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Bonsai

Dan Crawford

Founder
UKAPS Team
Joined
21 Jun 2007
Messages
3,265
Location
Daventry, Northants
Anyone a Bonsai keeper, i've been asked to have a look at one for a friend coz it's kinda suffering and just wondered how many people kept them?
 
I have kept Bonsai for years and they are very simple to look after. Most people fail because they forget to water them - that's all. Bonsai have very small pots so they dry out quickly.

I have found too much fertiliser has a negative effect, leaves drop off etc. I fertilise once a week and water daily. No other secrets for me. In spring/summer I prune where necessary. My current tree is about 12 years old and I've had it since it was 3 or 4 years old.
 
I've got one that is 18years old that I my sister and I bought for my old sister, who almost killed it within a few weeks, so my mum stole it off her and I now look after it.
It is looking a bit wild and woolly as I haven't trimmed it yet. I left it all winter and am going to do it again, but am just deciding whether to repot it.
I never fertilise mine, so would love to know what you use, I'm sure mine will love me for that!
I water whenever the soil starts to look dry, so in the summer that is everyday, but in the winter it is every few days, sometimes a week, depending on how cold it gets in the house.
 
Dan Crawford said:
Cheers Richard, what fertaliser do you use?

Nothing special - just a commercially available one that I've had for years. I think it's Chempak or something like that.
 
you can get them in Wyvales etc but i bet it's like anything, if you go to a fish breeder you generally get better fish and so on so i suppose your local Bonsai club would be the best place to go although it might be a bit more expensive?
 
I'm not an expert keeper but I've had one large one for about 2 years and a smaller one for about 1 year. as mentioned by others you only water when the soil looks dry, a really small thin bit of wood/plastic to poke down into the soil will tell you how wet/dry the soil is underneath the surface but don't poke about too much because you may damage the roots.

I use a test-tube-style drip feeder especially for bonzais as a fertliser. They seem to work better for me than adding the liquid ferts to the watering can once a week.

On where to get one - it seems that every garden centre has a section for them. My 2 year old I bought at 1/2 price from a DIY shop.
 
For people new to bonsai, go to B&Q or Homebase - everyone I have ever gone to sells them. They start at about £10

You can also get cool Japanese gear for bonsais on Ebay - lovely scissors, trimming tools and fertilisers
 
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