The only way to know if your bonsai needs water is to check the moisture level of the soil. This layer of rock is glued in place for the convenience of the store and wholesaler and offers no benefits to your tree. I Made a new pot from super sculpey and Acrylic Paint, Super stoked on this incoming dwarf powderpuff. Glued-down rocks on a juniper bonsai. JavaScript is disabled. Lowes bonsai with rocks glued on top, $23 each. A single rock can resemble a rugged cliff, a towering mountain, or a rocky island. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Commercial Bonsai Every month, we get multiple emails from distraught viewers of our website about dying or dead bonsai trees and about 85% of these trees are commercial bonsai trees that had rocks glued on top of the soil. I'll be checking out the local Lowes tomorrow.. thanks for the tip. Solid, elemental-looking rocks can give the impression that a bonsai is part of a landscape. Attached tray is my problem....many "mallsai" are sold in such containers with rocks glued on....weird. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 1 year ago. Bonsai planted in or on a flattish or slightly saucer shaped rock instead of in a bonsai pot. If you're willing to address these potential issues, even mallsai can thrive. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I thought it was a very good price but I had never seen the plant before. Find out what you should do about this in todayâs episode! report. Retail stores like these because they can sit on shelves for weeks without much care. Soak it from the bottom. New comments ⦠4. You don't need to hold moisture in and you could cause some rot problems. User account menu. Nobody at lowes would even know that it's a fukien tea, much less how you would water it with the rocks glued on top. 90% Upvoted. Roots on a chinese elm need to be established, and even then, your tree will lose a lot of its leaves as it establishes itself to its new home. Progress on a starter from Bunnings that came with glued in rocks. Just giving an example of what not to buy, they had 6 of these fukien teas, only marked as bonsai. One of my favorite discoveries in regard to designing with succulents is the use of top dressings . Post #8913003. I'd definitely consider an instant repot if you do get one of these. You can find it in nail polish remover. The number one killer of bonsai trees is root rot because of overwatering. A light wack with a mallet around the tray should do it. Posted by. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I researched through the web and found out that it was in fact not a true bonsai, which i all ready suspected. This Elm is placed on a natural ledge half way up the rock. Often, a treeâs leaves will give you a good indication of its health. Rocks or pebbles are common in succulents, bonsai plants and exotics like money trees, but they should have some movement and let in oxygen, so liberating a plant with glued rocks will enhance its health and happiness. I could remove it but it would destroy the trey. (Left) Using more rocks glued together to make bigger pieces, I went for it and created a piece that looked like half a mountain. Sometimes what seems like a good deal can turn into a lot more $$ and work than you had originally thought. I got 4 nice sized junipers on sale at Lowes for $10. You must log in or register to reply here. All 6 look dried out and barely alive. Would never buy a Fukien tea. Doing fine now after replacing the soil and adding a humidity tray. A top dressing is a decorative rock placed on the top of the soil in an arrangement. At least you can keep them moist with a regular misting via the commonly used: center-console-spray-bottle. Often, a treeâs leaves will give you a good indication of its health. Cut pieces of 3mm bonsai wire long enough to attach the trees to the rock. New to Bonsai and super loving it!! This simple addition will take your succulents to a whole new level! I turned one of them into a nice cascade! The glued rocks impede proper watering of the tree and must be removed at the earliest opportunity. you could do a lot worse for $23. Removing the glued rocks was good but adding the green moss was a bad thing. Could be epoxy, I don't know if acetone can dissolve that. Doing just fine! Yea, these trees are just fine if younger then refresh the soil and repot immediately. This thread is archived. None of them look like they have had any water in at least a couple weeks. Try picking up a single stone; if you can't, or entire sections of stone come up with it, you're likely dealing with an adhesive. But I bought it and I will take care of it. This is not a difficult task, if the sides of the landscaped soil are a little steep a wall of muck over planted with moss may be necessary to stop erosion. Bought a sweet pot for 4$ at garage sell. Quote. Pry up as many individual rocks as possible with the knife, stick or a flat screwdriver. Glued-down rocks on a juniper bonsai. For 25 bucks you can get quality tropical material at Wigerts and you won't have to take an ice pick to the rocks. Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. Learn how to add a professional touch to your succulent arrangements by using a top dressing, or decorative rocks. The ones I've seen seem to be glazed together. If the tree has rocks glued around the trunk at the surface of the soil, remove them. save. hide. I bought a tigerbark from lowes about a year ago and its turning into my favorite tree. Attach the tree to the rock it is best to avoid perching the tree on the top of the rock. I have no experience with bonsai but have wanted one for a while. Most of the time the rocks are held on with a water based glue. Because these plants originated in dryland areas, they have evolved to hold water for long periods and prefer infrequent watering to overwatering. Youâre paying too much for your juniper, whoâs your juniper guy? Bookmark. Phil, Ladysmith BC, Canada, zone 8b, 25 trees, 15 years experien, SF Bay Area, zone 10a, intermediate, 100ish non-seedlings, Jerry in Amsterdam, Zn.8b, 40yrs exp., 300+ trees, Pennsylvania Zone 6, 3 years experience, 23 trees, optional name, location and usda zone, experience level, number, Tampa, FL | 10a | intermediate out of practice, Ontario, Canada, 5a, Beginner, 2 trees and seedlings. I have bought 2 trees from them and both are very nice. Watering bonsai involves saturating the soil to the point that water runs out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. The rocks glued to the top of the pot are acting