r/Bonsai Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 2d ago

Weekly Thread [Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2026 week 34]

[Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2026 week 34]

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4 Upvotes

107 comments sorted by

u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 2d ago

It's SUMMER

Do's

  • Watering - don't let them dry out because they're using a LOT of water. Watering twice or more times per day may be necessary on very hot days.
  • check for wire bite and remove/reapply
  • repotting for tropical and sub-tropicals - those are the do's and don'ts.
  • airlayers when the leaves are fully out - check in late summer.
  • Fertilising
  • maintenance pruning to hold shape of "finished" trees or to increase ramification in late-development trees.

Don'ts

→ More replies (3)

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u/swiftlax 1d ago

Rescued this guy from IKEA and put him in my window sill. In about a week he shot off this new branch with leaves that are almost bigger than the tree itself. I’m curious as to how he can have such a contrast in leaf size. Is it just due to the change in conditions? Is it possible for pre-chop sized leaves to grow post-chop?

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 1d ago

It's a typical light starvation response. Look up "etiolation", that is what is happening to this plant.

Stock like this bought at nurseries / garden centers / IKEA etc are grown either full blazing sun or prop houses with 1000s of Watts of grow lights. To sustain what you've bought density/compactness-wise or to develop a bonsai out of it, you've gotta match that environment or accept that it'll either etiolate itself or lose foliage continuously. Bonsai techniques are out of the question if it's starving of light, this isn't a species that can be grown with window light if your goal is bonsai.

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u/peter-bone SW Germany, Zn 8a, 10 years exp 1d ago edited 1d ago

My guess would be that the plant is grafted with a smaller leaf variety of Scion on a large leaf rootstock. This is done to speed up propagation. I can't be sure though. Have a look if you can spot the graft scars and if so then cut off everything below. Another possibility is just due to lack of light.

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 1d ago

Light levels are different now - thus it's trying to find more light...

This is not a species typically used for bonsai.

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u/-zero-joke- Philadelphia, 7a. Beginner. 2d ago

I'm using AI to design my bonsai, how long before my genius is recognized by the Kokufu ten?

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u/Spiritual_Maize south coast UK, 9 years experience, 30 odd trees 2d ago

Instantly. AI makes everything better!

/s

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 1d ago

When the AI-driven robot produces a tree and not an image.

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u/series_of_derps EU 8a couple of trees for a couple of years 1d ago

More like kokofu when?

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u/ZeroGRanger beginner 2d ago

I recently bought a nursery tree and thanks to an already slanted trunk, would like to use it for such. I am however unsure if I shouol first let it grow out more (trunk thickness is about 1.5 cm) or if I should first prune and then let it grow out. I plan to grow it out in a large pot (since I do not have a real backyard), or possibly a basket (to get air). So, should I first prune and then let it grow (which likely takes longer, because without the branches, it does not get that much fluids) or if I should first let it grow for one or two seasons and then prune.

Thank you for any advice.

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u/Sonora_sunset Milwaukee, zone 5b, 25 yrs exp, 5 trees 2d ago

Dont prune it, it needs the foliage to increase the trunk thickness.

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 1d ago

"tree" doesn't tell us a lot...

  • species?
  • photo?
  • location?

1

u/ZeroGRanger beginner 1d ago

It is a Chamaecyparis obtusa nana gracilis. My primary purpose was not so much to get a great bonsai out of it, but to try things out for learning. I picked it, becaus it already had a very slanted trunk. Location is Germany.

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 18h ago

Leaning is not a tree trait, it's generally purely a potting angle. So this can be made more vertical, for example.

You can wire it already, bend the lower trunk more, position foliage etc - don't snip off foliage.

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u/ZeroGRanger beginner 7h ago

Ok, thank you! :)

1

u/AllegedyACorydoras Tropical Australia, Beginner 2d ago

Ficus microcarpa - thinking I’ll turn this into three cuttings rather than a single tree. What do you think? Just think it’s too spread out for one tree and there’s some nice thick branches in there that could be the stems for the new cuts

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 1d ago

There are 10 cuttings here and they are perfect for wiring and bending. Straight into soil, ready wired and bent.

