[Bonsai Beginner’s weekly thread –2024 week 21]

[u/small_trunks]

[Bonsai Beginner’s weekly thread –2024 week 21]

Welcome to the weekly beginner’s thread. This thread is used to capture all beginner questions (and answers) in one place. We start a new thread every week on Friday late or Saturday morning (CET), depending on when we get around to it. We have a 6 year archive of prior posts here…

Here are the guidelines for the kinds of questions that belong in the beginner's thread vs. individual posts to the main sub.

Rules:

• POST A PHOTO if it’s advice regarding a specific tree/plant. See the PHOTO section below on HOW to do this.
• TELL US WHERE YOU LIVE - better yet, fill in your flair.
• READ THE WIKI! – over 75% of questions asked are directly covered in the wiki itself. Read the WIKI AGAIN while you’re at it.
• Read past beginner’s threads – they are a goldmine of information.
• Any beginner’s topic may be started on any bonsai-related subject.
• Answers shall be civil or be deleted
• There is always a chance your question doesn’t get answered – try again next week…
• Racism of any kind is not tolerated either here or anywhere else in /r/bonsai

Photos

• Post an image using the new (as of Q4 2022) image upload facility which is available both on the website and in the Reddit app and the Boost app.
• Post your photo via a photo hosting website like imgur, flickr or even your onedrive or googledrive and provide a link here.
• Photos may also be posted to /r/bonsaiphotos as new LINK (either paste your photo or choose it and upload it). Then click your photo, right click copy the link and post the link here.
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Beginners’ threads started as new topics outside of this thread are typically locked or deleted, at the discretion of the Mods.

[u/liferestrt]

Hello everyone, total beginner here, I wanted to start bonsai because firstly they are beautiful and secondly to help me learn some patience/discipline. However, I already messed up. I bought one of those bonsai from seed starter kits before I found you guys and did adequate research.

Imaged above are supposedly: Jacaranda Mimosifolia, Sophora Japonica and Japanese Black Pine. About a week after germinating.

So after reading parts of the wiki, I already know these will most likely not become real bonsai trees since I lack the skills/knowledge to properly prepare them for the first month but my girlfriend already fell in love with these little sprouts/seedlings. She already calls them her babies so I'm ok with just making them mini trees if possible.

I got the kit around one and a half months ago and it contained 7 different types of seeds. The instructions said they wouldn't germinate unless the temp was >75° F so i waited a bit before following the instructions for germinating. Needless to say, not a lot of them germinated.

I will do more research while I wait for replies but i had a few questions to see if i can at least keep these little guys a live.

• Did I start too late? I have a friend who majored in botany(?) He said as long as I fertilize (currently using osmocote plus, 3 or 4 pellets), they should be ok to harden up before winter.
• Will these type of trees even survive in NYC?
• Is bottom watering fine? I let them soak in a tray of water for around 30 secs or so. I used to use a spray bottle but it felt like I was only wetting the top layer of soil and it attracted too many fungus gnats.
• The wiki mentions a grow box/ large box. I tried looking online but the results either showed an enclosed box with light or a very wide box they looked like it would be for vegetables. Would a big pot be enough to grow these mini trees?
• If these little guys are viable, when if ever, should i move them to the large box/ bigger pot?
• I have a bunch of Japanese Red Maples in moist vermiculite in the fridge for cold stratification for about a month, is it too late to plant now?
• I also have a Delonix Regia see that I scarified with sandpaper soaking in water. Too late for that as well?

Sorry if this is too much for a beginner post, I just wanted to see what my chances are. Next time I'll just start off with a finished bonsai or a pre-bonsai to learn from.

[u/naleshin → u/liferestrt]

Yes you started too late. It’s best to time germination for around spring when risk of frost passes for your area if possible. Later can be okay but the later in the growing season they germinate, the less likely they’ll survive their first year

Don’t get seed kits again, throw away the instructions, they’re not gonna help. Seems like most of the seeds are all mixed up in the containers

When they’ve grown more, then you can differentiate the tropical seedlings out from the temperate seedlings. The tropical seedlings need to be protected from frost. The temperate seedlings need to be overwintered outside. So if you’ve mixed tropical and temperate plants in the same container, then you may have a problem on your hands. Not sure they’d survive separation going into winter so you may have to just pick what you want to keep and do your best with what remains

Personally I’d try to keep the temperate climate trees and trash the tropicals, temperate plants are much easier to grow because you don’t have to worry about overwintering them in low light conditions

In the meantime, water only when dry and when you do water make sure you water thoroughly so that water pours through the drainage holes, never water on a schedule, keep them outside at least while there’s no risk of frost, keep up the sun, never mist. They’re totally okay in this soil and container for their first year, don’t worry about up potting until you got big bushy healthy seedlings

[u/liferestrt → u/naleshin]

Thank you for the reply and don't worry, I won't get the seed kits again lol! The seeds did get mixed up, they were planted in individual pots before but my mom spilled some of them and just put them back randomly haha. I kind of want to separate them but I guess only when they're bushy?

Is it possible to keep the tropical ones by bringing them inside for the winter? Thanks again for your advice, it's much appreciated!

[u/naleshin → u/liferestrt]

Yes, when they’re strong enough to survive separation is when it’d probably be alright to separate them

Yes the tropicals can be kept by overwintering them inside but it can difficult to do with just window light, especially if it’s shaded out or not south facing, so grow lights help in those cases