
If the pot it is in has no drain holes it doesn't matter what type of soil or how much or how little you water,the plant will die.
I would get it into something with drain holes else as soon as possible. Just transplant without disturbing the roots as much as possible.
 
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