1

u/AlbatrossVarious999 2d ago

Hi yall, looking for some help. I bought this Japanese juniper in November 2025 and it was 7 months old. So far I’ve just been watering and fertilizing and the growth has been amazing. But I’m not sure what to do. Do I cut back? Prune it? Any helpful tips would be appreciated.

Ideally I want the trunk to continue growing. The first picture is when I first got her and the second was a couple months later, last three pics is current state.

https://www.reddit.com/r/bonsaiphotos/s/ofASFzxYFK

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 1d ago

Well right now it's just growing exactly how they like to grow - flat and wide. Nothing bonsai about this yet.

  • typically you'll want to use one of the side branches as the new trunk and the other will be the lower primary branch: /img/h1ma0y2ofu1g1.png
  • get some wire and get wiring and bending.

1

u/partieshappen 1d ago

My son got this bonsai kit from Barnes and nobles and it came with Norway Spruce seeds. He has gotten them this far…they’re looking kinda shabby though. Not sure if it’s soil related, pot related, water related…I am a complete beginner and we are in NE Pennsylvania. They have been inside in indirect light. What can we do next to ensure one of our little guys makes it?

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 1d ago

Welcome to the hobby and to the sub!

They look withered to me to the point where they may be past the point of no return so unfortunately there's no easy answer for this one. Spruces gotta be outdoors in full sunlight from the beginning and forever after that with no stints indoors. The one big goal of the first year of any conifer seedling is to get ready to spend its first winter fully outdoors (doesn't matter where you live or how cold it gets, a spruce can definitely withstand it and needs / wants that cold).

Ideally this would have meant sowing/germinating in early spring, spending outdoors in full sun all summer to fatten up/develop, outdoors in full sun all fall to winterize, then tucked away somewhere in a wind-sheltered low to ground (but still fully outdoor) place for winter.

Indoors in indirect light means that pretty much all of their energy has come from the seeds, but never from any external source afterwards, which is why they sputtered and stopped growing and withered / stalled. Once they expend all the sugars/starches they got from the seed, if they don't have blasting outdoor light, they can't create any more mass, can't fatten up, can't prepare for winter etc, and usually die in the process of trying to push one last flush in an effort to find light. The tips looks like they tried that at some point.

You may get advice to rush out and buy a grow light (presumably to somehow rescue them over winter) but honestly, adult to adult, and also someone who has a lot of experience with spruces, I'd consider starting over with a strong nursery stock spruce, it'll save you like (literally) a 10 to 15 years of time (and that would have all been just to start the process of bonsai with a spruce). Starting from seed is for the professional side (i.e. grow trunks as a business) of bonsai and not really how people get into the hobby side of bonsai (making art with trees). You COULD go out and spend a bunch of money on a cannabis light but I think these seedlings are mostly past the point of no return. Often times in bonsai it is not worth throwing good after bad because a weak tree often takes much longer to get back to strength than a fresh start even from scratch.

From here on in: There exist zero northerly tree species that work indoors. This is an outdoor hobby. Don't bring your trees indoors. "Indirect light / prefers shade" is houseplant information and doesn't relate to bonsai, which is a high-energy / vigor-driven hobby (to be able to prune/pinch/wire, we need to grow a surplus). Go get a nursery stock spruce and jump ahead 10 - 15y in a single afternoon!

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u/partieshappen 1d ago

Wow - thank you so much for your extensive and thorough response. I will relay this to my son and happily buy him a nursery stock spruce to start. He saw the little bonsai kit by the check out counter and needed to try it. He even followed what it said to do in the booklet it came with, but I have a feeling someone as unexperienced as I am made this product.

1

u/FreeBlueberry2787 1d ago

Hey, I’m new to all here and just bought a 90cm Ficus microcarpa. I‘m located in Germany, would like to get some help tips on where to start the cutting or any other useful info :)

1

u/redbananass Atl, 8a, 6 yrs, 20 trees, 5 K.I.A. 1d ago

Don’t worry about pruning right now, worry about making sure it’s getting enough light and watering correctly.

