Not sure if its too dark to see it, but this is the shape of it, and you can kind of see some leaves that have fallen off..it seems to be more and more everyday

.sorry it didnt add the picture in my last post

Here is a closer brighter picture.

Here is the tag that came with it.

I am thinking i need to remove the rocks...will soaking the whole planter over water the plant?? And should i add soil to it after i get the rocks out??
You see where the moss stuff is?? There are no rocks in that area, they seem to be on the outsides of the container. I have read online that sometimes the roots dont get enough water with those in there with them. Is this info correct??
Thanks for any advice!!

Bonsai is an extremely specialised branch of container gardening. There may be people on this forum who know about it but there is also a dedicated Bonsai Forum here on garden web which might be able to help you. I would do a good deal of reading before taking any action on your new plant. Bonsai involves specialist pruning techniques to keep the plant artificially stunted - they aren't naturally small. I see no reason to remove the stones or add soil until you have checked what you need to be doing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bonzai Forum

Pls do not soak the whole planter before you've heard from others on this.

Give this time, several days pls. to get responses. It's a lot of questions in an area not that many folks know about.

If you'd bought it somewhere other than a big bix store, I would have suggested you go back & ask the Seller for directions.

Pls do not add more fertilizer either.

Also, if you could try for 1 pic or 2 in much better light clearly showing the whole plant so we can try to see what kind of plant it is (w/out all the distraction behind the plant).

'Bonsai' just means the manner of growing it, it doesn't tell us what kind of plant it is, seems to be some kind of Ficus, but hard to say from those pics.

I'm hoping our resident Ficus Maven (Hi Al) will see this & chime in w/ help.

Hello all
Thank you for the advice!! I will wait and not do anything until al or someone whom knows more than i about it chims in. Of course, leave it to me to love a difficult plant, when i am new at the whole growing things. Lol
I did take a couple more pictures of it in hopes it can help.
I also want to mention that when i picked up the pot its in to move it to take pictures, i seen this nat like bug around the goodness rock that ran into the dirt part. It was so quick, i couldnt see it that well, or know what it could be. So now im wondering if my poor bonzi might of got some bugs?? It was packed in with a bunch of tropicals and it was pushed in the back on a bottom shelf where i had to move around some other plants to see it. I have read about spidermites on plants people can bring home by just buying a plant, but not sure if these can catch them as well?? Or maybe its something else??
I will wait a few days and see what you all say. I really like the look of this plant and am hoping for the best!! And i had no clue that these little guys can get big if you dont trim them. I had to cut off a few small stems already that looked dead and had no leaves on them.
Thanks :)

Here is another one

Hopefully Al will chime in. He has some sweet bonsai.

As PG mentioned, don't be in a rush making changes until folks have a chance to respond. Also hold off on the fertilizer for now. Yes, you will be needing to remove the glued on rocks and likely the moss on top as well.

I agree that knowing precisely what type of tree you have will help. Different plants can require very different care. If it is a Ficus (as PG and I suspect), then the good news is that you it is one of the easier ones.

Leaf drop can occur with many plants when there is a sudden big change in environmental conditions -- and you bring a plant home from a store definitely qualifies.

There is a Bonsai forum for additional help.

Be sure to post both here and -- should you post on the Bonsai forum -- what your growing conditions are:

Will the plant be indoors year round or outdoors for the summer?
What kind of lighting?
-- On a window sill? On a lighted plant stand?
-- What kind of exposure? (S, E, N, W?) and is the window unobstructed (no trees or buildings blocking the light)?
What are your temperature and humidity ranges from summer through winter?

I would also recommend doing a Google search for "bonsai societies" in your area. Such groups have meetings and you could take your new addition with your to get advice.

Good grief are those stone glued on? I've never seen that before. And what is a Goodness rock?

Paul,
Thank you so much!! So you think its at least safe to go ahead and pull all the rocks up now?? And should i add some more soil after i do that?? I will look for the bonzi forums and post there. I did not see one earlier, so that might help some in getting some more advice. I was told by another poster in a different forum on here that most tags on the big box stores usually dont have the right info on their tags, so i try now to keep that in mind when i walk in and see pretty plants for the house and yard. I did not know there were different types of bonzi as the tag just says bonzi and to "feed every 2 weeks with an all purpose liquid plant food" . Not much info for the plant lover whom knows nothing about it. It was so pretty and was just shoved in the back under dark shelves with other plants thrown around it, and i had to dig around the shelves to come across it and thought it was interesting and really neat. I really hope that it is one of the easier ones!! Happy thoughts!! Lol
Floral_uk,
Yes, those stones are glued to the side of the put slightly, you cant just take your finger and move them around, but the moss stuff you can. Ive been sticking my finger in there to try to get an idea of soil wettness. And laughing out loud..ya, i dont know what a goodness rock is either, it just came with the plant. Lol maybe they thought it would sell quicker to try and put random odd things in with the plant?? Not sure.

