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Advices and help confirming bonsai type 5 years 11 months ago #39164

  • DanTdr
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Hello,

I bought my first bonsai last week, unfortunately I got it from a shopping mall (even though the shop seemed to be decent) and it did not have any details about the type.
From what I found online it could be a Ligustrum (Privet) but i could use some help in confirming that it is in fact a Privet.

I read a lot of articles and watched a lot of videos about caring (watering, repotting, etc) for a bonsai I still could use some help.
Since i brought it home some of the leaves have started to wrinkle and some have even turned yellowish or just have fallen all of a sudden (without turning yellow or even curling).
I know that changing the environment is bound to have some unpleasant effects and maybe this is normal, but i do not know if there is any way to tell if the bonsai is going to be ok or not.

Also i know the soil is not the best one and i was thinking of repotting (you can see some roots sticking out of the soil in some of the photos) but given that i just brought it home last week i do not know if this would be the best time to repot it. I know that usually it is recommended to repot during march-april but i was thinking i need to let it adjust to the new home first for at least a month.

For the soil i have a mix of: red volcanic rock, pomegranate, zeolite and i could also add some pine bark. Should i buy some Akadama and add it to the mix? or what would you recommend?

Also, the bonsai seems to have been cut from ~ 5 cm bottom and new branches started to develop from there. Any idea if this is good or bad?

Any idea when should i start wiring or shaping the bonsai? as it looks pretty uneven and i would like to be able to make it look good and also, not stress it a lot all of a sudden.

For fertilization I have one with NPK (3.6-3.6-3.1) - small balls that dissolve in time when watered and a liquid one NPK (3-6-6), which one should i use?

Some more details:
- i am located in Bucharest (Romania), the climate is temperate continental.
- current temperature is between 15-20 degrees (C) during the day, ~10 degrees (C) during the night.
- i live in an apartment (2nd floor), the building is facing SW (215 degrees).
- i have direct sun light from ~13:00 to ~16:30 in the room that i am keeping the bonsai in.
- i am currently keeping the bonsai on my desk, it does not get a lot of direct sun light in that spot but it does get light.
- i have a small balcony next to the room, but it gets pretty cold at night (at this point in time) and also there is a lot of dust and it could be exposed to some insects (flies, spiders, etc).
- i am trying to use the chopstick method (using bamboo toothpicks) to determine when the bonsai needs watering.

I know there are a lot of questions and information and i appreciate the patience to read all of it and any piece of advice.
Thanks,
Dan

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Advices and help confirming bonsai type 5 years 11 months ago #39165

  • Travi51
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I would let it recover, you can pull it out of the pot to check the roots, put it outside and keep it watered.
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Advices and help confirming bonsai type 5 years 11 months ago #39169

  • leatherback
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This is a privet, ligustrum.

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Advices and help confirming bonsai type 5 years 11 months ago #39172

  • DanTdr
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Thanks for the reply Travi51.
Is a month the right time for the adjustment period? Also, would you recommend repotting in May? I would not wait another year to use an adequate soil, also the roots does not seem to have enough space to grow.
Thanks

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Last edit: Post by DanTdr.

Advices and help confirming bonsai type 5 years 11 months ago #39173

  • DanTdr
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leatherback thanks for the confirmation. I will look more into ligustrum (privet).

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Advices and help confirming bonsai type 5 years 11 months ago #39231

  • Claudiu
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Hey Dan. I also live in Bucharest. Buy some akadama. The easy way is to get it from Atelierbonsai. Repot it. I have 2 ligustrums and they are pretty tough.
Leave the plant on the balcony (i also have them like that) it isn't cold for them and they need the night-day fluctuations in temperature. And stop moving it around - all trees hate that.
And also get a decent size pot. Not to much larger than this. msg me if you want more details.
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Last edit: Post by Claudiu.

Advices and help confirming bonsai type 5 years 11 months ago #39232

  • DanTdr
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Thanks for the advice Claudiu, unfortunately i currently can not send a private message yet, i have to wait 27 more days (forum requirement) , could you send me a message if you have time ? I should be able to reply.
Also i made another post in the Repotting and Soil category with further details about the pot, the soil and the roots and some questions www.bonsaiempire.com/forum/repotting-and...-tree-should-i-repot
I just placed an order for some Akadama soil.
Thanks

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