Fukien Tea Bonsai - from box store to bonsai

[@michaelorourke399]

I bought the same tree. Repotted and its growing like crazy. Can't help but thinking the tree said thank you for getting me out of that old pot!!!!!

[@BonsaiBoise]

We're basically heros for giving them a new life 😄

[@supermario1177]

This video is perfect I can tell you bought this bonsai at walmart because of the bonsai they use the same pot design for all of bonsai they sell, and thanks for teaching us how to repot it and caring for it better!

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you! And yep I sure did lol. That's a Walmart special

[@mattbrennan647]

I like the choices you made. They grow pretty fast so hopefully your vision will be seen before the end of the summer. Thanks, keep growing

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks! I actually did this about 2 weeks(ish) ago and it's already starting to show signs of new growth.

[@giovybez8061]

Hi Mike. Thanks for sharing. I like your bonsai mix it looks really nice with the white bits.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you!

[@athenag.1634]

I’ve always loved how you use everyday things in your bonsai care instead of spending so much money on “proper tools”. The little red pruners, where can someone get one? You are brave with your cuts. Looking forward to updates on this tree. Thank you!

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you! Those little red pruners are like $4 at harbor freight tools. Everytime I see them I pick up like 5 or 6. I think their original purpose is wire cutting. But they work great!

[@beckybledsoe7339]

Your homemade Bonsai soil is pretty cool. Can you write your recipe for me?? Thank you

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks! It's mostly just perlite, safety absorb, and pine bark. Occasionally I'll throw in some volcanic rock when I can find it.

[@carried9130]

Hi, new subscriber- just found your channel today. I have a Fukien Tea that I bought from a home/gardens store about 3 years ago. Late last year it started looking a bit lack-luster and it became rootbound so I went to the store to ask what to do. Figured if they sell it they'd have the best advice right? Wrong! So they told me regular potting mix and pot would be fine. I listened to them. Because we had a cold spring I waited til May to repot all my plants this year, including my bonsai. It was pissed- to put it bluntly. The leaves drooped and dulled, several fell off. Over the last 2 months I've been nursing it back to health. It's once again happy, with shiny leaves and producing flowers. I did a decent prune today, still have a bit to go I think but I'm taking it in stages as I don't quite see the shape I want yet. I ordered some wire as a few branches need reshaping, and I will get to that soon. But the bigger issue is it's in the wrong soil and pot. Would you repot it immediately- or wait til next spring? How do you estimate the correct size? I can order some bonsai mix- local stores and amazon finally have it available but am concerned about the right size pot and if gravel is needed. Thanks for your time, and looking forward to more of your videos! 👍🏻

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks for the comment. I would repot it now if it were me. Another thing to think about is that tropicals actually shouldn't be repotted in spring. Deciduous trees, yes. But tropicals are different since they don't drop their leaves. The best time to repot and root prune, (as well as leaf prune), is right now in the middle of the hot summer/growing season. The reason spring is the worst time is because they just came out of a long winter period and are very weak. They don't go dormant the same as deciduous trees do. As for soil, I have a few videos on how I make mine. It's actually super easy and cheap to do.

[@carried9130]

@@BonsaiBoise thank you very much! I will get my supplies and repot as soon as I get everything. 👍🏻😁

[@baldyeti]

I like how you tamed that beast, Toy. I wonder if they actually leave those crossing branches on purpose. Many people like to style FT as a “dragon tree”, and some of those branches might be ideal for getting that. But I’ve never played with this species either. I sure appreciate seeing how you go.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks! You should've seen this thing when I found it. There were 2 of them left and they were in the back of a bottom shelf at Walmart, totally neglected. I almost bought them both but, space is limited. Plus, do I really need 2? Answer is yes. I definitely need 2. Lol

[@amandawelch9125]

I've had Ficus Ben's, and gone through 2 Fuikens. This 2nd one it in it's last legs. They seem to be more difficult for me. Shock easier when the roots are trimmed, more sensitive to not enough water with less signs they are thirsty. I can't find anymore Fuikens to replace this one, so I really hope it lives.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Good to know. I haven't messed with mine too much yet, aside from the original repotting. It has to long shoots but everything else has just sort of maintained so far.

[@driftunit1]

I am in a similar boat with all the ficus cuttings. I found 2 huge ones locally for sale and also bought some seedlings. My plan was air layers but now I kinda hate to break them down but I'm also starting videos and I thought it was cool to find a fellow friend of the ficus lol. I have just started my cutting rootings and I have a feeling I'm gonna have a forest soon. Enjoy the videos man keep it up!

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you! I'll check out some of your videos on your ficus maybe we can both learn from each other's experiments. I'm actually just about to post an update on some of the ficus projects here within the next couple of days. Just got to finish putting some edits to it.

[@driftunit1]

@@BonsaiBoise Awesome man look forward to seeing them!

[@digitaldaemon74]

Ha you're like me, $ money wise. I use perlite and wood chips too. I mix maybe 1-5% black soil.

[@grangrampa832]

Very nice

[@TropicalBonsai]

Nice, I don't have the best luck with these.

[@BonsaiBoise]

This is my first run with one.

[@ronikarobledo4430]

Any updates on this one?

[@BonsaiBoise]

It's been in the greenhouse all winter, hasn't really changed much.

[@ronikarobledo4430]

@@BonsaiBoise I repotted mine and it is doing horrible, im thinking it liked the coconut soil.

[@TigressPhoenix]

Thank you for making this video. I purchased a very untamed bonsai of the same species. Can you propagate the cuttings?

[@BonsaiBoise]

I believe so, depending on conditions. I've had the best luck by putting cuttings in a cup of water until they root, then transfer to pots.

