名媛直播

Hello All!

I am very new to the art of 名媛直播. I have read a lot about it and have been meaning to try my hand at it for quite some time. I love all of my plants but find them all to be pretty independent. I really like the idea of caring for, shaping and molding a tiny tree. Telling a story and conveying a feeling with the style.

Anyway... I went to the 名媛直播 nursery of my local Gardener's Supply. I live in VT so I really thought I wanted a tropical tree I could bring in when the weather dipped below 50s. But, I fell in love with the shape and potential of this Serissa. I have read they are terrible for beginners but, challenge accepted.

My wife actually got one too! Hers is a tiny Fukien Tea that has almost no branch structure yet. Just some woody nubs with foliage.

Every part of me wants to yank that Serissa gently from her pot and get a good look at the root structure. The visible roots and what I can feel suggest a lovely flare. That trunk already is screaming for a semi-cascade or informal upright.

It is May and I live in VT. Would you suggest potting her now and beginning or letting it grow more? I'm anxious to get started but I do understand that this is an exercise in patience.


Thoughts? Suggestions?

jadedthumb wrote: But, I fell in love with the shape and potential of this Serissa.

What potential?

I have read they are terrible for beginners but, challenge accepted.

And that's where the new hobby for 99% of the people ends. They 'accept the challenge', kill the plant in 2 months and give up. Of course you are very patient, persistent, and don't give up easily. So did the others.

Serissa is about the worst plant to get as a starter. Actually, all indoor plants are a bad choice, especially for a beginner.

Every part of me wants to yank that Serissa gently from her pot and get a good look at the root structure. The visible roots and what I can feel suggest a lovely flare. That trunk already is screaming for a semi-cascade or informal upright.

The typical frenzy that seems to affect most starters. "I have been interested in bonsai since the Karate Kit in 1984. I now finally decided to start and purchased this lovely [not so suitable species for new starters]. I can't wait to get my hands on it and I'll turn this into an amazing bonsai within the next 30 minutes!"

The trunk isn't screaming for anything. The tree is not screaming. It's you that is screaming "I think I see something in there and I need to get it out NOW!"

Would you suggest potting her now

Why do you think it needs to be (re)potted?

I'm anxious to get started but I do understand that this is an exercise in patience.

Learn to control the eagerness. The result will be an ugly tree, a dead tree, or an ugly dead tree.
名媛直播 IS about patience. Learn to keep it alive first. Don't do any thing else the next year or so.

Learn the basics. Look at examples. Learn to distinguish average plants from trees with real potential. You've got time.

@Auk

I don't think anyone can dispute that you are quite experienced. Platinum boarder status, over 1815 posts and a lot of great feedback on hundreds of posts that I have poured over.

You do, however, have the tendency of chastising every "newbie" who posts about their first trees. You will notice I have not participated in at least a few of your seemingly endless list of pet-peeves because I read a lot of your feedback on other new "hobbyists" and learned at least a little. I didn't wire it, repot it and shove it outside immediately.

I am sorry you do not see potential in my tree. Maybe this time next year I will take a photo and you can happily eat crow?

I'm not discouraged. Even if this tree never becomes a show stopper, I will love it always. Because it will be my first. I will learn from it and be better for it. I see potential in that. I am in no rush and I'm not going anywhere.

I appreciate your feedback.

jadedthumb wrote: You do, however, have the tendency of chastising every "newbie" who posts about their first trees. You will notice I have not participated in at least a few of your seemingly endless li

The answer you knew was coming... if that's what you want to read, in stead of the good advice, so be it.
It did make me loose interest in reading the rest of your post.

Good luck.

I actually thought Auk's post was very useful and brought up some good questions (that you neglected to answer).
I think the main reason that you and other newbies think Auk is chastising you is because he's often the first to reply to posts that you make and is one of the few people who is blunt and straight-forward in his answers, and experienced enough to be that way.

I doubt Auk will 'Eat Crow' even if he was wrong, as there is a very little chance of that plant becoming anything special, even more so in the hands of a beginner over the course of a single year. Maybe I'll be wrong. I doubt it.

In the meantime, please answer the questions Auk raised and look up the care guidelines if you haven't already.

Do please make another topic if you have a more specific question and need help.
Oh, and, no, don't start work on it yet.

Ed

Oh wow. I LOVE your bonsai. Such a GREAT little tree. I cannot believe you found that somewhere close by!? Just make sure you repot as soon as possible. And while you are at it, wire it into a semi-cascade, keep it indoors on the window sill, feed weekly, and make sure you water by placng your bonsai in a bucket of water.

Is that more like what you were expecting?

Let's face it. you bought a set of your plants in a pot. They have NO indication of a great root flare (They rather look like they were pressed in a pot, and the topsoil eroded away). I see no cascade,but that could be the quallity of the picture.

Take it patiently. Learn how to take care of plants. You claim you can do that. Just know, bonsai is for the most part just a matter of caring for the plant, and not much more. More trees die of overcaring than of undercare.

As you live in Vietnam, I actually think serissa is a good option for you. The easiest plants for your climate would be ficus I think. You can probably get some good specimens very easily.

leatherback wrote: As you live in Vietnam, I actually think serissa is a good option for you. The easiest plants for your climate would be ficus I think. You can probably get some good specimens very easily.

I believe it's Vermont, US.

Serissas can be grown indoor, but all plants do best outside. Bring it in during winter and cold snaps. It can be finicky to work with - not too dry or moist. Pretty flowers and roots easily if you ever want to do cuttings. Your specimen will need many years of work before being considered bonsai. Let them both grow and enjoy.

Try this thread out for serissa info, and do some more research if you wish to continue pursuing bonsai. Good luck