I am wondering if i should take it outside and let it sit out there?? I just dont know. I have a stone bench out back that i have my sage and basil planters sitting on for the summer, and they seem to be growing great since they have been out there, but as you all explained, different plants need different things. Ive had it home about a month or a little over now, how long do plants take to adjust??
I will look for the garden web bonzi forum and try and post there.
I thank you all so very much for the help, thoughts, and advice as i am just learning and trying my best. I bought my first home last fall and have been going crazy buying outside plants, and a few random house plants, and ive read things can be trial and error, but i adore this bonzi and am hoping i can make it happy before it ends up naked with no leaves and dies

When you read this, understand I WANT you to learn how to take care of your tree, and to enjoy the tremendous satisfaction that comes from having a long term relationship with a tree. I'll tell you the truth and hope you're find you're determined instead of deterred.

Your plant is a Chinese import, Carmona microphylla, commonly Fukien tea. The only thing that makes it more difficult to keep alive than other woody plants more commonly grown as houseplants is the small volume of soil it's in and the fact that root maintenance is mandatory. Proficiency at bonsai is a never ending journey. At first, the journey is daunting because you don't yet know how to keep your trees alive and healthy. A revolving door tree policy, kill one - buy another, is very frustrating, and causes many budding artists to give up. If all the people who ever tried their hand at bonsai had stuck to it, it might be the national pastime. ;-) It's not easy - houseplants are easy.

Ideally, you would have someone to take you under a wing and guide you over the hard spots, but that requires someone with a good amount of experience, in a hands-on setting, who's willing to help . Here at GW and in other forum settings, you'll get as many different opinions as there are replies to your questions, so join a club and glom onto someone who'll share their time.

I've been actively trying to improve my skills at bonsai for more than 25 years, and almost all I know about plants is an outgrowth of my pursuit of proficiency at bonsai. It's a lot of work. You need to know a lot about how plants work, and a lot about soils. If you're willing to do some studying on your own, I can help you understand the basics and help you get the soil part down. These aren't helpful things to know, they're essentials.

First, check your plant very carefully for scale - they're scale magnets - report your findings. When you DO water, water thoroughly - so you're saturating the soil and flushing it well at the same time. Then, don't water again until a skewer or wood dowel pushed deep into the pot comes out dry - check the soil every day until you KNOW what the plant needs. Keep the plant outdoors in dappled or open shade until temperatures tell you that's no longer prudent.

Read this.

After you've read it, we'll talk about fertilizer and you can ask any questions you might have. Hopefully, the info at the link will answer a lot of questions before you ask them, or give you enough info so you can ask the right questions.

Good luck - I hope you stay after it! Especially if you're young. ;-)

Al

Al,
I am so very glad you showed up!! So then mine isnt. One of the easier to grow ones then right?? Ugh that kind of makes me mad that a tree like this doesnt come with more idea of what it is (but it is so pretty that i more then likely would have tried. It also makes me wonder how this poor plant can survive in a bottom shelf in the dark, and who knows how long the poor thing sit there like this before i brought it home. I guess i should be happy its not worse of then it is at the moment. I am 35 and want to learn whatever i can. :) though please bare with me!!
Okay i will look for scale. (I am not sure what exactly that is, or what it looks like) but i will do a google search. Would those be under the leaves, or in the soil, moss stuff?? I have been kind of nervous to start digging around in the moss/ soil until i knew anything about it, so thank you for the help!!
I have not been giving it that much water at all and it seems the soil always stays moist. But i will go get a skewer today for it. Not sure where to get a dowel rod, but if you think that might be better, i will look around online for one.
I am getting ready to read the link now...also, i will put the little guy outside for now. My front porch is covered, but not closed in and there is a place on the porch facing east where it can get sun along with shade. I have spider plants there now, but will move them in hopes this tree doesnt get any bugs trying to hang out with it (even though im sure if it makes it to the fall, some might have found it)
Thanks for taking the time to help me and this poor tree!!

OKay, i looked up scale, and noticed its white powdery like substance and its usually on the leaves, and i correct?? Also, i want to go by what you tell me, since you know more what you are doing then most people. I bought a mandville vining plant this past summer and have noticed spider mite looking things (as i said i am totally new to growing anything at all, but am trying) i have sprayed it with bayer 3 and 1 and hose it down often, but now ive read bonzi can get alphids, i have rose bushes that im fighting those on right now, not far from the place on my porch where i was going to sit the bonzi. And its not far from the mandville. Do you think i should move all other plants off my porch where i was planning to put the bonzi in hopes of it not getting bugs??
And one more question..please bare with me...should i putt the tree up to see if it has bugs in the soil or roots or any issues that can be going on under the rocks and moss?? Sorry if they seem like common sense questions, or i have jumped ahead of myself.
I am off to read the link about soil...thank you al, i really appericiate the advice and help :)

The Garden Web Bonsai Forum is at the link I gave above. Here it is again.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bonsai Forum

You ARE getting ahead of yourself, pls. do some of the reading. I know it's a lot, but perhaps read a bit more first & try to relax, a bit.

Pls try to remember to have a bit of patience, you're not going to learn it all overnight.