[@TigressPhoenix]

@@BonsaiBoise thank you I’m gonna try this. 😊

[@chunkyquail]

Hey, do you still have this tree? I wonder if you could share the progress.

[@BonsaiBoise]

@@chunkyquail unfortunately no, this one died about the time I moved out of that apartment

[@ChrisNLger]

Is there an update video of this tree?

[@BonsaiBoise]

Nope, it died unfortunately

[@mentalistsa]

Awesome video. I just picked up one at Lowe’s. What is the absolute lowest nighttime temp these will take ? Oh yeah also pear moss is super light weight - less cost to ship.

[@BonsaiBoise]

I couldn't say for sure but I would guess it's frost level and below. Though I personally don't have the guts to chance it below 50. And I haven't tried pear moss yet!

[@Spadsey2]

Hi, I just rescued 2 of these bonsai trees, should I cut off the branches that lost leaves or do the leaves grow back?

[@BonsaiBoise]

I've seen it go both ways. If the branch is completely dead then may as well cut it.

[@grangrampa832]

Thank you

[@jonathanduran8669]

Do you think this type of repotting and pruning can be done safely in the end of summer/start of fall?

[@BonsaiBoise]

I believe so, yes. Though I can't say from experience with these. Tropicals can usually be worked with throughout summer and early fall since they don't go dormant like deciduous trees.

[@ChrisInScotland]

Got a Fukien tea tree from garden centre last week, pruned it a little and potted in bonsai mix with compost, perlite and mortar clay, room is 25-30 degrees and sitting in bright window but leaves are yellowing and falling off. It is just acclimating? Any ideas would be appreciated. I’m sure I’m not under-watering it.

[@BonsaiBoise]

I've not tried mortar clay. Isn't that the stuff that turns into concrete once you add water?

[@ChrisInScotland]

@@BonsaiBoise oops not mortar clay, molar clay, the pink oil spill absorbing stuff.

[@BonsaiBoise]

@@ChrisInScotland Oh gotta, that makes sense. Well, it's hard to say but it could be retaining too much moisture. Is the compost ratio high?

[@ChrisInScotland]

@@BonsaiBoise equal parts of each. I’m hoping I just shouldn’t have potted/pruned it at this time of year or I havnt pruned enough and it’s come from cool indoor garden centre to my house during a heatwave and needs to reclimatise. Should cool down to 70ish later in the week.

[@flywings111]

Don't overwater it. I also have a fukien tea and the leaves were yellowing a few weeks ago, now the tree is getting better that I don't soak it in water. I watered it more often during the summer bur because September is not that hot as summer months anymore it isn't good if the soil is overwatered (I live in Central Europe).

[@davidhalling5841]

Is there a follow up to this Carmona?

[@mikecipriani7792]

I just got one a few weeks ago.

[@michaelgarcia6210]

I don’t know if you will answer, but I bought an exact tree like this one from Lowe’s and it comes with soil dirt. Should I repot it right away and use the type of soil you use on my tree?

[@BonsaiBoise]

General rule of thumb is to let it acclimate to the new environment for a couple weeks first, and then do any work to it. But after that, yeah they definitely like a gritty, well draining soil for sure.

[@michaelgarcia6210]

@@BonsaiBoise since right now it is getting closer to mid spring should I just wait for next spring to repot and change the soil to gritty and well draining soil? Since in a couple weeks it will be little late for the season? Just bought my bonsai around a week or 2 ago

[@michaelgarcia6210]

Thank you for answering by the way 🙏

[@zimmy1958]

Thanks. subbed

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you

[@carolficorilli9768]

I have never seen the dry Absorb.

[@ahmettalha2960]

if i want to get thicker trunk should i keep my new bonsai in bonsai pot or little bit bigger and deeper pot?

[@zenobibonsai]

I recently picked up a Carmona Fukien Tea bonsai.. it has a few leaves with black spots on them any ideas what they are? Due to the neglect of him by the store I had to style him in a wind swept style

[@BonsaiBoise]

Could be a fungus if it was in too much humidity for too long. I had that on a schefflera last year and sprayed it with some neem oil, and again with some type of copper based fungicide stuff that seemed to work

[@zenobibonsai]

@@BonsaiBoise Hiya thanks for getting back to me :) ok thanks for the advice do you mix a little neem oil with water? I have some neem but not sure the best way to use it and no instructions came with it. Many thanks :)

[@BonsaiBoise]

@@zenobibonsai is it from concentrate? I've had both kinds before.

[@zenobibonsai]

@@BonsaiBoise It says on the bottle... 100% virgin neem oil and cold pressed? im guess i need to add some to water but dont know how much oil to water ratio :/

[@BonsaiBoise]

@@zenobibonsai hmmm, yeah I'm not sure either. My guess is that if it has a sprayer on the bottle, it's already mixed. If it is from concentrate, I believe it's 1 oz for every gallon of water.

[@beckybledsoe7339]

Very challenging I have mine under a grow light. Not much activity I do spray the roots. Has plenty of plant food.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Mines been growing weird. Only one shoot grows way long and none of the others do. I prune it back and the same one shoots out again. Super weird.

[@casvanmarcel]

Love it

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you!

[@dianeallen9466]

I just got one of these the other day and i had no clue it was a bonsai tree but now I'm worried because i don't think i can cut it all up so i hope i dont kill it 🙈

[@nancyfahey7518]

Fujen

[@niftydom2476]

From my understanding this particular Bonsai needs a lot a moisture and doesn't like drying out. I'm guessing a typical bonsai mix is not great for this species- the substrate need to be more water retentive. There is not one bonsai mix for all bonsai.