well-meaning but foolish girl purchases serissa bonsai from local nursery

sleepytay

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Hey, y'all! Thrilled to have found this forum.

I am here, humbly, as yet another naive enthusiast who was beguiled by the gorgeous twisting roots and tiny leaves of a serissa bonsai starter at my local nursery. I bought it and brought it home, oblivious to the level of experience required to really keep these things happy. I've cared for a few beginner bonsai in the past (some of them still with us, others not...) and thought I was up to the task, however a panic-Google brought me to this forum after the temps started to soar here in Dallas and my tree was suddenly, horribly, wilted.

I am happy to report, however, that after more research I've been able to turn things around, and it now seems to be thriving!

Attached is a photo of what it looked like when I first brought it home at the beginning of May, followed by a before and after of the first trimming I gave it today. Since bringing it home, I've repotted it into a bonsai pot with what I hope to be proper soil: a mix of lava, limestone pearock, calcined clay, and pine bark. I've also kicked up my watering to once or twice a day as temps are in the high 90s to low 100s now. It's in a spot where it gets some direct sun, mostly in the afternoon, but is otherwise partly shaded. I can't find a place in my yard (South facing) that gets direct light only in the morning, though I think this would be better.

It does still get a few yellow leaves here and there, so I'm not sure if anyone can make suggestions as to what I can adjust to make it happier?

I'd love thoughts as well on the shape, and maybe a style I that would work well on this guy? I know they're notoriously fussy, but I'd really like to do my best to keep it going!

Thanks for looking and reading!
 

sorce

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Pics!

Welcome to Crazy!

There's no geniuses dumping water on these wherever they come from and they're always healthy.
I think it's just newbness and a bunch of backwards BS makes em hard.

Sorce
 

Katie0317

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That's a nice serissa. You should pinch off the huge leaves to shorten the internodes and keep the suckers off the bottom of the plant. (They're notorious for that.) You can figure out wiring and styling later but cut those big leaves off with a sharp clean scissor. Oh, I see you did trim it. Good job, but take off the huge leaves next time you trim. All the leaves should be the same size and you want to get them as small as possible. But go slow. Don't make too many new changes at once.

They like a lot of sun, and DO NOT like being moved, and watering is the most important feature. BN sees most deaths of these plants due to over and under watering. Water in the morning and then feel the soil it's in and it will probably need water in the late afternoon. Don't overwater! Give them just enough so that they're moist and NOT soaked. Watering is the key with these, and enough light.

They like morning sun and afternoon dappled shade to cool down. Actually, don't give them blazing full sun right now. Dappled sun should do it. Mine like full sun in the morning but be careful. Keep in outdoors in a place that it gets the kind of light I described.

Wait a full month before adding fertilizer and then use something like Osmocote plus. Let it be for a month or more after repotting. That's enough for at least a month. Each new thing you do adds a level of stress to the plant. Too many new things at once is too much. The yellow should resolve with fertilizer.
 
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sleepytay

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That's a nice serissa. You should pinch off the huge leaves to shorten the internodes and keep the suckers off the bottom of the plant. (They're notorious for that.) You can figure out wiring and styling later but cut those big leaves off with a sharp clean scissor. Oh, I see you did trim it. Good job, but take off the huge leaves next time you trim. All the leaves should be the same size and you want to get them as small as possible. But go slow. Don't make too many new changes at once.

They like a lot of sun, and DO NOT like being moved, and watering is the most important feature. BN sees most deaths of these plants due to over and under watering. Water in the morning and then feel the soil it's in and it will probably need water in the late afternoon. Don't overwater! Give them just enough so that they're moist and NOT soaked. Watering is the key with these, and enough light.

They like morning sun and afternoon dappled shade to cool down. Actually, don't give them blazing full sun right now. Dappled sun should do it. Mine like full sun in the morning but be careful. Keep in outdoors in a place that it gets the kind of light I described.

Wait a full month before adding fertilizer and then use something like Osmocote plus. Let it be for a month or more after repotting. That's enough for at least a month. Each new thing you do adds a level of stress to the plant. Too many new things at once is too much. The yellow should resolve with fertilizer.
This is all very helpful, thank you! I think I have a better place with dappled sunlight I can move it to once I feel like it's recovered from it's recent trim--then on to fertilizer! I appreciate the recommendation!
 

Katie0317

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You may not realize this but some experts believe repotting alone is all that should be done in one year. It's hard to believe. Most of the people on BN don't go that far but most of wouldn't do much more in more than a month after repotting! Just let it be for now.
 

Kullas

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On the next repot before you do clean up all the small dead roots inside the main root system above ground. I say at next repot because some of the ones ther may be supplying the plant and until its established in that new pot. I like the neagari it's nice.
 

Kullas

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Almost looks like there is a 2nt tree growing there
 

sleepytay

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You may not realize this but some experts believe repotting alone is all that should be done in one year. It's hard to believe. Most of the people on BN don't go that far but most of wouldn't do much more in more than a month after repotting! Just let it be for now.
I didn't realize! I knew only one change at a time as they can get stressed. I did give it a month after repotting before trimming to see if it dropped leaves, but it seemed to be doing well.
Patience is a skill I'll need to practice. 😁 I'll let it rest for now! Thank you!
 

sleepytay

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On the next repot before you do clean up all the small dead roots inside the main root system above ground. I say at next repot because some of the ones ther may be supplying the plant and until its established in that new pot. I like the neagari it's nice.
Thank you! I'll keep that in mind for the future! Do you have any advice on how to determine live vs. dead roots? Am I just looking for anything dry/brittle?

I had to look up what "neagari" meant--but yes! That's exactly what drew me to it. I'm glad I know the term so I can look at more examples.
 

