Root system

With ming aralia

Here's the room that the bonsai is in. Sitting between two two windows - facing W-NW.

Whatever you do, don't soak it in the sink, don't immerse it, and unless you're only watering your aralia once a month, I can't believe it's still alive either! Whoever told you to dunk plants/trees to water them is all wet :-). You water from above, like nature, just do it enough so it comes out the drain hole and you'll know all roots had a drink. Both your trees dislike being watered too often, though how often to do it will depend on how dry the top inch or so gets how quickly, and not knowing what soil mix you have, it's hard to say, but the mix should be fast draining - you don't want rotting roots. I absolutely suggest you read up on Ficus, Aralia and bonsai however - a good place to start would be "Bonsai4me.com - species guide near the top, then Ficus, because you can't treat them like house plants and bonsai is not something you learn in 3 easy steps... a lifetime is more like it! Yes you may reduce the leaves, but again, until you know more, do nothing. Don't water on schedule, but when a fair amount of soil has dried... watering a half sodden tree will kill it faster than anything. And water slowly - don't just dump a glass in there. And... all that stuff you've seen about pruning, etc... they should explain that when it's done it's done for a reason, not just because it's a 'bonsai'. Something else for you to investigate! Have fun.

This post was edited by moochinka on Sun, Sep 28, 14 at 19:38

Hi thanks for the link!

Maybe I should clarify. I don't fill the sink with water and dunk my aralia in the standing water... I set it in the dry sink and run the water through the soil until it starts draining. And then I stop. Wait 15 minutes and do it again. Then wait 15 minutes and do it a third time. I wait another 15 then turn the plastic pot around until all of the water has drained out. Then I set it back in its permanent pot.

For my bonsai ficus, I was wondering if I should do the same. once its dry about half way down....

thanks :)

Unless your soil mix is 100% gravel, or akadama, etc., I'm not sure why you do it x 3, but if you're happy with it... I might not wait til half the Ficus mix is dry, but again not knowing what it's in, can't comment on the watering.

Hi, thanks again. Looks to be just soil. So maybe I'll just wait until it's 1/3 dry and do my sink method :)

I do it x3 with my aralia because of advice from someone on this forum. They said the aralia root ball needs to get a good soak and then be drained etc....

Thanks again!

Hi, thanks again. Looks to be just soil. So maybe I'll just wait until it's 1/3 dry and do my sink method :)

I do it x3 with my aralia because of advice from someone on this forum. They said the aralia root ball needs to get a good soak and then be drained etc....

Thanks again!

If it was my tree, I'd be thinking about drastically shortening your tree. Not now, but next summer. It looks like the trunk could be chopped immediately above the first branch on the right (picture in your OP). It appears that you would be able to keep both the large lower branches, and you already have a branch growing vertically off the first branch to the right to serve as the new leader.

The soil looks VERY compacted, so I would suggest you start thinking about making your own soil, so you can avoid that compaction and excess water retention. A soil you can water freely at will w/o having to worry about extended periods of soggy soil, will set you free. ;-)

Your repots and heavy pruning should be undertaken in the summer. I'd repot first, then do the pruning after the plant is recovered - pushing new growth.

Al