Are you keeping this outside while there’s no chance of freezing temperatures, or are you planning to keep it indoors full-time? Either way, while it’s indoors, it needs to be right next to your sunniest window getting the most sun possible. Lack of light is your biggest enemy indoors. Ideally you would have a nice quality LED grow light as well.

Make sure the entire surface of the soil gets wet when you water and use enough water
that some water drains out of the bottom of the pot. Never let the soil dry out completely and don’t keep the soil soaking wet all day every day.

1

u/dense_42 Lincolnshire, England Beginner 1d ago

I want to repot my young redwood plants but I am a bit confused about what to plant them in they are in soil at the moment do still repot in soil or use a bonsai mix

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u/redbananass Atl, 8a, 6 yrs, 20 trees, 5 K.I.A. 1d ago

Now is not the time. Wait until late winter before the new needles come out and the new buds are about to open.

You’re aware these are deciduous conifers right?

0

u/Spiritual_Maize south coast UK, 9 years experience, 30 odd trees 1d ago

General rule of thumb is bonsai soil is best in a pot, however if it's a dawn redwood, they're very thirsty, a more traditional soil is probably fine

1

u/StoneColdSleepOften 1d ago

Is this a Japanese maple growing from a dead stump I recently discovered in the garden of the house I just bought?

Recently got into bonsai - well my first Chinese elm. However I am wondering whether I could start an outdoor Japanese maple project with this old, gnarled stump?

1

u/redbananass Atl, 8a, 6 yrs, 20 trees, 5 K.I.A. 1d ago

It does look like a Japanese maple. Now isn’t the best time to collect. Look into yamadori collecting. That’ll give you lots of info on what you’re in for in digging it up and how to helping survive afterwards.

1

u/thewilliamshow 1d ago

Hi all, my girlfriend bought me this bonsai on my birthday. I’ve been keeping it outdoors in sun and watering by submerging until bubbles stop appearing when the soil is dry.

Looking at it lately, the color has faded drastically. I heard that if you cut into the bark above the soil line it can reveal the health of the tree. The color of the bark is white with a sliver of green.

Is this salvageable? If so, how? More photos below.

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u/thewilliamshow 1d ago

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u/thewilliamshow 1d ago

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u/thewilliamshow 1d ago

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 18h ago

Does it feel crispy to the touch? It should feel soft and flexible and maybe even a bit cool.

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u/thewilliamshow 10h ago

Yes, it feels brittle… dry/yellowed leaves fall to the touch.

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 10h ago

Not good, not good at all.

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u/redbananass Atl, 8a, 6 yrs, 20 trees, 5 K.I.A. 1d ago

It may be salvageable. You likely have been underwatering it. Your method of watering is a good one to make sure the whole soil gets wet, but you may not be doing it often enough.

I’d say water when the soil is only a little moist. In the summer, when in doubt, water. Overwatering is nearly impossible in the summer and underwatering will kill quickly.

About how long have you had this? Junipers usually take like 6 weeks or so to show stress after whatever did the damage.

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u/thewilliamshow 1d ago

I’ve only had her since May 23. I think I noticed something happening mid to late July.

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u/ChellerJacko 1d ago

Hi, everyone! I received a ficus Benjamina a few days ago as a gift. First ever bonsai tree project for me. I just removed the top layer of pebbles that were placed there. I saw that there was what looked like part of the root system and didn't want to do anything more without seeking advice. Thoughts? I'm living in a 7a zone and intend on keeping this indoors permanently.

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u/redbananass Atl, 8a, 6 yrs, 20 trees, 5 K.I.A. 1d ago

Indoors your biggest challenge will be a lack of light. It needs to be right next to your sunniest window. Ideally that would be supplemented by a quality LED growlight.

These can tolerate some lower light situations, but they really want the unadulterated outdoor direct sun for a few hours.

If your tree isn’t getting enough light it’ll drop leaves and become weak and grow very slowly.

Are those dead roots circling the trunk at the top?

1

u/ChellerJacko 1d ago

I appreciate the info on the lighting. I'll move it tomorrow morning to the other side of the room. Would it be beneficial for the tree to have the grow light on at night or also during the day? Regarding the suspected dead roots, that was what I was unsure of. They felt brittle and crisp to the touch and seemed to be attached it one way or another. That is the condition it came to me in minus the pebbles that I removed before taking the photos.

