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Hey all!
I got bought a bonsai tree for my birthday. It didn't come with any tags for the name or any care instructions (it was the last one in the garden centre apparently). I've been through the site and a few forum posts and I'm confident that it's a ficus, but what type I'm not sure.
I was told that the woman on the till picked it up by the trunk thinking there was a price tag underneath and ended up pulling it out of the pot so there are big gaps now in the soil.

I have looked at the care instructions on here for ficus plants and it all seems common sense to me, but initially I'm not sure what to do with the soil. I do have a bag of Miracle Grow potting mix but I'm not sure if it's the right time to re-pot it or whether it will need emergency re-potting.

On close inspection, it currently looks in good condition. It's 9" wide and 10" high. Pictures are attached.

It's a ficus allright, but...
Soil is not a bonsai substrate, seems cracked, and air pockets among the roots is not good at all. If it helps, I would repot it in good draining bonsai soil, taking care with the small roots.
BTW, the leaves are big!

Thanks for your reply.

I thought that it might require re-potting. Currently I only have potting mix although I do also have lots of stones of similar size to the Akadama in the bonsai soil section on this site. Could I mix the two together to create something usable? Unfortunately for the time being I'm unable to get to a garden centre to pick up proper bonsai soil as the nearest one is over 6 miles away from me and I have no transport available for a few weeks.

Also, with regard to the leaves, do you recommend I defoliate the whole tree? I see the recommendation is to do this during June.

Thumoo;
Yes, repotting would be good for the tree. I don't think mixing only organic garden soil with "stones' will do.
You could use a chopstick to fill in the holes in the soil with new organic for the moment, and water the tree (don't overwater it!) until you get some good bonsai mix. Then you repot. It is possible to buy many good mixes online, why do't you try that?
As for the defoliation, wait. Wait for the new soil, wait for the tree to be growing well, wait for the right time to do it. You could trim the leaves in June all right, but not defoliate the whole tree so soon.

Thank you!

I still forget about buying things online. :blush: I'll have a look around. In the meantime I shall do what you suggest.

Thanks

Just as an update to my bonsai. I received the bonsai soil mix a while ago (and also bought some bonsai pruning scissors at the same time) and I've noticed new growth! I always worry when I re-pot things that I might be killing it, but I haven't! So yeah

thumoo wrote: I've noticed new growth! I always worry when I re-pot things that I might be killing it, but I haven't! So yeah

Good! Keep looking after its health and congrats!

Another update on my bonsai with pictures attached. It is doing very well with a lot of new growth. I have removed a few of the larger leaves (snipping the leaf and leaving the stem). Shall I carry on removing more leaves? How many should I do? All of them or just the largest?

I've also just noticed a small leaf right in the centre has turned yellow. I'm hoping it's purely because of where it is rather than a problem that's beginning. Thought it may be worth mentioning.

But currently very happy with it's progress

thumoo wrote: I've also just noticed a small leaf right in the centre has turned yellow.

No worries. Ficus leaves turn yellow and fall when old, this is normal.
Congrats for your progress!