Help needed with Bonsai

I got this Bonsai (I believe it's an elm) this spring for the bargain price of �£1.99.
When I went on holiday in June I put it in the water fall in the garden so it didn't dry out.
It's been there ever since
After having a tidy in the garden today I saw it and look whats happend.
It's almost doubled in size and look at the roots. :eek:
Any idea what I should do with it.
Do I repot it in the bigger pot/dish
or cut the roots off.
Prune it.
Bring it indoors
or put it back in the waterfall.
Help please.

 

Lyn all you need do is take it out of it`s pot and trim the roots back to the compost then put it back in the same pot and give the top a prune to get it back into shape. David.

 

Evening, Lyn and David.

Now, David, having been nuturing mine for near on 15 years, I have different ideas.

Lyn, it's a lovely specimen and I would guess several years old already, perhaps 7-9, brought on in the ground and then potted. I'm not good with trees, but it could be an Elm.

You did very well putting it in your pond whilst you were away on holiday ... excellent thought.

Because of it's possible (unknown age) I would repot now.

* Allow it to totally dry out.
* Pull out of the pot and tap off all the existing soil by teasing the roots out.
* Cut the root structure back by at least one half.
* Trim tree to shape you would like.
* I personally removed ALL LEAVES as when they grow back they will be smaller ... each time you do this they will be smaller and smaller.
* Cover bottom of new pot with mesh (like you get garlic or onions in ... this stops critters crawling up the drainage hole.
* Half fill pot with either bonsai compost (which I don't use and is a ripoff) or a mixture of sand and potting compost.
* Put your tree into the pot and fill with "soil" allowing the tree to be above pot level, ie, standing proud.
* You may need to secure it but often just adding a small stick assists to keep it steady as it regrows its roots over the winter.
* Keep the moss and place around the plant ... good insulation and protection.
* It is a tree ... trees live outdoors ... I have never had one indoors in my years of dealing with them, although I never lived further north than North Bucks. Here I have to treat them differently because of the heat and they live in the shade.

I think most of the failure of bonsai is having them indoors ... if you have a sheltered spot in the garden with some winter sunshine, put it there. Mine used to be covered with snow and ice ... and I still have one of them years later now coping with intense heat.

Good luck and let me know how you go, or come back if you need more encouragement.

 

Lyn this elm is over 20 years old, about 20 inches tall and is in a pot just a little bigger than the one in your photo. As David says - trim and prune, and year by year it will improve in shape.

 

May I just thank everyone. I know nothing about bonsai but last year started getting, not exactly nagged, but hinted at (about 17 times a week) to get Boss lady a bonsai or two to go with the houseful of orchids. I've managed to fend her off for nearly a year, pleading ignorance of the method. But, although she doesn't post, she does browse through GC from time to time. Like whilst I was downstairs watching the Cosby Mysteries this evening. So once again thank you all. Thanks a lot. :D :D

P.S. Where can I buy a baby Judas tree?

 

Hi, John.

Don't know if you can buy a Judas tree (Cercis Siliquastrum) except from a speciality place. However, I have one of these beauties and millions of seeds. Perhaps some have seeded underneath ... I haven't looked. I know I have literally hundreds of Jacarandas seedlings growing at the moment everywhere conceptible much to my horror, so it could be possible. You could try that as well.


If you would like to try this, PM me your details and I shall certainly get some seeds off to you and, luck permitting, a seedling.

 

Thank you all so much for the info.
I'll get right on to it tomorrow.
When I have done all the potting and cutting.
Should I put it back into the waterfall or not.
If not do I have to water it in the winter and if so how much.
Sorry

 

I go along with what Daith and Dave says root prune and top prune repotting will only cause regrowth , the leaves will fall as with any other deciduous tree, each year they will grow back smaller, I have had some in the same pots for 10 years or more.

 

Thanks LoL. I've asked Mrs. S. and she's looked at the jacaranda pics on the web. And, as I'm getting a G.house in spring, I have my orders, she loves it. The only thing I have in swaps at the moment are cycads (Sago King and just 1 Queen, Dioon edule and Macrozamia communis) seedlings. If you don't want any of these then please accept my rain check for next year. I'm PMing my details.

[ 30. October 2007, 07:59 AM: Message edited by: Sarraceniac ]

 

Morning, John, I've answered your PM.

Morning, Lyn. No, do not put your tree back in the waterfall for the winter. They should be get just moist but not wet.

If you get prolonged frost where you are, you can plunge the pot in straw, leaves or ashes for protection so that air can get to the soil. They should have as much light and air as possible.

Some of mine are still in the pots I started them off in, one, 13 years ago, so you may not want to be drastic this year and just give it a trim and get it accustomed to its surroundings.

 

Thank you all so much .
I have cut the roots and trimmed it back took it out of the waterfall and left it on the table near to the house.
It's sheltered there , I will cover the base as it gets colder.
If it gets very cold and icy , I'll pop it in the cold conservatory at night.
But the last couple of winters have been O.K here in the midlands.

 

Talking of Jacaranda, when I was working in the garden centre I decided to by one of these into stock. We had it for 2 years before we sold it. I used to overwinter it in a cold greenhouse but it still flowered both years. And at 3 metres it was our biggest ever houseplant. David.

 

Hey David. if LoL is sending me a Jacaranda I just hope I learn bonsai pretty darn fast. My 2 metre Howea (the one sold to me as a Chamaedorea) takes up half my office. :eek: :D :D And although I'm getting a G.house in early spring, I want more than a single Jacaranda in it. Do you think I can convince it that the Yorkshire coast is actually zone 9?

 

John, I'm zone 10 ... a wee bit hotter ... ... and just wait until you see what the rest is. :D

 

Yes LoL. But as Pete will tell you, I'm an inveterate optimist. (And trying to push Scarborough into Zone 9 will take all my skill as a prestidigitator.) :( :D