thams
Omono
That what I meant -- only you said it much better!
Schefflera Cut Back VERY HARD!
- Thread starter vdeschamps
- Start date
That what I meant -- only you said it much better!
vdeschamps
Mame
This is exactly the bulb that I got:
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/philips-agro-lite-50-watt-r20-indoor-plant-flood-light-bulb--415315.html#customer_reviews
Description (Chinese to me):
"This Agro-Lite 50-Watt R20 Indoor Plant Flood Light Bulbprovides a light similar to natural light that helps to promote healthy plant growth. The 50-watt light is for indoor use and is ideal for use in places where natural light is not available to plants.
Brightness: 1 lumens
Estimated yearly energy cost: $6.02 (Based on 3 hrs/day, 11c/kwh. Cost depends on rates and use.)
Life: 1.8 years (Based on 3 hrs/day)
Light appearance: 3000K (Warm White)
Energy used: 50 watts
Lumens per watt: 1
Uses 0% less energy compared to a standard incandescent light bulb
Promotes healthy plant growth
Ideal for use in places where natural light is not available to plants
Medium base with an R20 shape
Note: Product may vary by store.
MFG Brand Name : Philips
MFG Model # : 415315
MFG Part # : 415315"
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Nah, that light won't do anything for you, for the reasons already mentioned. They are the "mallsai" of grow lights.
thams
Omono
This is a good discussion that helped me. It might help you to understand lighting fundamentals.
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?1931-Lumen-requirements-for-bougs-ficus-and-olives
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?1931-Lumen-requirements-for-bougs-ficus-and-olives
augustine
Chumono
I think you should have seen a little growth within a month. Get a magnifying glass and see if anything is growing.
If it grows just let it get real healthy and chop it next summer, 2014.
I check the schefflera houseplants whenever I see some. You'll find mostly clumps with thin trunks but sometimes you'll find a can with nice large trunks. Just let them acclimate to your place for a month and then you can fool with them. I've had some branches grow, after pruning, in the winter but save the chops til summer.
You need some good light, the incandescent bulb probably will not do the job. Try fluorescent, it will save energy too.
Good luck and don't get discouraged.
Also, Meehan's Miniatures is an excellent source with first class people. Good selection and very reasonable pricing. They will also give you advise. Treat yourself and take a road trip. Also, don't forget the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection at the National Arboretum in D.C.
Augustine
Central MD - 7a
If it grows just let it get real healthy and chop it next summer, 2014.
I check the schefflera houseplants whenever I see some. You'll find mostly clumps with thin trunks but sometimes you'll find a can with nice large trunks. Just let them acclimate to your place for a month and then you can fool with them. I've had some branches grow, after pruning, in the winter but save the chops til summer.
You need some good light, the incandescent bulb probably will not do the job. Try fluorescent, it will save energy too.
Good luck and don't get discouraged.
Also, Meehan's Miniatures is an excellent source with first class people. Good selection and very reasonable pricing. They will also give you advise. Treat yourself and take a road trip. Also, don't forget the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection at the National Arboretum in D.C.
Augustine
Central MD - 7a
vdeschamps
Mame
Thanks for the reply. As I stated before, the base of the trunk slightly thickened. I hope that would have been a good sign.
I would love to go to Meehan's and I will plan to make a trip down there soon.
thams
Omono
Also, if there was a piece of advice I wish I had listened to when I first got into bonsai, it is this: save your money for a tree you really love.
When I was new to the hobby, I ended up with 10 trees that I felt "meh" about. I sold those and really searched for trees that spoke to me. Now I have about 6 trees that I really care about (I would have more if I had the space, but I too live in an apartment). The more excited you are about the trees you keep, the greater your desire will be to learn about bonsai.
I'm still relatively new to bonsai, but if I could go back in time that's what I would have done to begin with.
When I was new to the hobby, I ended up with 10 trees that I felt "meh" about. I sold those and really searched for trees that spoke to me. Now I have about 6 trees that I really care about (I would have more if I had the space, but I too live in an apartment). The more excited you are about the trees you keep, the greater your desire will be to learn about bonsai.
I'm still relatively new to bonsai, but if I could go back in time that's what I would have done to begin with.
vdeschamps
Mame
What trees do you have now?
I would love to have Junipers but these are clearly outside trees. Though, one could grow them using a growing light like this one:
thams
Omono
I have four ficus (2 tiger bark, 1 willow leaf, and 1 clump Benjamina that was cut down from about 7-feet), 1 olive, and 1 brush cherry.
The tricky one is the olive -- they need very high light, prefer a rest period during the winter, and love the warmth of the summer. So far I've had amazing luck with it, but it would do much better if it were outside year round. Like you mentioned, I would love to keep so many other varieties, but it's just not possible without my setup.
