Hey Leslie,

Let it go, and the next batch will go better! I managed to kill my float-style ficus (I now have a massive fungus gnut infectation; Bad batch of potting soil I am afraid). We all kill some at some moment.

I posted a solution to your empty seedling tray in pvt messages. Have a look and let me know, ok?

J.

Hey J,

My friend who gave me the tiny Fukien seedlings says she has seeds she can give me. ...sigh...not sure I'm ready for germinating seeds however, there's a first time for everything.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your Ficus and fungus gnat infestation...I'm still finding the odd one flying around . Are you saying that you can actually buy potting soil from a retailer that is already infected with fungus gnats??? :ohmy: I wonder about this because it seems ever since I purchased a bag of seed starting mix I have had fungus gnats! :pinch:

These seeds I was proposing are sure-things though

Yeah, I am pretty sure you can get them from the soil. I planted 4 plants in new soil from a new bag that I bought, and all 4 of them are infected. The rest of the plants are not. So I am fairly convinced the soil had eggs i them Now using a generic poison on them, as I could not find anything specific. Am worries about having to repot the whole bunch again.

Hi J,

I have replied to your PM...fantastic!

Ooooooo...I hope you are able to *annihilate :evil: the buggars* without having to repot everything. I'm cheering for you!

Bonsai art dates back to the age of buddha. Whatever small achievements it may deserve good comments. SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL is the slogan of a bonsai lover! Even if it is a seedling find beauty of its growth..you will get new ideas of styling. Happy growing! I think regardless of how old is a bonsai we must appreciate how old it looks. May be 5 year old bonsai looks older than 30 years.

Fukien tea is tropical . Try to do mulching .

Temperature - The Fukien tea bonsai requires warm temperatures for optimal growth though it has been found that it is not adversely affected by the low winter temperatures. However it thrives best at 55 - 70°F.

Sunlight - The plant requires plenty of sunlight so be sure to place in near a window. It is critical to ensure that it gets at least one hour of sunshine, especially early in the morning.

Watering - This is one of the crucial parameters when caring for the Fukien tea bonsai. It should be kept well watered at all times. Avoid overwatering which can lead to yellowing of the leaves as well as letting the soil dry out completely

Hi Sai,

Thank you for your comments. I agree...small is beautiful which is why I am enjoying rooting cuttings. Yes, I am aware that the Fukien Tea is tropical...I keep it indoors for that reason. I also research each one of my plants and I write down the cultivation info. for each plant in a note book.

The problem with my tiny Fukien seedlings was they had become infested with the fungus gnat this past summer and the lower leaves of the seedlings were turning black. I had to repot them and throw out the infected soil. I very gently rinsed as much of the old soil as possible from their tiny roots but I could not get the odd, tiny piece clinging to the roots for fear of breaking them. Even after repotting, the lower leaves continued to gradually turn black. Out of five seedlings, the two largest were the last ones to go. I think perhaps the larva were still present and killing plants from the roots?