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Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54636

  • wanderingHP
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Hey there...

So I've been getting great info from this site in general, and recently hopped on the forum in search of more specific "answers" to a few questions I've had.

Not had much luck (maybe I'm not the best at finding it ), so here I am.

(Bit of backstory, locational stuff... In Ecuador, mountains(ish)..not the coast or the amazon, with a relatively consistent climate year round. Warm days, cold nights, if the sun comes out it can get HOT (so I pay attention to the soil, and have a humidity tray). BUT it also rains a lot (especially this year, and with the nearby volcanic activity). It may rain on/off in the evening and then all throughout the night. It's been "rainy" for the past 3 days now. My plants are in direct sunlight for much of the day...building a rack to help provide partial shade on some of the day for the plants that need it.)

SO... I have two tree's right now that I wired and potted myself. I BELIEVE I've done things as I should, for the species of tree and all, but I am uncertain now. It's day 5 and 6 for a snow rose & cotoneaster and respectively. Both of them (today) look to be "sick" or a bit off. That being said, I've no idea what to expect after wiring and potting (from nursery plant).

The cotoneaster seems fine, except fort it's "berries" are shriveling up, and some of the leaves seem to be browning/losing vigor (but not all).
(first attached image is close-up of BEFORE, second is TODAY)

But the snow rose looks completely "off." It's leaves are shriveling, yellowing, and/or falling off. The flowers have shriveled and some have browned a bit as well.
(third attached image is close-up of BEFORE, fourth & fifth are TODAY)

FYI, I'm aware my wiring is not the best... self taught (videos/forums/sites), but it's not strangling any roots or trunks/branches that I can see. It may explain some of the leaves browning..poor work on my part, but I don't think it would explain it all.


Please and thank you for any help you all could provide!

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Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54638

  • m5eaygeoff
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The first picture showing your wiring is not good. the wire is crossed which looks bad but also will strangle the branch. Take it off and think about why you want to wire in the first place. If it is not out in the natural environment then that is where they should be. It sound as if the re potting did not go well also. You need to learn how to water properly, Cotoneaster are almost impossible to kill so if you do lose it then something is seriously wrong. How are you watering? I suggest that you buy a book and read how to look after the plants you have.

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Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54639

  • wanderingHP
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OK, thanks for the feedback but it in no way addresses my questions.

And where the wires cross over (poorly, I know), they are NOT tight. I'm aware of the wiring though.

I can take multiple pictures, one with no wiring what so ever (same issues) to show you as well.

And finally, I'm very well aware of the plant in general. I've done my research, and did not hop into this out of nowhere. Your reply is in no way helpful. If someone comes to a forum like this, with specific questions, it's typically because they've exhausted their own resources.

Please, constructive input people! (Advising someone to "read a book" is not helpful :D)

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Last edit: Post by wanderingHP.

Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54641

  • wanderingHP
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Also, I never said it was dying per say or that I was killing it. Just that it may be off, and I don't know why.

I doubt something was off during the re-potting (please give specific examples of what could be for saying that.), I have experience in this regard outside bonsai and studied up on it to no ends before my first tree. And RE: watering, I covered that in the initial post. It is a new & young tree, that has been in existence (for this discussions purposes) for all of 5 or 6 days, 3 of which were during the rain I explained. If you want me to detail how/why I have been watering the two for the initial 2 to 3 days, I can (happily). But you're not giving anything useful or constructive here so there's nothing to be taken from your reply unfortunately.

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Last edit: Post by wanderingHP.

Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54644

  • m5eaygeoff
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Then I won't answer any more

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Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54648

  • Auk
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Then I won't answer any more


I'll join you and I hope the other regulars will too.

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Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54651

  • wanderingHP
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I don't understand...

You're hoping other regulars follow suit and NOT provide assistance?

What in my replies was offensive? I was literally told to "read a book" and not given anything specific or constructive.

Maybe my response to that was a bit defensive, but nothing I said was hostile or offensive in any way. Why would you promote isolating new members, people wanting to learn? (and yes, that is me...wanting to learn). Had anything in his reply been specific, or even constructive, it would have been received differently. I thanked him for his reply, even though it was condescending and dismissive. I was hoping to bite that in the bud and curb further similar, unproductive replies.

Did that really offend you to the point of promoting people ignore my posts? I was surprised by the "elitist" and dismissive reply (for a Help! section), and even more so now by people supporting it all.

Sad. Loved the site as a source of information, was hoping this would be a portal of engagement with like minded people. Unfortunate to find out it's in fact the opposite.

Thanks anyways, I suppose.

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Last edit: Post by wanderingHP.

Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54652

  • leatherback
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In this case it looks lik eyou did the wiring and the repotting in one sitting. As in Europe we are in real winter, I assume you are in summer. Could it be that you removed quite a bit of old soil, trimmed roots back strongly and put it into new substrate? That is hard to deal with for trees and keeping the plant out of sun and wind for a few weeks is recommended for plants with leaves that are not used to dry conditions.I think your trees were unable to bring enough moisture to the foliage.

I would put in shade, and perhaps place them in a moist environment (I pull plastic bags over plants that are strugging like this).Then just wait it out.
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Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54653

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Thank you for your reply!

Really, I mean it. I did not expect one at this point.

And yes, we are almost in summer (tail end of spring really) and it has been raised in an outdoor nursery (exposed to full sunlight, but covered with a mesh) and the rain (which has been the same now for the past couple of months).

And yes, I was careful during the process, but I did essentially replace all soil/substrate and trimmed back at least 1/4 of the roots (not as much as I was expecting to do...assuming you're talking about the cotoneaster? if it's the other one, then I cut about 1/3 of the roots easily.)

What I didn't know (never came up for me even) is that a new plant like that should avoid the conditions I had it in. I INTENTIONALLY put it in the same conditions it was raised, thinking it had already adapted and would thrive MORE SO than a "change of enviornemnt." Despite being completely wrong, that's very good to hear. It gives me something to go on, and something to look into (lack of better words) as a cause for these issues. The past 3 days in particular have been "standard weather" (but that includes heavy rain & harsh sun heh).

Thank you again!

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Couple of questions (new to bonsai, no one in my area to learn from) 4 years 3 months ago #54654

  • crent89
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What I didn't know (never came up for me even) is that a new plant like that should avoid the conditions I had it in. I INTENTIONALLY put it in the same conditions it was raised


i think what LB is trying to say and correct me if im wrong LB. he is saying you want to protect it from the harsh environments after a repot to allow it to recover. if you placed it in a the same climate as it was before that shouldn't be a problem but after a repot trees may need a bit more protection.

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