Hello,

I am new to this forum and would like some advice regarding my ligustrum tree.

As a short back story: I bought it about a week and a half ago and i would like to eventually transform it into a bonsai (if possible). I posted a few days back in the Help section: www.bonsaiempire.com/forum/help-me/10986...nfirming-bonsai-type with some more details about the tree. In the mean time I read and understood that i actually have a mallsai, but i like it and I would like to learn more about how i could make it a bonsai.

As I was advised, i lifted the tree from the pot and found out that the pot does not help at all with water drainage, it actually keeps some of the water at the bottom of the pot (i got the tree out, washed the pot a bit and waited for the water to drain... but it did not happen).
Some of the leaves are a light green to yellow color (the new ones) and have started to wrinkle, as i found out this can happen when over watering or under watering. Given the fact that today was the second time i watered it since i got it and given the fact that the pot is not draining all the water i think my tree could suffer of over watering.

I have a new pot (somewhat bigger) with two draining holes, you can see it here if you ignore the fact that the website is in romanian: www.atelierbonsai.ro/bonsai-shop/ghivece...cm-cu-tava-scurgere/
I have a bonsai mix of red volcanic rock, pumice stone, zeolite, i could also buy some Akadama to add it to the mix. And i also have some organic bonsai soil.
Also, i bought a Bonsai Tool Kit from here: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B015R2AY06/ref=pe_3187911_189395841_TE_dp_1

What should i do? should i repot? should i use the organic soil or the other one?
Also, when repotting, should i get rid of all the soil? or just some of it?

First image is from 2 days ago, second image is from today.

Thank you.

Its for repot. Inorganic mix is better but you may have to water more frequently so be sure you can do every time its needed. Inform well about repotting before stepping up. Good luck..

DanTdr wrote:

Hello,

I am new to this forum and would like some advice regarding my ligustrum tree.

What should i do? should i repot? should i use the organic soil or the other one?
Also, when repotting, should i get rid of all the soil? or just some of it?

Again, understanding how soil works is of paramount interest. Again, a few links below for your reference:

www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/advanced/bonsai-soil
adamaskwhy.com/2018/01/30/akadama-the-ideal-bonsai-soil/
www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/repotting

Hope it helps.

Alain

Thanks alainleon1983 i already read and watched a lot of videos about repotting and soil mixes.
My only concern with going full inorganic soil is what will happen when i go on vacation and i can not get someone to water it when needed. I saw a video about building some sort of greenhouse, but i am not so sure about the idea.
I will be gone in August for about a week and i do not think that moving the tree at someone else's house will have a good impact on it.
How do you manage this problem?
Thanks

Uhmmm... Depending on the species, the climate, the pot of choice and the actual soil mix you are using, some trees (Ficus and Jade for instance) might survive for a full week without watering. That said, I´d be surprised if your plants are still alive in mid summer by the time you return home.

So, yes, you should look for someone that might take care of your plants while you are gone. Highly recommended if not mandatory.

Alain

Getting someone to sit the tree would be ideal but with only Akadama soil in full summer, with the tree being in the balcony at the moment i think the tree will need watering on a daily basis. Even if it does not need daily watering how will i be sure that the person looking after the tree will water it properly. Unfortunately i do not have any acquaintance that would know stuff about bonsai or small trees and soil.
I will try to figure this out. With normal soil, the chopstick method would be pretty simple to use even for someone who has done no research at all, with Akadama soil, the top part of the soil could be dry, but the rest could be very wet, right?

I will look more into how you can know when the tree needs watering when using inorganic soil and if there are any simple methods to tell when the tree needs watering.

Thanks.

Just ask them to water daily. Overwatering will not be an issue.

DanTdr wrote:

Even if it does not need daily watering how will i be sure that the person looking after the tree will water it properly. Unfortunately i do not have any acquaintance that would know stuff about bonsai or small trees and soil.
I will try to figure this out.

Hello again Dan,

Well I kept my head going around circles with this issue of yours and I remembered that 4 years ago I had the same problem. I had to leave and I had no one that could take care of my trees (at the time they were only 2). So I designed a dripping system. Here is the post, there you can read on further details:

www.bonsaiempire.com/forum/watering-and-...-system?limitstart=0

Just one thing... Bear in mind that if you do decide to build it, you should first test the system long enough before leaving, just to ensure yourself that it works.

Hope this might help your endeavors.

Alain

If the temp is high and you will be gone many days you need someone to water. I was gone for 4 days last summer and one of my ligustrums lost all it;s leaves but it pushed back 2 weeks later. Guess I was lucky with that. You will be ok for about 3 days but not more. ( of course in akadama ) Your ligustrum, in the stage that it's in I will not water it again for about a week. Anyway you will need to let it dry in order to repot. You can clean the roots much easy.

Claudiu wrote:

You will be ok for about 3 days but not more. ( of course in akadama ) Your ligustrum, in the stage that it's in I will not water it again for about a week.

Personally, I find this ttricky advice. I am not sure where in Rumania the OP is, but I have spent a few summers there, and it can get really hot and dry. In inorganic substrate once a day watering is the minimum during 40+C days.

If you only have the one tree, just drop it off at someones house, a reliable friend that is good at taking care of plants. Tell the friend about the special care & watering frequency and you should be OK.Moving it is not such a big deal (Daily moving yes, but every once in a while is fine; I rotate my trees on the benches which is more stress).