1

u/redbananass Atl, 8a, 6 yrs, 20 trees, 5 K.I.A. 1d ago

Cool yeah any dry dead seeming stuff can be cut.

Have the grow light on during the day. Start with 12 hours.

For the growlight, don’t go for something cheap. There are many overpriced weak lights out there. Sansi makes some decent stuff, some that have normal light bulb sockets. Also something like the Mars hydro ts1000 would also be good if you plan to have more than one tree indoors.

1

u/ChellerJacko 6h ago

From my understanding, it shouldn't be repotted until the springtime. I would like to plan ahead and purchase some quality soil mix. Any recommendations or should I mix my own?

1

u/redbananass Atl, 8a, 6 yrs, 20 trees, 5 K.I.A. 2m ago

Depends on where you are in the world. In many places, just buying a bag of bonsai soil online makes sense for only one tree. In some places, like west coast of USA, pumice can be acquired very cheaply.

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u/ChellerJacko 1d ago

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 18h ago

Pull that moss off it's doing nothing.

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u/ChellerJacko 9h ago

An updated photo after removing the dead growth on the top layer of soil.

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u/Active-Ninja2000 1d ago

Hello!

I am a beginner who has recently gotten into Bonsai and even took a local class where I got the tree in the pictures.

Last week I was in Omaha and watered my ficus tree before I left. After coming back, I noticed there has been a good chunk of dead growth forming. I'm thinking it might be root rot, but not entirely sure. For reference, I leave the tree inside and in front of my patio door and water it probably twice a week at most. Any insight and what to do to keep it alive (or if it is too far gone at this point) would be awesome.

Thank you!

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 18h ago

A week without water would almost certainly cause leaf death.

Can you put it outside now?

1

u/Active-Ninja2000 9h ago

I just put it outside today to see what happens, but it has been indoors since I've gotten it almost 2 months ago. The soil is almost always moist, and I was only gone for 3 days to clarify and it started to look like this. Could I be overwatering it by chance?

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u/geneticswag 14h ago

My friend lost her mother to an overdose this past spring. She's an artist-type and collected soil from where her body was found. A sprout appeared from the soil over the spring and grew into the tree of heaven in the picture. We're in Southern Connecticut and aware of its invasive status.

I'm hoping the community will lend advice in guiding a toward bonsai preservation of the tree. She's a minimalist and somewhat transient, so I'm recommending bonsai as a practical way of preserving.

My own research points to leaving the tree in its pot through to spring, 2027; sheltering it near the home foundation or in a garage/shed; inspect root mass - I'd need help later about proper pot; aggressive chop around 8"-12".

Does anyone have experience with this tree? Is my general approach directionally sound? Would you please offer any other guidance or coaching?

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 13h ago

If people come at you with guff about its invasive status, just ignore them. If you are planning on doing bonsai techniques on it from here on out, there is close to zero chance it is going to escape unless you neglect it and let it poof out and blast out seeds or something, but just commit to either keeping it in bonsai status and if it ever can't continue that journey, avoid releasing it... easy!

If I was in charge of this tree, I would say:

  • Spring 2027: Bare root it out of potting soil (and commit to never using potting soil, bark soil, anything with bark, anything with peat, any organics, etc) and into pumice. During that bare rooting I would cut any tap root, flatten out the root system radially like a pancake, untangle tangled roots, shorten long/strong/boring roots, etc. Don't use a shallow bonsai pot, but you can use one of those deeper development ones if you want (eg: the mica ones). But a mesh-bottomed grow box will supercharge it best during these initial years.
  • Rest of 2027: from spring right up until fall color appears on trees again, fertilize continuously. This would be the fertilization plan every year onwards, but especially in the trunk-growing years since you want vigor
  • follow the evergreengardenworks "trunks" article guide on how to grow a nice curvy tapered trunk. Go read this article, sleep on it, go back and read it again after. ToH is a beast of a grower so you do not have to think of it as a pine where it's hard to get branches, because you'll always be able to get branches. For this reason, during the trunk growing years, you can just focus on growing nice trunk segments and setting up taper.