I've recently got into bonsai pottery... That's a whole 'nother rabbit hole to lose yourself in.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Sorry but one could not grow them with a light like that, especially since that's not really a useful grow light. Light isn't the only issue with growing Junipers indoors, but temperature is as well. Junipers need a dormancy that they can't get indoors.
thams
Omono
There are certainly better light setups, but it might be ok for a smaller, single tree. Just depends upon the tree you're trying to keep. There are plenty of lower light trees that would suit your cultural conditions. Just depends upon what lengths you'll go to to care for your trees. Sometimes I think my dog has less needs than the bonsai...
augustine
Chumono
Many of us use regular 2 bulb fluorescent shop lights. I can buy 48 inch T8 fixtures for about $22 at Home Depot. The finish is charcoal grey and you could make it look nice in your apartment by hanging on chains or setting them on good looking wood blocks or other material. Fluorescent bulbs are cool and can be placed a couple inches above the plants.
A shop light close to a window will give you great results as long as the site is not too cold. The price and energy usage is very economical. My guess is that the use of a shop light will not exceed $6-8 per month in electricity costs.
You could use 1 daylight bulb and 1 cool white. And you can really find nice trunked up scheffleras if you look around. I've found really nice ones.
Plenty of nice ficus varieties are available from bonsai nurseries and Meehan's has them all. Stay away from Ficus Benjamina. Good varieties are Golden Gate, Banyan, Retusa, Nerifolia and others. Martha Meehan will recommend good stock.
Augustine
Central MD
A shop light close to a window will give you great results as long as the site is not too cold. The price and energy usage is very economical. My guess is that the use of a shop light will not exceed $6-8 per month in electricity costs.
You could use 1 daylight bulb and 1 cool white. And you can really find nice trunked up scheffleras if you look around. I've found really nice ones.
Plenty of nice ficus varieties are available from bonsai nurseries and Meehan's has them all. Stay away from Ficus Benjamina. Good varieties are Golden Gate, Banyan, Retusa, Nerifolia and others. Martha Meehan will recommend good stock.
Augustine
Central MD
KennedyMarx
Omono
I will also vouch for Meehan's. I bought a Ficus Burtt-Davyi from them last fall. I didn't realize how nice it would be. Shipping was super fast as well.
vdeschamps
Mame
They can ship, woohoo!
vdeschamps
Mame
I will definitely add some ficus to my collection. I've heard good things about them and they look great.
vdeschamps
Mame
Can I just use a fluorescent bulbs and use a conventional fixture to keep the price down instead of buying a T5 or T8 fixture and using tubular fluorescent bulbs?
Something like that:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202913023/bmat?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1vZbmat&R=202913023#.UQ69NGDUip0
KennedyMarx
Omono
I did that. I bought a wall outlet timer, bunch of daylight CFLs, and some light clamps (exactly like this: http://videocontestnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Reflector-Clamp-Light1.jpg). It works better than just sitting them in the window, but they don't grow like they're outside in the sunlight.
After a few weeks, I was disappointed in the growth and I tricked myself into getting this: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-JSV...&qid=1359924367&sr=8-3&keywords=t5+grow+light. It's a rip off. For the same price I could have gotten a nice multibulb T5 or T8 fixture and hung it above the shelf my plants are on. I'm considering something like this: http://www.amazon.com/EnviroGro-FLT...&qid=1359924367&sr=8-2&keywords=t5+grow+light for next winter, but I'm going to shop around more before pulling the trigger. It seems overpriced.
Anyway, the point of all that was to suggest you just get the big fixture if you're serious about growing the trees indoors. It sucks that I wasted my time and money, but at least I can warn others about doing the same.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
I just bought myself this one today to replace all my T8 lights:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TJQ6C6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TJQ6C6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
vdeschamps
Mame
Thanks for the warning! I'm sorry that you wasted your money, but glad that YOU did it :roll eyes:
I am just curious to know what is the difference between a tubular fluorescent bulb and a regular fluorescent bulb. But I will check out the T8 fixture that runs for $20 at Home Depot.
Gaitano
Shohin
Scheff chopping
In reference to your original post about the Scheff chop, I have done this with several. I tried a cheap home depot scheff as an experiment. Chopped to about 1" in Feb 2012. I put the pot in a plastic bag for high humidity and placed it in a south window. One month later I had new growth. I brought it outside for the summer and now there are 3-4 branches. I tried it on another planted in a lava rock. This one was chopped in April and brought outside, no humidity bag. Over the summer it grew about 5 new branches from the trunk. I just recently chopped the second main branch that was left last spring. They are fun to play with.
In reference to your original post about the Scheff chop, I have done this with several. I tried a cheap home depot scheff as an experiment. Chopped to about 1" in Feb 2012. I put the pot in a plastic bag for high humidity and placed it in a south window. One month later I had new growth. I brought it outside for the summer and now there are 3-4 branches. I tried it on another planted in a lava rock. This one was chopped in April and brought outside, no humidity bag. Over the summer it grew about 5 new branches from the trunk. I just recently chopped the second main branch that was left last spring. They are fun to play with.
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