friday's gardenings

bonsai for sale at walmart.com

"I was wondering about my bonsai tree. It is looking sickly and yellow. I can repot it but I don't want it to get a lot bigger so should I just trim the roots and replace some of the soil or what? Thanks for the help."

Katie,

It kind of sounds like over-watering, but it could be a host of other problems. If the dirt is really wet and heavy, let it dry out until you can feel the top 1/2" or so is dry. Since bonsai pots are usually pretty shallow, it shouldn't take too long. I linked to a website below, and they suggest re-potting young bonsai every two years. So it may be time for it to be re-potted.

If you know it's not being over-watered(I know your house got over-watered, so maybe. . .I'm kidding!). So if you know it's not being over watered, try some fertilizer. 'Osmocote' is a pellet form that slowly releases over a few months. You just sprinkle the pellets on top of the dirt, or you can work them in. Make sure the kiddos stay away from them though.

I found this really great site that explains how to re-pot a bonsai tree HERE. And there are a lot more topics they write about. They know more than I do!

Plants usually will show signs of 'transplant shock' after a few days. Looking a little wilty and scary. Just be patient, and if it's not diseased it should look better after about a week. Make sure you give it a little extra water, especially the first few days. But don't drown it! And don't let it sit in water, if possible. And DON'T fertilize right after you transplant something. Wait at least two weeks/month for it to recover.

So, first make sure it's not drowning, and re-pot it according to the directions on that site. Then fertilize it.

Good luck! I hope it gets better.

Have a plant/gardening question? Email me at martnicole(at)hotmail(dot)com.