Crawforde

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Patience is probably one of the most difficult bonsai skills to learn, along with a good eye for the future
design, technique, horticulture,…
Those can be learned more easily, or so I’ve heard.
some of us struggle with everything.
it’s still fun though.
 

AnutterBonsai

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very nice! be careful with this heatwave we are getting! im watering 2-3 times a day here in houston. great job keeping it alive. killer roots.
 

Kullas

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Thank you! I'll keep that in mind for the future! Do you have any advice on how to determine live vs. dead roots? Am I just looking for anything dry/brittle?

I had to look up what "neagari" meant--but yes! That's exactly what drew me to it. I'm glad I know the term so I can look at more examples.
Time is the best way just when you think it's a goner it pops a bud but sometimes it is.
 

Neo_Rokkenjima

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Hey, y'all! Thrilled to have found this forum.

I am here, humbly, as yet another naive enthusiast who was beguiled by the gorgeous twisting roots and tiny leaves of a serissa bonsai starter at my local nursery. I bought it and brought it home, oblivious to the level of experience required to really keep these things happy. I've cared for a few beginner bonsai in the past (some of them still with us, others not...) and thought I was up to the task, however a panic-Google brought me to this forum after the temps started to soar here in Dallas and my tree was suddenly, horribly, wilted.

I am happy to report, however, that after more research I've been able to turn things around, and it now seems to be thriving!

Attached is a photo of what it looked like when I first brought it home at the beginning of May, followed by a before and after of the first trimming I gave it today. Since bringing it home, I've repotted it into a bonsai pot with what I hope to be proper soil: a mix of lava, limestone pearock, calcined clay, and pine bark. I've also kicked up my watering to once or twice a day as temps are in the high 90s to low 100s now. It's in a spot where it gets some direct sun, mostly in the afternoon, but is otherwise partly shaded. I can't find a place in my yard (South facing) that gets direct light only in the morning, though I think this would be better.

It does still get a few yellow leaves here and there, so I'm not sure if anyone can make suggestions as to what I can adjust to make it happier?

I'd love thoughts as well on the shape, and maybe a style I that would work well on this guy? I know they're notoriously fussy, but I'd really like to do my best to keep it going!

Thanks for looking and reading!

Fellow newbie owner here. I jumped into bonsai with Serissa as my first "real" attempt at bonsai. Mine is a tiny thing-- Yours is beautiful! What a lovely root-over-rock you have there.
They really are not that difficult to keep indoors, contrary to what you hear online. People say they are "fussy," but they are actually fussy in a good way. If you move or over-water the plant, you'll get yellow leaves. If you under-water the plant, it'll start to wilt. When you water a wilting Serissa, it'll perk right back up and be happy again! In this way, Serissa truly appears to be "alive," and acts like how you'd expect your pet to act if it were being over/ under-fed. It's a plant with a lot of character.

Assuming you can make the right home for it-- and many people do have at least a few south-facing windows in their home-- then it is perfectly suitable as an indoor tree. On the other hand, it may actually be harder to keep outdoors, on the basis that people rarely have a perfect partial or "dappled" sunlight setup outside. You can't just yell "Less here, please!" and expect the sun to listen. Full sun, in front of a south-facing window, and light watering every day/ every other day (or "heavy" watering every 3 - 4 days,) seems to work well for mine. Re: Yellow leaves... Don't worry so much about them, as it just seems to be par for the course. Mine is always flowering, always growing new leaves, and I usually pick off a few yellow leaves each day.

Re: Style... Not really sure what to say here. Perhaps a semi-cascade would suit the oblong nature of this tree?

Best of luck!
 

sleepytay

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Fellow newbie owner here. I jumped into bonsai with Serissa as my first "real" attempt at bonsai. Mine is a tiny thing-- Yours is beautiful! What a lovely root-over-rock you have there.
They really are not that difficult to keep indoors, contrary to what you hear online. People say they are "fussy," but they are actually fussy in a good way. If you move or over-water the plant, you'll get yellow leaves. If you under-water the plant, it'll start to wilt. When you water a wilting Serissa, it'll perk right back up and be happy again! In this way, Serissa truly appears to be "alive," and acts like how you'd expect your pet to act if it were being over/ under-fed. It's a plant with a lot of character.

Assuming you can make the right home for it-- and many people do have at least a few south-facing windows in their home-- then it is perfectly suitable as an indoor tree. On the other hand, it may actually be harder to keep outdoors, on the basis that people rarely have a perfect partial or "dappled" sunlight setup outside. You can't just yell "Less here, please!" and expect the sun to listen. Full sun, in front of a south-facing window, and light watering every day/ every other day (or "heavy" watering every 3 - 4 days,) seems to work well for mine. Re: Yellow leaves... Don't worry so much about them, as it just seems to be par for the course. Mine is always flowering, always growing new leaves, and I usually pick off a few yellow leaves each day.

Re: Style... Not really sure what to say here. Perhaps a semi-cascade would suit the oblong nature of this tree?

Best of luck!
I like your perspective on the fussiness! I've definitely experienced that, and it is nice in a way to get that sort of immediate feedback. It certainly communicates with me a lot more than any of my other plants! Lots of personality. ☺️
 

Crawforde

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Try a lantana.
they wilt if you think about them having dry soil.
but you can wait until they look almost dead, water them, and then watch the recovery.
seriously. You can watch the young branches and leaves perk back up and go back to a healthy normal state.
maybe I need to get a life. Lol.
 

Carol 83

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Try a lantana.
they wilt if you think about them having dry soil.
but you can wait until they look almost dead, water them, and then watch the recovery.
seriously. You can watch the young branches and leaves perk back up and go back to a healthy normal state.
maybe I need to
For sure, I thought for sure a couple were dead when we came back from vacation last year. They perked right back up. It's also fun to have flowers in the winter.
 
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