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I got this ficus bonsau in May and everything has been going smoothly so far (I am not very experienced in taking care of plants). I was watering it around every 5-6 days and not a lot (100-150ml of water...well I think it was not a lot). I would water it even less when I woyld see that the soil is still moist. He was growing new braches and leaves. About a week ago when I wanted to water it I noticed its trunk changed color. It looks like it's wet but...I didn't get it wet. I watered it only a tiny bit that day. Now a week later the soil is still moist and the trunk looks the same. The tree still has it's leaves and even tiny new light green leaves. I am worried that somehow it got over watered. I don't know how (it's an indoor plant, I never left it outside.) What do I do? I would really hate to lose it. I am posting pics so you can see what it looks like. Thank you!

Hi there, first of all i think your watering intervals are a bit odd in a sense, but if you water it thoughroughly, when the soil starts getting dry then that is fine. I think it is not rotting bbut that it is just wet because i think it is doing what a reed does, the moisture climbs up the reed. This is a rather puzzling event, so i cannot be certain. But if the tree is still growing then i do not think the tree is in trouble. But maybe you could repot next year or so to put it in a free draining soil so worrying about watering will be minimum. I am sorry to brake it to you but i would say that is a malsai ficus.

Hi! First of all thank you very much for your reply, I am glad ti hear that my tree is (probably) ok.
Second, how should I water it? I mean how often, how much?
Third, I told you I don't know a lot about plants. I got this one and was told it was a bonsai so I just rolled with it. I love it whatever it is.

I would not get my hopes.up.though even though i would love to, as i am still not completely sure what is causing it, but i highly suspect it is just moistire just climbing up the wood. I guess it does look quite nice, but i would not classify it as bonsai, whoever sold you that thing definetely deserves the worlds best snake award. I have some good websites about watering, the first you will find on this website and another helpful one on bonsai4me. Just a note from me, (it may be in the websites but i have forgoten), you water until excess water runs through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, you can shake out even more excess water from compost soil by lifting the pot up and down not to fast, just a slow steady pace (this can reduce your worries of overwatering with compost).

Although, it does seem your soil is very water retentative, so you may be watering, overwateing. I have one question i need to clarify, do you let the soil dry out a bit before each watering. That is the question.

If the answer is "no", then read the link and pay good attention to the bit where it says "repotting"



It seems you soil's quality is not good, the drainage look real bad. We all have prefered soil mixtures for our trees. One that would be good for ficus may be this, if you have no bonsai nursery nere you:

John innes no.2, fine grit and some coarse grit.

Equal parts of each. This is a simple soil mix and the ficus' can thrive in it.

Another basic soil mixture can be this:

Akadama, potting compost, and grit. All in a ratio of 2:1:1.

If you have ability to bonsai nursery then any good nursery can give a required amount rather than forcing you to buy the ton-ful bag.

Repot next year in early spring so in march . Repot into any of the soil mixtures above, if you have ability to akadama then i would suggest you create the soil mixture which includes it above (2:1:1).

But for whichever you use, make sure you repot next spring.

Hi Yolanda,

You can safely ignore any previous posts on repotting etc.

The plant you show is a so called Ginseng Ficus, after the thick fat roots. If you look at the point where the branches start at the trunk, you probably see a big cut area, and the branches are "glued" against this trunk (Through a process called grafting).

Nothing wrong with it. But see it as a nice houseplant. In the 'true world of bonsai' it has nothing to do with bonsai. But that is besides the question at hand.

I hope to see your ficus is in a black plastic pot, which sits in an outer ceramic pot. To be sure you do not give too much water: A fewe hours after watering the plant you should not have any water left in the outer ceramic pot. If there is, pour it out, and leave the plant in the sink for an hour, to allow all the water to drain.

Don't worry too mych about letting the plant go dry: If the soil gets dry to the touch, water. (So, not bone-dry, as in toast, but rather fresh-Sandwich dry).

As it is effectively a houseplant, treat it as such, and don't start looking for bonsai soil etc. Absolutely no need for it. Your plant will do fine in this soil. If the plant starts growing a lot you amy add a bit of fertiliser to the water every other week or so. Don't overdo.

Make sure the plant gets lots of light (Although you should only move it from a dark spot to a bruight sunny spot over time; Just like people, plants get sunburns when moved into full sun too quickly).

Enjoy your plant.

leatherback wrote: You can safely ignore any previous posts on repotting etc.

Nothing wrong with it.

Nothing wrong with it yet, I'd say, but I wouldn't ignore the fact that the soil stays wet for many days - while before it apparently did not. Assuming it has been in the same pot all the time, and the soil did dry up before, there must be a reason.
Not sure if the outer pot has a drainage hole - I thought it did but you maybe right, in which case your advise is spot on.

However, if it still stays wet, after removing it from that pot and letting it drain, there might be another problem.
Maybe the drainage hole in the inner pot got clogged up or the soil itself doesn't drain too well anymore.

I would water it even less when I woyld see that the soil is still moist.
It looks like it's wet but...I didn't get it wet. I watered it only a tiny bit that day.

The above indicates that the tree was watered always, even when it was still wet, so the soil has been moist or even wet always.

I think it's not a bad advice to check the soil.

yeah, i mean the soil could be better, therefore the health of the tree could be better. also the risk of water logging can be reduced.