Also, FYI: the term is Bonsai or Bonzai (spelling matters in doing searches online).

Floral_uk..thank you :)
Pirate_girl,
Yes, i figured i was. I get so excited about getting my plants and want them to do well, and then i usually kill them :((
I have been reading al's thread on soil and am only halfway though the comments, and i am hoping the couple of questions i have is answered there. A lot of it makes great since. I am now realizing that after reading only half of it that i need to repot my spider plants, devils ivy,(which isnt looking to great) and maybe my aloe, but the first two more then likely need a good root haircut, but i will do that after the Bonzai and i read up some more and learn a few more things.

I did take a closer look at the Bonzai with a flashlight today and noticed that the leaves seem to have a white dust like on them. Could this be scale? Or something else? Also, i noticed in two different spots on some leaves they have like a light brown color on the middle/ tips while the part that attatches to the trunk looks green.
I did start digging around in the moss again and there was a knat that came out of the soil part under the moss and ran up the trunk and then flew away. So i dont want to do too much at once to it and/ or do something that isnt good for it, but should i pull the moss and rocks off the top??
I know i will more then likely need to check roots and replant soon, but im still learning about soil i will need to get, or mix up, so if i take the moss and rocks up i am sure it might need some more soil.
On a more positive note though, i noticed a very small new branch starting with 3 tiny leaves starting to come out, so happy thoughts that this little one might make it!! I have all the time in the world to learn, but i get so upset when i kill something, but then have no clue as to where i went wrong, or what i need to do. It seems so many plants are different and have different requirements. I think i need to stop buying them until i learn more about the ones i do have and get them under control. But i LOVE this Bonzai.

Floral_uk..thank you :)
Pirate_girl,
Yes, i figured i was. I get so excited about getting my plants and want them to do well, and then i usually kill them :((
I have been reading al's thread on soil and am only halfway though the comments, and i am hoping the couple of questions i have is answered there. A lot of it makes great since. I am now realizing that after reading only half of it that i need to repot my spider plants, devils ivy,(which isnt looking to great) and maybe my aloe, but the first two more then likely need a good root haircut, but i will do that after the Bonzai and i read up some more and learn a few more things.

I did take a closer look at the Bonzai with a flashlight today and noticed that the leaves seem to have a white dust like on them. Could this be scale? Or something else? Also, i noticed in two different spots on some leaves they have like a light brown color on the middle/ tips while the part that attatches to the trunk looks green.
I did start digging around in the moss again and there was a knat that came out of the soil part under the moss and ran up the trunk and then flew away. So i dont want to do too much at once to it and/ or do something that isnt good for it, but should i pull the moss and rocks off the top??
I know i will more then likely need to check roots and replant soon, but im still learning about soil i will need to get, or mix up, so if i take the moss and rocks up i am sure it might need some more soil.
On a more positive note though, i noticed a very small new branch starting with 3 tiny leaves starting to come out, so happy thoughts that this little one might make it!! I have all the time in the world to learn, but i get so upset when i kill something, but then have no clue as to where i went wrong, or what i need to do. It seems so many plants are different and have different requirements. I think i need to stop buying them until i learn more about the ones i do have and get them under control. But i LOVE this Bonzai.

Can you see the white ish powdery stuff on the leaves?? And the brownish spots i was explaining is in this one.
Could this be scale??
And what can i do to get knats out of the soil??
I did notice when i brought it home that knats appeared in the kitchen, and i just sat out a small bowl with apple cider , water, and a couple drops of dish soap and it got rid of some of them, but since thats what i am seeing hanging in and out of the soil in this one, not sure what to do
Thanks as always, please bare with me, i know sometimes i can be all over the place with questions, but i have no one to ask, or whom knows anything about plants, or gardening. You all are so helpful here ..now back to reading about soils....:)

You need to please calm down, I know you're excited & that's great, but it sounds like you are making yourself worse (more worried, not less).

Read, search online for things like 'scale' & then see if it matches your pix.

You say you know you're getting ahead of yourself, but them you keep on doing it. I know you want the best for your plants (we all do) but fretting so much doesn't help the plants at all & doesn't help you learn, so again, deep breaths pls.

I'm sorry if I sound harsh, I don't mean to, but since you offered that sometimes you're all over the place w/ your questions, seems to me it's on us to say this is one of those times.

Pls understand something: killing some plants or losing a few in the beginning is normal & is part of the learning curve; it happens to most folks & usually gets better w/ time, practice & experience.

You said a REALLY important thing. Maybe print this out LARGE TYPE & tape it somewhere near the plants so you see it & are reminded of it often.

"I think i need to stop buying them until i learn more about the ones i do have and get them under control."

If you could focus on that idea & keep reading as you are, I think it would help A LOT.

Thanks Uncle Al, for clarifying that's it's NOT a Ficus. I've not come upon this plant before (Carmona), but was wondering abt the ID as I saw how variable the leaf shape was & tho' there may well be Ficus(es) like that, I just never saw one before. Nice plant, seems a lovely form & I like the variety in the leaves. