Greetings All,

Recently begun my bonsai journey, so far it has been pretty fun and amazing especially over the spring growing season, watching all my little trees sprouting out of there seeds has been exciting.

On the Subject of Seedlings, I currently have a flame tree seedling and a Japanese black pine seedling.

The Japanese black pine was growing pretty rapidly over a few weeks but has slowed down quite a bit to the point were I'm not noticing if its actually sprouting new leaves and getting strong, bu i assume its just slowing down a little then will speed up again but it has me worried.

I just started using some fertiliser (liquid form) and will be doing it once every two weeks I am also adding the fertiliser then watering my plants for one water with fertiliser, is this wrong or is it okay iv done this for both seedlings) now if anyone has any advice on a fertilising cycle that would be appreciated.

I will include pictures of the little seedlings, of which I'm so proud of (flame tree is in the clear pot / Japanese black pine is in the terracotta coloured pot)

Thanks in advance

There is no Japanese black pine in the terracotta pot. But what it is, no idea.

What kind of soil did you use? Did the soil already have nutrietens for the next 4 to 6weeks? Usually potting ground has that. Then there is no firtilizing needed, until that period is over.

Soil does look a little bit to wet. Beaware that 'dampening off' can happen if kept to wet. Some sign of that happening is that you don't see any new growth ontop. Usually because roots are rotting away, and then it's basicly a cutting with some water uptake from the wounds, but no roots to take up nutrients.

Ah, really? I planted a few Japanese Black pine seeds (from a grow kit from the Internet) I wounder what it could be tbh I was thinking "it's not very piney" but just though that was due to it being a seedling the soil mix I'm unsure of but it was one of those place in water for 10 mins and it absorbs it and turns into what it is now (coco peat blocks or something)

The weather has been all over the place scortcching hot one moment then rain the next so hard just been watering a little I usual feel the soil and if its not damp I'll give it a wee drink but I'll take into account what you said

Thanks

Dont buy "bonsai seeds". It is more or less a scam. No such thing exist. It is ordinary tree seeds, just more expensive, lower quality and sometimes not the species advertised.

Yeah I know no such thing exists, they are just trees at the end of the day.

I'm going to let them grow big and strong and ill eventually figure out what the "pine* is ment to be the kit wasn't too expensive so I'm not bothered but my questions still remain unawnsered about fertilisation.

Its way to early to start fertilize.

Tropfrog wrote:

Its way to early to start fertilize.

Why?

one of those place in water for 10 mins and it absorbs it and turns into what it is now (coco peat blocks or something)

So. Ok you used coco peat blocks as soil. That has no nutrients in it. So the seedling will use the energy from the seed to grow. You could give it 1/3 of a dose of firtilizer from what the dosis says on the packages. Then repeat after 2weeks.
When it is growing stronger, increase to 1/2 of a dose.

Awesome I was just putting like less than half a cap of fertiliser in a 1l bottle and then I half fil the bottle (so it's got a very very slight colour of the fertiliser) then watering my trees with with that.

Just another quick question / general advice no I know people say "keep your trees outside blah blah they will die inside" (FYI had a rubber tree that my mother grew for 26 - 27 years and it's been inside and growing just fine) I have no garden but I have a veranda the sunlight only hits there for a little but I then move the plants to the outside kitchen window were it gets sunlight at the end of the day I put them back in the house as not to get knocked off by the wind I'd love to keep them outside full time but I just don't have the privilege of garden space (cons of living in a flat) I feel that this will be enough for them during the winder I plan on moving them into a makeshift greenhouse that I'll build to keep them nice in the winter, only problem is they won't get much if any sunlight of course I'd move them on sunny ish days to get some sunlight but I think as long as the trees know what. Season there going into I can't really go wrong.

Any pointers advice or whatever will be appreciated if people have similar experiences

Thanks in advance

We give very general advice, keep it outside, but what we really mean is duplicate the natural environment where the tree evolved. If the tree evolved in a climate with freezing temperatures, you need to provide that. Rubber trees are tropicals and freezing weather will kill them.

Do some research, look up care requirements for each tree, and do what the tree needs.

Yeah i have been looking up loads of information on the current trees that i have and ganerally just trying to do my best to make sure they will become big and strong.

I think ill invest in maybe grabbing some bonsai books (any recommendations would be pretty cool) i know there is lots of information out there and iv been trying my very best to learn all i can.

Thanks for the advice though.

My rubber tree is still doing well and has grew a lot this summer so looking forward to seeing what else it has in store for me along with my new plants.

Thanks Ivan