I have a bonsai tree (need help)

[cyfa2809]

but what is it?
got it from tesco, so wondering if anyone knows what species they were selling
if not i can take pics

so looking for species and care info

 

[Tad]

I grow Bonsai, have done for years, got a staging in the garden full of the things. Post a pic and I'll tell you what you've got.

 

[cyfa2809]

great cheers!
and arent those tools expensive :shock: :cry:

 

[Tad]

great cheers!
and arent those tools expensive :shock: :cry:

You can pick them up cheap. If it's just the one tree then you can make do, small scissors and a Stanley knife, an old bent fork or chopstick for unpicking roots etc.

Your tree's a Chinese Elm or possibly marketed as a Zelkova. Dead easy to look after.

Keep them outside, out of direct sun. I keep mine in an unheated greenhouse in the winter.

Water them well. It's a bit late to be re-potting them now. If you do then a mixture of 50% sharp sand 50% compost will do or you can spend a fortune on Bonsai Potting compost. You'll need to prune the roots back a bit if you do. These tend to come potted in a real clayey soil so if you're not re-potting then keep them well watered. It'll appreciate a regular spray with a water mister. It'll need fertiliser too, loads of stuff out there. I don't bother with fancy bonsai ones, they're just overpriced, I use maxicrop, just dilute it and water it on once a week, just water in mid summer though

The beauty of these trees is they're so easy to grow from cuttings. Give it a good haircut and stick the off cuts in moist compost/sharpsand mix and you'll have loads of little trees growing in a few months then you'll have a bonsai forest in no time.

Enjoy

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

Its more than likley to be Zelkova serrata var. serrata from Japan, rather than Zelkova serrata var. tarokoensis from Taiwan. ( Sorry just having a plant geek moment there )

 

[letmetalktomark]

I grow Bonsai, have done for years, got a staging in the garden full of the things. Post a pic and I'll tell you what you've got.

Need a pic of this

Sadly my Bonsai died about a year after getting it - no idea why :-(

 

[mattbrown]

i bought my mum the exact same from tesco's, she was well happy,

 

[cyfa2809]

how is your mums getting on?

so which is it n laymans terms? :shock:

 

[dyna-ti]

That is so cool I'd really love one but i havent the green fingers and plants keep dying on me

 

[mattbrown]

she keep saying she needs to look up how to care for it, but she just waters it etc.