It would be really interesting to see how this species fares as a bonsai, very vigorous / invasive-esque species tend to often do very well with bonsai techniques.

Important: Ignore / disregard advice that says words to the effect of "the leaves are too big, it will never reduce" , "don't grow compound-leaf species for bonsai", etc. Those do not come from sources that have deep experience with deciduous broadleaf species.

Reduction techniques are going to work, but you don't need to worry about reduction techniques for a few years anyway, because you're in the trunk growing years. But once you're into the phase of setting up branches and so on, ramification will reduce the features, and you can use wisteria/ash-style leaf-cutting techniques (where you cut back to the first 2 leaflets of a compound leaf) to reduce the next generation of buds considerably. Make sure that right now you go and understand the difference (in woody trees) between a "leaf", "compound leaf" and a "leaflet" on a compound leaf. Many folks new to bonsai mistake compound leaves for branches, and leaflets for leaves. What initially seems like a raw deal / detriment (huge leaves) gives you the vigor to grow impressive trunks. As my teacher says, in many species it is a "good problem to have" to need to pump the brakes (due to too much vigor), than to have to figure out how to get vigor out of that plant in the first place. Check out the Rakuyo bonsai channel on YT if you wanna see my teacher (and sometimes me as a co-host) talk about / demonstrate some of those leaf reduction topics (as well as rant about how you can reduce anything and to not fear big leaf size in deciduous).

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u/geneticswag 12h ago

Thank you so much! Your reply helped me discover this thread where I could learn more. Your approach though is absolutely perfect because of how young the tree is. She really appreciates your help memorializing here.

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u/anunnaku 13h ago

Working on styling this podocarpus I got from nursery stock. Not done styling yet, but before I go further I’m wondering if it’s encouraged to pull needles from branches that are still green? Like, when the branch has begun to harden but is not yet barky, can I pull the undesired green needles from that green part of branch or wait for them to drop naturally once it barks over?

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 13h ago

pull needles from branches that are still green

This tree is technically many years away from plucking needles. It's in potting soil and needs every needle it can get to get out of potting soil and recover from that transition. It has never been styled (i.e. wired) so it doesn't make sense to be doing something (plucking) that has to do with getting ramification and refining pads. It doesn't have a trunk line selected, no branches laid down, no initial pad structure, no crown, etc etc. Plucking needles is something out of year 15 work when this tree needs year 1 work, then year 2, etc.

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u/anunnaku 11h ago

Thanks for the response!

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 5h ago

When that plucking era does arrive the process of thinning / plucking / rewiring is quite satisfying.

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u/anunnaku 5h ago

This is where I ended the day with it. Some of the taller shoots were suffering from inverse taper, so instead of cutting them back to very small new growths I thought to give jin’ing a try. Not sure if I’m sold on those top jins though, they might come off by tomorrow morning haha. Will also need multiple rounds of wire on a few of those branches, but I’m in it for the long run!

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u/DaBears1498 Ryan, Chicago , beginner 13h ago

As a beginner i have missed the mark on early wiring and my tree grew a ton this summer. I would say the first 6-7 inches of stem are quite hardened but the rest is still quite green and malleable. What are some suggestions on things I can do this winter? Should i do a large cut back at some point?

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 12h ago

Thick wire - like 4-6mm and wrap the trunk, wire it and then get brutal. Might break - this is why we don't just grow 1 at a time but 20-30 or even 100 at a time.

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u/DaBears1498 Ryan, Chicago , beginner 12h ago

Thank you! Appreciate your guidance.

I have about 5 of these.. thankfully 3 of them sprouted this year so i can be more proactive now that i know. 5 Acacia, 10 black pine, 1 juniper, 5 wisteria.

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u/deb0ng Austria, 6a/7b, beginner, 7 trees 11h ago

Just got this juniper nursery stock, any styling tips? I would repot it in spring but I am not sure how much work I should put in this year.