partially as a mulch. We bought one from Lowe's in a plastic pot that has a string going down to collect water. New York, Zone 6b, Beginner, 20 trees in training. pshh, it's not a fukien tea, they're labeled right there, the first one is a Goodness, the second is a Dream, and the third is a Peace, duhhh /s . I am now remembering a bonsai I had years ago that had glued pebbles on top. Focussing on styling bonsai, showing member's trees, bonsai care and general help. Mallsai will have glued-on rocks and decorative elements--this is so the soil doesn't spill out during shipping. Doesnât matter where you start with bonsai, itâs where you end up, and the journey along the way. I have tied the roots down with plumbing thread tape. Iâll be honest, I had no idea how to care for a bonsai when I bought one of these. Mulch can help keep pathways in beds clear of debris and mud. Real talk though that moss or grass or whever the hell is on top looks pretty sad. Close. ! The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. Press J to jump to the feed. Trial Garden Tip: Water your plants slowly so the water seeps through the rocks without spilling or splashing. A layer of any type of mulch will prevent excess evaporation and moisture loss. What’s the problem with the attached trey? The Pot Doesnât Have Proper Drainage Holes. They dont get watered like the plants in the garden center. It’s not ideal, but makes the pot more functional. Bonsai trees and associated plants. 29 comments. You should buy all of your Bonsai Trees from a nursery. I’ve successfully separated tray from pot several times. Please be patient with me. This is done for shipping purposes so that the Bonsai stay in place and are not damaged. I read somewhere that because they glue these rocks on the top of the plant soil, it's highly likely that the plant will die. I later realized, after some research, that I picked up a rescue tree. Spruce Bonsai, rocks glued on top 20 minutes ago #64613. If you want to decorate the top of the soil, a single layer of small pebbles would be best. What is the best pot for it? a juniper with that size trunk would be $75 ð. I'd be tempted to start picking out the rocks before even buying one, so you can inspect the roots a bit and see what kind of soil its in. You can get a nice one online for the same price from wigerts bonsai. 114. Tree health is essential. I left it and it did great for years. Does that pot have a drainage hole? Log in sign up. A group of smaller rocks, positioned as outcrops protruding from the soil of the bonsai container, can recall the rocky terrain in which the tree lives. Dull, spotted, or damaged leaves are things to look out for. Placing tree on rock. When you have glued on gravel on top of the soil, the moisture is locked in, oxygen exchange is inhibited, fungus grows, the roots rot, and the tree dies. 114. Lorelei; Topic Author; Away; New Member ; Posts: 1 ; Thanks received: 0 ; My sister bought me this spruce yesterday as a memorial for my cockatiel passing away suddenly. This pretty plant was about 10 dollars. These bonsai are reasonably priced, cute, and seem to be a perfect gift for the horticulture enthusiast on your list. Rocks are added to commercially grown bonsai to make them easier to ship. Replace them with loose aquarium gravel that allows air and water to circulate freely. Glue the pieces of wire to the spots you have marked with a bead of plumber's putty epoxy at the center of each. Thank you for the feedback. I got a ficus from Loweâs packaged just like this, repotted ASAP and ripped out the stupid faith rock. Archived. I was in walmart yesterday and fell prey to this really cute supposed bonsai plant. The rocks need to be removed, as they restrict the tree from receiving sufficient water, they bind the roots of the tree and they donât allow you to see the condition of the soil. You are using an out of date browser. Waxy, shiny leaves and the indication of new growth are signs that the tree is healthy and actively growing. Atlanta zone 7B, 20 trees. Bought a sweet pot for 4$ at garage sell. With that image, the cowboy planting was born --- a moment captured in this bonsai tree. Hmm that sounds like an expensive procedure for this kind of stuff. If you buy a tree with these glued rocks, remove them by breaking them up gently with a hammer. Avoid "glued-rock" Bonsai - these are Bonsai that have rocks on top of the soil that are glued together and glued to the soil. Many popular home and garden stores sell junipers with a layer of rocks glued on the soil. Uncommonly shiny rocks is another indicator. Acetone my friends, it should dissolve super glue. I decided to name the rock creation âINTENSE FINESSEâ as all champion bulls should have a name! The water-based glue allows water to reach the soil. Lowes bonsai with rocks glued on top, $23 each. share. Lighting Tips for Dish Gardens Buying a plant with glued rocks from a big box store is not ideal. Roots like water, tend to follow the path of least resistance. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. It was an impulse buy I made while picking up a house warming gift. Dylan Taylor here, with a really quick video on how to use contact cement to attach your wire bonsai to a rock, or whatever it is you want to attach it to! Over the summer I was gifted a Walmart Fukien tea that came with "rocks", "moss", dense soil, fungus gnats, and aphids, but it's doing well now. Focusing on styling bonsai, showing member's trees, bonsai care and general help. .. rocks are super glued in! Once I saved it from that crap pot it nearly tripled in size. Wtf? Sometimes, retailers will glue the rocks in place to make them easier and cleaner to transport. Far too slow and fussy. But before buying that little tree, there are a few things to consider. If the rocks ⦠Spray them with a water bottle for a while and they should loosen up. Canberra, AU, 9A, Beginner, 1. Wtf?! The easiest way to tell is the presence of glue. Posted by. 60. yeye5 Hastings, FL(Zone 9a) Dec 01, 2011. Close. .. rocks are super glued in! Try to follow a natural course with the roots. hey Chris your mail is showing your whole first and last name and address. In fact, if you don't remove this layer, the glued rock layer will kill almost all of bonsai trees you bring home. Mulch can keep plant roots warm in winter and cool in summer. If you have rocks glued on top of the soil, this is impossible. Like this, repotted ASAP and ripped out the local lowes tomorrow.. thanks for the Tip of each no! 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