Beginner Bonzai Help [from seed/fungi]
 

Morning, I hope you can help me, Im a complete cluebag at the moment as
to growing bonzai's. Basically, I bought this bonzai kit :

http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page...G&title=145347

It appears to be a "Jack Pine" bonzai. Of the 6 seeds included, I cold
stratified 3, one of which sprouted[?]. After a week or 2 with nothing
but soil, the seed suddenly flew out and grew at what seemed to be a cm
a day. It has now slowed with its growth currently standing ... about 2
inches tall. The stem is about 1mm thick and 2/3's of the way up the
stem splits into 4, the base of the stem is beggining to brown.

The problem I have is that the surrounding soil is covered with a white
frosty looking fluff. From what Ive read Im guessing this is mildew[?],
although the sources ive read thus far mention cottonwool type fluff on
the tree itself and remedies for it, my tree is still too young/small to
support the fluff. Can anyone advise me on what it actually is and whats
the best way to remove it? Is it damaging to my tree?

FYI, I live in the west midlands of the UK where the outside temperature
is averaging between 1c - 10c. The tree is in bonzai soil[apparently],
placed in a window facing North West. There is very little air
circulation [which will be changed now, thank you IBC.org] I water it
periodically during the week trying to keep the soil moist at all times.
Adding water to a pot which the tree's pot then sits in. The tree is
about 2 months old in total[incl stratfication].

TIA


--
Nullcode
"Suffering is a result of desire"
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www.hidemyemail.net

On 9 Dec 2004 at 21:21, Nullcode wrote:

Morning, I hope you can help me, Im a complete cluebag at the moment as
to growing bonzai's. Basically, I bought this bonzai kit :

http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page...G&title=145347

Well, assuming your one seedling lives, you have about 15 years
to wait before you can do anything "bonsai" (note the 'S') to
it.



It appears to be a "Jack Pine" bonzai. Of the 6 seeds included, I cold
stratified 3, one of which sprouted[?]. After a week or 2 with nothing
but soil, the seed suddenly flew out and grew at what seemed to be a cm
a day. It has now slowed with its growth currently standing ... about 2
inches tall. The stem is about 1mm thick and 2/3's of the way up the
stem splits into 4, the base of the stem is beggining to brown.

The problem I have is that the surrounding soil is covered with a white
frosty looking fluff. From what Ive read Im guessing this is mildew[?],
although the sources ive read thus far mention cottonwool type fluff on
the tree itself and remedies for it, my tree is still too young/small to
support the fluff. Can anyone advise me on what it actually is and whats
the best way to remove it? Is it damaging to my tree?

It's probably a mold (fungus) of some sort. It means that your
soil is much too wet. Your little tree will not survive for
long if that continues.

Pines -- even (especially?) seedlings pines (and especially Jack
pine, Pinus banksiana -- likes dry sand, acid soil, will
withstand intense cold and grows in soil too poor for most
plants -- from, DIRR) do NOT like wet feet. You should let the
soil dry almost completely before sprinking it again and getting
the soil moist, but not DAMP.

FYI, I live in the west midlands of the UK where the outside temperature
is averaging between 1c - 10c. The tree is in bonzai soil[apparently],

"Bonsai soil is granular, with large grains of clay and sand.
If your "bonsai kit" is like out bonsai kit what you got was a
block of mostly peat that you soaked and let swell up before you
"planted" your seed. That is terrible for bonsai. Since the
treelet is much to small to transplant (or at least _I_ would
not try it) I'd take this entire thing and plant it is a cut
down one-gallon plastic nursery pot (cut down to be about 2
inches deep) filled with a coarse sand. And hope.

To add to your problems, this may have been the absolute worst
time to sprout a pine seed. Spring is the time for seeds and
they should be growing outdoors. Jack pine will not like your
English winter climate, though. Too wet.

I suggest you go to a neighborhood store and buy a small
"indoor" plant, perhaps a Ficus and try that as a bonsai over
the winter.

Good luck.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.
Good luck.

Good luck.

placed in a window facing North West. There is very little air
circulation [which will be changed now, thank you IBC.org] I water it
periodically during the week trying to keep the soil moist at all times.
Adding water to a pot which the tree's pot then sits in. The tree is
about 2 months old in total[incl stratfication].

TIA


--
Nullcode
"Suffering is a result of desire"
bnVsbGNvZGVAbnVsbGNvZGUuY29t
www.hidemyemail.net

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Jim Lewis wrote:

snipped
To add to your problems, this may have been the absolute worst
time to sprout a pine seed. Spring is the time for seeds and
they should be growing outdoors. Jack pine will not like your
English winter climate, though. Too wet.

I suggest you go to a neighborhood store and buy a small
"indoor" plant, perhaps a Ficus and try that as a bonsai over
the winter.



Thanks alot for the advice, afaik we dont have a store that sells bonsai
in my area, but i will have a look as a full tree would be nice.
Although I will perciver with this one. Following the advice on IBC.com
I used a spray on the top of the soil and plant and moved it to an open
window and its mad a big difference with the fungii. :D I think this
weekend Ill move the tree to a more sandy based soil. Is there anything
I should avoid, we have some small-fine grain gravel in the garden,
would that be suitable?

And yup, the kit supplied a peat pellete that needed to be soaked and
expanded. Thx again Ill keep reading up. :D

--
Nullcode
"Suffering is a result of desire"
bnVsbGNvZGVAbnVsbGNvZGUuY29t
www.hidemyemail.net

we dont have a store that sells bonsai in my area, but i will have a look as
a full tree would be nice.

I'm afraid you misunderstood Jim a little. He did not advise you to buy a Ficus
bonsai. What you should do is go to a regular garden centre, buy a Ficus tree
sold as a houseplant, and learn how to TURN IT into a bonsai.
Unless your pine tree seedling is dying, I suggest you don't try to repot it.
Let it alone & just water very carefully.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Yogi Berra

Iris Cohen wrote:

we dont have a store that sells bonsai in my area, but i will have a look as
a full tree would be nice.

I'm afraid you misunderstood Jim a little. He did not advise you to buy a Ficus
bonsai. What you should do is go to a regular garden centre, buy a Ficus tree
sold as a houseplant, and learn how to TURN IT into a bonsai.
Unless your pine tree seedling is dying, I suggest you don't try to repot it.
Let it alone & just water very carefully.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Yogi Berra

sorry my bad :P, thx

--
Nullcode
"Suffering is a result of desire"
bnVsbGNvZGVAbnVsbGNvZGUuY29t
www.hidemyemail.net

Iris Cohen wrote:

we dont have a store that sells bonsai in my area, but i will have a look as
a full tree would be nice.

I'm afraid you misunderstood Jim a little. He did not advise you to buy a Ficus
bonsai. What you should do is go to a regular garden centre, buy a Ficus tree
sold as a houseplant, and learn how to TURN IT into a bonsai.
Unless your pine tree seedling is dying, I suggest you don't try to repot it.
Let it alone & just water very carefully.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Yogi Berra

sorry my bad :P, thx

--
Nullcode
"Suffering is a result of desire"
bnVsbGNvZGVAbnVsbGNvZGUuY29t
www.hidemyemail.net