Bonsai tree

C P

 

 

 

 

Hello, I bought grow your own bonsai tree from amazon, its about 3/4 years old ......could anybody please tell me what sort of tree it is and maybe could anyone offer any advise ....... I just water it and  feed it with some bonsai food on occasion.......

Thanks  

Perki

Hi i not sure what it is but it looks a bit like a beech

iGrow

Could be a beech or a hornbeam. Please tell us that it usually lives outdoors...

C P

Hi , it lives indoors on my kitchen window sill all year round .......

iGrow

I can only presume it is a cold window sill that doesn't get a lot of sun. Outdoor trees like outdoor conditions whatever their size. Some protection may be required in winter to save the roots being frosted.

C P

I've had it about 4 years .......it does get the midday sun and I have to water it every day , and then in the winter it is quite a cold window sill by open window and it does shed its leaves ........when is the best time to prune a bonsai tree?

C P

what do you mean by root pruning ...... I've never done that ....this is what I bought

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gift-Republic-Grow-Bonsai-Trees/dp/B000ZUDW5K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404845718&sr=8-1&keywords=grow+your+own+bonsai+kit

there was a selection of seeds and this is the only one that took .........

yes the leaves are quite big on this years new growth .........

nutcutlet

Bonsai is quoite a complex art. Not one I have.  I've seen demos of the top and root pruning required. You need a good book, video of something to find out how to do the necessary pruning to achieve a bonsai. The seeds will just be tree seeds, it's the treatment you give them that makes them into bonsai.

That's a baby tree that could be turned into a bonsai or a forest tree, depending on what happens to it.

Invicta2

If this Bonsai came from Japan it might be Zelkove serrata, a relative of the Elms which is a popular choice for bonsai over there. The foliage is very like hornbeam.

iGrow

Besides root pruning it is common to leaf prune too and the tree then puts out smaller leaves. This is not done at one time as the tree needs to photosynthesise (sp)... Root pruning is done so the tree does not become too vigorous and so that the tree can be placed in the selected pot. Root pruning creates fibrous roots rather than a tap root and others. Whilst doing this the tree is using energy creating the fibrous roots which also stunts the top growth.

Bonsai is an art form using nature and can be very time consuming.

Forester2

Here is a birch sapling I found growing in the garden in 2010 and decided to try to bonsai it.  From the above comments I think I need to prune the top growth now.  The roots are cut regularly and it is watered every day and fed once a week.  I love the moss that has grown (came naturally).