So I bought a Bonsai Tree

domthecondom · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:46

Hi

Went to tesco and bought a Bonsai Tree, this is the first plant/Tree I will ever look after.

I need some tips on how to keep this baby alive. Who ells here grows Bonsais?

According to tesco I should not keep it in Direct sunlight and not over water it.....(drown it)

Should I replant it in a different ceramic pot?

Le_Petit_Lapin · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:53

Whatever you do, dont give it tomato feed. They hate it, mine died.

Pawnless Endgame · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:58

That's already a nice ceramic pot but I think it'll have to be re-potted eventually, 6 months give or take. Which department in Tesco was this from?

Sonea Fifer · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:59

Looking good - was thinking about asking my OH for one of these for my birthday day next month, may I be cheeky and ask how much it cost please?

Sorry I cant offer any advice on caring for a Bonsai Tree but I'll be watching this thread closely

koolpc · 8 Aug 2011 at 19:00

Probably be dead within the month. Most do.

I have some real outdoor ones that i have had for 18 years plus. An Oak tree, some yew. Indoor ones are very hard to look after. Don't water too much. Get a good book on the subject

DJ_Martin · 8 Aug 2011 at 19:00

Eat it to prove your not boring.

joeyjojo · 8 Aug 2011 at 19:10

Get books definitely. The first thing you need to know is the species of this tree so you can find out how often to water and what type of situation it wants. You will need to prune it in the growing season according to the shape you want it to take, and repot it every now and then and at the right time of year. You will probably want to do this at the next available opportunity.

As it's from Tesco it's not a very good example of bonsai, particuarly as it isn't one of the bonsai styles.

Still, it's pretty and should last a while if you treat it right.

dfarrall · 8 Aug 2011 at 19:10

DJmartin said:
Eat it to prove your not boring.

domthecondom · 8 Aug 2011 at 19:22

Monserrat said:
That's already a nice ceramic pot but I think it'll have to be re-potted eventually, 6 months give or take. Which department in Tesco was this from?

I went to a normal Tesco and they had it in the Flower Section

Sonea Fifer said:
Looking good - was thinking about asking my OH for one of these for my birthday day next month, may I be cheeky and ask how much it cost please?

Sorry I cant offer any advice on caring for a Bonsai Tree but I'll be watching this thread closely

£8

koolpc said:
Probably be dead within the month. Most do.

I have some real outdoor ones that i have had for 18 years plus. An Oak tree, some yew. Indoor ones are very hard to look after. Don't water too much. Get a good book on the subject

Any idea which kinda book?

unwashed potato! · 8 Aug 2011 at 19:51

when it dies get a spider plant. before you know it you'll have 100 of the buggers on every window sill and you'll wish they'd die like the bonsai did in the first week. bonsai was the first i got and big mistake as it's not easy to care and off putting.

Raymond Lin · 8 Aug 2011 at 19:58

koolpc said:
Probably be dead within the month. Most do.

I have some real outdoor ones that i have had for 18 years plus. An Oak tree, some yew. Indoor ones are very hard to look after. Don't water too much. Get a good book on the subject

There are no such a thing as indoor/outdoor, all bonsai trees are real trees, born outdoors and they are all fine outdoors. If you plant a bonsai tree in your garden, it will grow to be a real size tree.

Nitefly · 8 Aug 2011 at 20:01

The best thing you can do with a bonsai tree is to eat it to prove you're not boring.

Duke · 8 Aug 2011 at 20:05

I had two and both died within a year, just couldn't keep them happy

topgun06 · 8 Aug 2011 at 20:19

Nitefly said:
The best thing you can do with a bonsai tree is to eat it to prove you're not boring.

But it looks fine, no need to repot. Keep it pruned and it should stay happy :cool:

mitch212k · 8 Aug 2011 at 20:47

They're fairly easy to look after Dom. I recommend putting the pot in a bowl of water (so that the water can lap over the edge into the soil) whenever the soil is no longer moist. This is probably about every 3 days. Other than that, repotting won't need to happen for 2/3 years yet, if branches get straggly etc. you can cut them back.
Main thing to remember is keep the soil moist, it should never be dry for long.

StoutMeister · 8 Aug 2011 at 21:18

joeyjojo said:
Get books definitely. The first thing you need to know is the species of this tree so you can find out how often to water and what type of situation it wants. You will need to prune it in the growing season according to the shape you want it to take, and repot it every now and then and at the right time of year. You will probably want to do this at the next available opportunity.

As it's from Tesco it's not a very good example of bonsai, particuarly as it isn't one of the bonsai styles.

Still, it's pretty and should last a while if you treat it right.

It's in the Informal Tesco upright style.

Vince · 8 Aug 2011 at 21:21

Ahh ive just bought some seeds to start growing my first one. Haven't planted it yet but was planning on doing it this weekend. It's called a Juniperus Phoenicea.

It comes like this:

and should grow into something like this:

If I manage to keep it alive long enough that is.

Cosimo · 8 Aug 2011 at 21:23

That looks rather good. Might give one of these try. I can always get my wife to rescue it.

PhillyDee · 8 Aug 2011 at 21:23

You will never ever get it that big! Winter will kill it. That or you.

Vince · 8 Aug 2011 at 21:26

PhillyDee said:
You will never ever get it that big! Winter will kill it. That or you.

I have no doubt of that but you can't blame a man for being ambitious.