名媛直播

hi all,
i got a bonsai tree for christmas, a chinese elm.
the other day i noticed that there seems to be some white stuff on the base of the trunk and wondering what i should do about it.

i water it once a day with rain water, and is kept in a large conservatory, away from any radiators.
no leaves falling or yellowing, its growing fast with lots of shoots and new leaves.

the white stuff can be scraped off, and is kind of powdery.

any one got any suggestions???

thanks for any help!!

i think it is just mineral deposits in my expierance it happens all of the time so no worries...watering once a day may be a concern unless the tree is in a very dry place it is too much. the soil sould be left to dry out a bit (5 to 7 days) and then watered completely till water drains out of the bottom . check the soil with a chopstick or skewer it should be dry t least 2 inches below the soil before watering.

Indeed, mineral deposits; Watering every day may be too much. In my experience most plant do need watering more often than every 5-7 days though; Mine every 2-3 days. But, best to check the soil. You coul stick a chopstick in the soil and wait for half an hour and then see whether the wood is darker (wet) on the areas in the soil. That would indicate the plant is still ok. Personally, I just look at the soil. Also, when you have a bit of experience you can just lift te pot and feel the weight.

thanks for the help guys!

i haven't ever checked the soil below the surface, but the soil on the top is always very dry every time i go to water it.

i shall start to check below from now on tho.

thanks again for the advice.

Sounds like this is a tree in its original soil? They are often in a less than ideal mix of clay & stuff which won't hold much if any water, so you might want to check that out and repot into a free draining mix which is much better for the tree.

Dave

yes its still in original pot and soil.
i have got a small book on bonsai now, so shall look into repotting and soil.


thanks again people