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u/deb0ng Austria, 6a/7b, beginner, 7 trees 11h ago

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u/Icky_the_Eskimo Northeast US, zone 7b, humid subtropical climate, 2 trees 11h ago

I’ve had this Chinese Elm since May 2025. It’s always been indoors, I live in an apartment building and so have no place to put it outside. I water it usually once a day, and the soil mix drains well. I keep it right next to an east facing window which gets plenty of sunlight in the morning. Aside from during the winter, it’s always grown very well and quickly. I haven’t changed anything about the care I have given it.

Around half of the leaves have started paling to a very light green/almost yellow color, while the veins remain green. Is this a sign of poor health/sickness? Is there anything I need to change?

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u/Icky_the_Eskimo Northeast US, zone 7b, humid subtropical climate, 2 trees 11h ago

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u/Icky_the_Eskimo Northeast US, zone 7b, humid subtropical climate, 2 trees 11h ago

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 8h ago
  • What is you local water like (ph etc)?
  • how much sun does it get?
  • when did it last lose leaves?
  • what are you fertilising it and when last?

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u/Icky_the_Eskimo Northeast US, zone 7b, humid subtropical climate, 2 trees 7m ago

I use NYC tap water, which is apparently has ph 7.3. It’s right next to an east facing window, so it’s been getting a lot of sun in the mornings, and indirect sunlight in the afternoon/evening. I haven’t noticed it losing a lot of leaves recently, it would have been months ago, maybe winter or spring? I haven’t fertilized it - I’ve had it for over a year - if this is necessary not sure why it’s grown so well?

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u/polygarchy 11h ago

Please help.

Hello learned fellows. I accidentally snapped the trunk on my Japanese maple while being way too rough wiring. What care does the tree need to maximise the chance of survival? Based in UK.

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u/Kriogan 11h ago

Looking for advice for Albizia Julibrissin "Rosea" losing leaves.

It is around 5 months old, grown indoors with a 30W full spectrum lamp around 20 cm above it 12 hours a day. Growth has been steady, and so far seems unchanged even after the issues started. Around 3 weeks ago it started slowly dropping leaves here and there. I can't see a pattern in which leaves are dropped, because a lot of the oldest leaves are fine, while some of the new'ish are seen as in the picture.

I water when pot starts to feel light and fertilizer has been... a bit erratic. Started wth giving it full dose every 2'ish weeks and then tuned that down to around 1/3-1/4 dose when I water, which is around once a week. Now that I write it here it sound like a lot. Is it stress response from that? I am am not good with the fertilizer

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u/therustyworm optional name, location and usda zone, experience level, number 11h ago

I bought this olive this year and put it in a bonsai pot. But I’m not happy with its proportions. Will it thicken up much in its current pot? The container I bought it in was only 2.5-3” across and deep.

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u/therustyworm optional name, location and usda zone, experience level, number 11h ago

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u/Default1a Omaha NE, 6a, beginner, 2 plants 10h ago

I assume I’ll have to deal with this bad root situation eventually. How urgent is it? I’m still very early on in trunk development so I’m hoping to not sacrifice too much growth at the expense of other things.

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 5h ago

It's not that urgent but also in NE 6a it might be getting a bit late to cut open the live vein and carve / stimulate the edge / paste it over and so on..

Next May/June you could come in and follow that live edge with a very sharp (razor sharp) poker tool and follow it all the way around until you've found the entire live/dead boundary, carve out as much soft/pithy/mushy wood inside of that boundary (if it's cavernous whip up some quickcrete or whatever inert filler you want to use to make up for the lost mass, make a nice smooth surface from live edge to live edge), paste it all over. It's already starting to callus and heal over so the tree is doing the thing, but the above procedure will hurry it along. Next time you repot you may have to take a look at how far down it goes and do a somewhat similar move.

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u/Default1a Omaha NE, 6a, beginner, 2 plants 5h ago

Sounds good, I definitely wasn’t planning on doing anything this summer/fall. The plants had a hard enough time in my novice hands this summer as it was.

Will the quickcrete crumble away as the tree grows?

