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Hahaha haha I know what you ment and I'm sure Auk will see the funny side...

Dippytree wrote: Hi lynette
Reading your posts really has helped me and you sound very knowledgeable which I know through more research I to will gain more knowledge and be able to create a piece of beautiful art at this moment I'm struggling to decide how to repot this tree (do I use a normal pot) or put it in the ground? Do I leave it outside? do I chop the top branches off?? There is so much to learn I just don't know where to start.......

Well, thank you. I always want to point out, however, that I am not an expert. I can only share my experience. (If you are like me, you will find a lot of the research you do only raises more questions. There are so many variables dependent on species and conditions due to location, etc., that even the experts shy away from definitive answers.) Only you can decide what route to pursue. I can only advise that when in doubt, don’t do anything that will add stress.

So first thing, do not chop anything off right now. Any leaves that are there are still supplying energy to the tree, and you don’t want to take that away while it is in stress. (If it is not healthy, it’s stressed.) Correcting a bad situation, i.e. repotting because of water-logged roots, would be the exception.

Regarding pot or ground, the question is, where has your tree been? Have you been keeping it inside? Or is it acclimated to your current weather? Since I don’t know what part of the world you are in, I can only say that if it is not acclimated, I would not put it in the ground right now.

Chinese Elms are frequently labeled as “indoor” trees. (There is really no such thing as an indoor tree.) There are trees that can’t be left out in winter weather, depending on your climate. But it is also said of Ulmus (elms) that depending on the conditions your tree’s grower provided, it may be a good idea to protect it from cold weather. This is probably an unknown for you, as it was for me. Last winter, as it was my trees’ first winter here, I brought them inside. I did my best to give it conditions that would allow it to go dormant(I put it in my garage so it had a cooler temp than in my house) which is important, but if you do not have the ability to have another temperature zone, I'm sure it's better to be a little too warm than too cold, thus fine to keep it in the house for the winter – as long as light and humidity are provided. This winter, as I said, my Ulmus will stay outside, but I will keep them out of the wind, and protect the roots from too much cold.

For more than that, I can tell you about a couple of articles I found to be very helpful. I don’t know if links are allowed, but I will try. These two I found so helpful talk about the ‘why’ of what needs to be done to a tree. I always find that learning why to do something a certain way helps me a lot more than someone telling me what to do. I need to learn the context before I can really learn from the experience.

Graham Potter has an article on the 名媛直播 Empire site, which is enough evidence for me that he is acknowledged as an expert. Brent Watson grows pre-bonsai, and his articles about how trees grow, and how to use their natural rhythms for best results are excellent. Both have beginners’ sections. These links are to specific articles that may help answer your questions better than I can.



I hope this helps.

Ruth wrote: I'd take Auks advice in his most recent post. That and nothing else.

I did not misread that. Still, I disagree. Don't just take my advice. Do your own research for your own plant in your own environment. Read what Lynette wrote about it. Always get a second opinion.

Auk wrote:

Winter wrote: Beginers like to water to often or even soak the pot in water for 5 min and so on. To prepare a well draining soil helps preventing the troubles because of overwatering. It also helps the beginner to learn about soils, roots, ...

How does that make sense? They should use a well draining soil as they may soak the pot? How about teaching them to water properly?

Nooooooo. Im not teaching as Im not a teacher. Just saying my opinion from my experience as I believe we are allowed to. No, no, Im not a wannabe-teacher - I got enough attention from my parents as a child and I have no troubles with the dimensions of certain organ. I leave that to asocial uneducated knobs.

Auk wrote:

Dippytree wrote: at this moment I'm struggling to decide how to repot this tree (do I use a normal pot) or put it in the ground? Do I leave it outside? do I chop the top branches off?? There is so much to learn I just don't know where to start.......

If you must repot it, I would buy a ready made bonsai soil. Shouldn't be expensive.
Something like this costs EUR 2.69 in the Netherlands:


First just let the plant get healthy and vigorous. Just wait with next steps, you've got plenty of time.

so the link was NO help to me, because it was in a funny language!
seriously... I think the most important question about re potting is, what will be most beneficial to the tree? I left a tree in horrible soil, because I didn't want to stress it out (it died). I repotted because a tree was dying, to give it a chance, (it died).
So knowing the tell tail signs of the health of a tree, is probably paramount. What do you think?

simplysaid wrote: so the link was NO help to me, because it was in a funny language!

It's soil, it says bonsai, the volume and the price. What else do you need to know?
Well, what may be interesting to know is that it says it has Lava in it for better drainage.
I think that's good enough for a mallsai from the supermarket (marketsai? :lol: )

I think the most important question about re potting is, what will be most beneficial to the tree?
So knowing the tell tail signs of the health of a tree, is probably paramount. What do you think?

I think I've said that lots of times. Leave it alone. Don't repot if you don't have to. If you must, slip pot it. Then start learning about why you want to do things, when you must do it and how to do it.

Dippytree,
There is a lot to learn about bonsai soils - there are many types, that usually hobbyists mix themselves.
You need to learn what your tree needs and what your microclimate is, plas how much time you have to water your tree. If you can water often then it needs to be well draining, and so on. But you can read it all on this site (I suggest reading it all on this site eventually):

Winter wrote: There is a lot to learn about bonsai soils

I think that's pretty clear by now.

Giving this very extensive manual to someone who has a supermarket mallsai is like giving a manual for flying a B747 to someone who has just started to learn how to ride a bike.

I think Dippy's head was already spinning... let's not make that worse.

Auk wrote:

Winter wrote: There is a lot to learn about bonsai soils

I think that's pretty clear by now.

Giving this very extensive manual to someone who has a supermarket mallsai is like giving a manual for flying a B747 to someone who has just started to learn how to ride a bike.

I think Dippy's head was already spinning... let's not make that worse.

Seriously - you found it to be so hard at first? Wau.
I, on the other hand, found it to be very helpfully to have all these info in one place and it's all very clear.
If I understood it I think others can also. Being a beginner does not mean one is unable to understand - I in fact think Potter site will be very helpful immediately.

Dippy,
whatever you choose to do please take pictures and let us know so we can all learn. Thx. Good luck.

Winter wrote: #]Seriously - you found it to be so hard at first? Wau.

I'm not talking about myself.

We are talking about a supermarket mallsai. 10 pages of replies. This has ceased to be helpful a long time ago..
I said it before: take into account who your audience is.