名媛直播

Hey everyone, new to the community and bonsai care in general!?

I bought this forest bonsai, I think it is of the larch variety but correct me if I'm wrong. I keep it indoors on the windowsill as I'm in an apartment. I was told by the shop owner to soak it twice a week in some water and so that's what I did. I know over watering is easy to do so I wasn't even doing it this often as the soil didn't seem dry and it was kind of cold. We had a heatwave but I kept up with making sure it wasn't drying out but then the leaves started to go brown. I thought maybe the heat from the sun through the glass burnt the leaves, but the leaves kept drying, browning and falling off even after the heatwave. The trunk on a couple of the trees also started to wrinkle.?

I noticed that the pot didn't have any legs and perhaps the bottom of the pot couldn't breathe properly, so I took the plant out, cleaned the pot, lined the base of the pot with some volcanic stones, and replanted it with some new bonsai repotting soil. The roots were generally dark brown, some were black and soggy so I removed these. I've also put a few skewers underneath to allow air to reach underneath. The trees still looks kind of dry and sad except one on the end which has maintained it's leaves for the most part. Another tree also had a few survivor leaves which have mostly maintained but a couple of them have dried out and fallen off too so I'm not sure if this is still indicating a problem. Also, one of the trees which turned wrinkled was a bit spongy but that has now firmed up, but another tree is wrinkly AND spongy.

Overall I'm pretty lost in what to do and I don't know how to monitor if the trees are recovering or not and would appreciate any help/advice!?

Larch is temperate decidious trees. They should be kept outdoors at all times. But I do not think this is a larch.

What apecies did the seller say it is? Did they recomend keeping it indoors?

Without any other information, I would suggest you go back to seller and ask for advices.

It wasn't sold as anything in particular, it wasn't a bonsai shop or anything, actually it was mostly a hardware store so not sure how much they know?anyway but I was told I can keep it indoors.?I bought it out on a trip so won't be back to the shop to confirm what it is.

Would it being indoors affect it to such a degree??

I did another Google search and found maybe it is actually a Golden Larch (Pseudolarix), which is not a true larch but a tree of the pine family, if this is helpful?

Pseudolarix is also a deciduous HARDY species and will die inside, as you are finding out. Your watering regime is also wrong but that is not the worst problem. Not knowing the species when you are buying is not the way to buy any plant. If you cannot put it outside then give it to someone who can or lose it.

I had a hunch it was pseudolarix as well.

I second Jeff on everything he writes and adds:
Growing bonsai in livingroom conditions is the biggest myth in bonsai. It just cannot be done. Some trees suffer for a long time before they die, some die within a short period. In bonsai we aim for long term development, not survival for a defined period of time. Development indoors is not possible.

Get yourself some locally hardy species and grow them outdoors all year. That is the best way to start the hobby. Actually, the only way for beginners in horticulture.

Just want to ask, what exactly is it about being outside Vs indoors that makes the difference? Obvious UVB is filtered by glass so of course that isn't optimal, but other than that? Especially if they're a hardy species I find it hard to understand how just that difference would lead to the tree being like it is

Also, why is the development of each of the trees so different, with one of them retaining the leaves and the others not?

I appreciate the input~

Thanks, what exactly is wrong with the watering regime though?

Also what about being a hardy species makes it not thrive indoors, especially if it's supposed to be hardy??

I didn't know what plant it is, but I also was just following the advice from the shop owner and they made it sound easy so I didn't think much of it.?

I think you need to read up on hardiness zones. There are another concept called heat zones as well. Read up on that as well and you will find answers.

The seller of the tree had no idea at all. I would recomend go back there and show the tree. Ask them for refund as the advices given was totally wrong.

RV821 wrote: I didn't know what plant it is, but I also was just following the advice from the shop owner and they made it sound easy so I didn't think much of it.?

If he didn't make it sound easy, you would consider not to buy it, and that's not what he wanted... xD

RV821 wrote: Just want to ask, what exactly is it about being outside Vs indoors that makes the difference??

Well, a lot of things, being outside is not JUST sunlight (but it is fundamental), tree will get wind and there are temperature gradient of day/night time and also tru' the year, the gradient of light on those situations too, photoperiod and how short or long it gets, and of course the amount of energy unfiltered light can give.

Why temperate species are more needy??Probably because temperate zones get less sun time overall because of the geographic position, so in order to survive, trees?must be able to get all the sunlight it can during the growing season, in order to get the sufficient amount of energy to make it alive to the next year, as?winter has very little light on those places...

Conifers will slow down, and deciduous trees, that?are even more depending on that cycle, will shutdown, and wait for the signs of Spring.

So yes, any temperate tree being kept inside will dim and eventually die of exhaustion...