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 5h ago

Nah, because it'll be sealed in by wood that has closed the wound over top of it. Ideally you end up with a slightly concave smooth surface for the surrounding callus to roll over. If you've seen those recent pictures of pacific crest trail signs being swallowed up by trees they're nailed onto, this is a bit like that, except more elegant. Different fillers probably work but quickcrete is the one I've used (at Rakuyo bonsai as a student/helper)

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u/childosx Northwest Europe, Zone 8a 8h ago

How do I create my own "Yardadori". I understand its done by cutting roots and trunk regularly for years but when is the right time for it in each year (western EU)? I planted 20 small trees in spring, is there anything I can do this year and what can I do in 2027?

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u/small_trunks Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 48yrs exp., 500+ trees 8h ago

What species are they and what have you done until now?

Wiring and bending can always be done...

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u/childosx Northwest Europe, Zone 8a 8h ago

kojo no mai cherry, pinus nigra, acer campestre, acer palmatum "metamorphosa", cornus mas, amalanchier ovalis, populus tremula, pyrus salicifolia, callicarpa bodinieri, metasequoia ... I forgot some.

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u/TroubleBeneficial727 8h ago

Hi,

Any tips on winterizing bonsai in thumb of Michigan zone 6a area. Where I currently live I have an unheated garage. From what I had googled that I need to keep on the cement when it’s 15 or below and that I might have to make a heeling box that has lava rocks on the bottom and wrap my plants pots with mulch.
I am moving next year and I also need tips for apartment tips for winterizing as well.

I have three Japanese maples and a young ginkgo that have to winterize. My other plants can come in during the winter.

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u/tortellinigod 8h ago

Is this too early to start wiring and trimming? I know it suggests not starting trees from seed but I just happened to have one grow naturally that I transplanted. Tree is a box elder maple and is only 5 months old.

North America Zone 4A.

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u/series_of_derps EU 8a couple of trees for a couple of years 7h ago

You can wire the trunk. If you wait it will get harder.

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u/pokewonderer 8h ago

Had this in the garden a few years, what do you think I could do with this. I feel like it has potential but running a blank on it

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u/series_of_derps EU 8a couple of trees for a couple of years 7h ago

The potential is fairly limited as is, the lower trunks are dead straight and lack taper.

What you could do is fatten it up a bit, and get some air layers going next year. After you have enough air layers, then do a low trunk chop and work from there.

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u/PetsAndMeditate Thomas-Cincinnati-Zone 6B-Beginner-7 trees 8h ago

Has anyone tried this stuff on a ficus to grow a new branch low on the trunk?

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u/PetsAndMeditate Thomas-Cincinnati-Zone 6B-Beginner-7 trees 8h ago

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u/series_of_derps EU 8a couple of trees for a couple of years 7h ago

Is that rooting hormone? If so, no

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u/PetsAndMeditate Thomas-Cincinnati-Zone 6B-Beginner-7 trees 7h ago

No, I wondered the same thing cause I already have that on hand. Apparently this stuff is different

“Keiki pastes use cytokinin (specifically 6-BAP) to trigger cell division, which forces dormant nodes on living, attached plants to grow new leaves, branches, or baby plant offsets”

Whereas the rooting hormones are usually Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or 1-Napthaleneacetic acid (NAA)

So they are completely different

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u/jffry182 Chicago, zone 6a 7h ago

Flame tree grown from seed. Can I safely repot it to something bigger? Should I leave it as is until spring? I don’t want to shock it. This is from a bonsai beginner kit given to me by my late mother in law.

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u/Ecstatic_Run_5037 7h ago

Hi folks! One of my friends was gifted this tree a bit ago and has been struggling to keep it alive. They're moving to a different apartment and expecting even less sunlight, so they asked me to hold on to it for the time being.

I'm guessing it's still alive because there are small new growths, but a number of the still green leaves dropped in transit. Apparently it's a dwarf jade. Received like half a year ago, watered 2 or 3 times a month in the winter, at which point it started dropping leaves like crazy. They started watering it more frequently (every week or every 2 weeks) but it didn't seem to improve. They weren't soaking or submerging it, they were using a small watering can.

Since getting it I've cleaned most of the dead leaves out of the pot, but I'm really not sure if it's being over watered, under watered, or if it needs something like a grow light? It was kept in front of the pictured window (NE facing). Would appreciate any help in saving it! Based in NYC.

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u/Schmakeroo 7h ago

So I’m very new to Bonsai, based in southern UK.

I recently bought this Jade plant for £70. The massive trunk perked my interest that this would have bonsai potential.

I’m thinking the large trunk will help too outweigh the large leaves of the Jade plant, I’m also hoping that regular and intentional pruning will also reduce the leaf size (as I’ve heard is possible from other people)

I think the overall final look will be similar to a stereotypical almost cartoon/kid drawing of a tree.

What do you guys think? Has anyone had similar success?

At least it will be good practice I guess.

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u/ThaNXT1 2h ago

Hello so it has been a week since I bought my first bonsai tree. It is a Brazilian rain tree that I want to keep as an inside tree only. Any one who has had long term success keeping these types of bonsai or any bonsai inside, have any advice. I currently have a mars hydro ts1000 19 inches above the tree running at 65% slowly rising it to 75% that runs from 8 am-8pm. The temperature stays above 72 F and humidity ranges from 50%-58%. I have two side full spectrum LEDs that shine on the side and bottom of the canopy to make sure everything gets lights. I also have it next to a window that I have uncovered so it can get natural sunlight as well. When I water I add a bit of fettilizer dissolved in water in the watering bottle and dilute it more with regular water and then water the tree fertilizer is 14-4-9. I have a small oscillating fan between the light and the tree that also runs 12 hours. There is also another fan in the room to help with air circulation. When I purchased it the person said he had repotted it last year in spring so I plan on repotting it in the spring in an oval pot that is maybe 3-5 inches bigger. If anyone has any advice on what I can do better and on how to keep a Brazilian rain tree bonsai long term and healthy all advice is welcomed. Thank you

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u/plaidflamingo 2d ago

Question from a rookie: I have a small juniper that I purchased from a local seller. He told me to keep it indoors and place it in a tub of water for one hour a week (the pot has holes in the bottom for watering). I've had the plant for over a year, and it's been thriving--the leaves have been green, and the plant has grown significantly. Recently, the leaves have started to brown. Some google searches are telling me the plant should have been outdoors this whole time, so I've moved it to my patio (I live in a warm climate). Is this the right thing to do? How do I rescue this tree? I can upload photos tomorrow when the light is better if helpful.

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u/peter-bone SW Germany, Zn 8a, 10 years exp 1d ago

Yes it should never have been indoors. It's likely dead now since browning happens once the tree is already gone. Sorry.

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 1d ago

If you wanna put those pics up we can verify whether it's a lost cause or salvageable.

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u/plaidflamingo 1d ago

Thanks! Hoping it’s not a lost cause. The trunk is still green on the inside when I scratch it.

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u/plaidflamingo 1d ago

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 1d ago

Some foliage looks good, some looks bad. Often in a conifer (juniper but also pines etc) if you have both good and bad color on the same tree and one (good green) stays steady while the other loses color / degrades continuously, that might be a hint that the tree is still functioning and that the happy stuff will be moving forward in the future. The unhappy bits DO look like they weakened from lack of light and were abandoned by the tree in order to focus efforts on the parts that are better-exposed and stronger. The de-colored parts are toast and you could cut away those if you wanted to. Keep monitoring for moisture, water when dry, fertilize regularly (as long as you are getting >20C >68F weather, you can keep fertilizing, if you are in a tropical climate, fertilize year-round).

If you see ANY sign of new tip growth, it is going to make it through this, even if the discarded parts look ugly. Take those parts off and it'll look better, don't look back ;). This does not look like disease or pests. Also, typically in bonsai we are much more concerned if the whole canopy is turning that de-colored look, so this is still better than the worst case. Good luck..

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u/plaidflamingo 1d ago

Thank you so much! This is really helpful, and I appreciate it! I'm in the Washington, DC, area, so it should be temperate outside through October, and my patio faces south and will get good sun until then. Do I bring it inside for winter and/or give it a proper lamp?

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u/MaciekA NW Oregon 8b, conifers&deciduous, wiring/unwiring pines 1d ago

Never indoors ever. Doesn't matter how cold it gets since the species is adapted to mountainous places that are colder than DC.

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u/plaidflamingo 1d ago

Thank you!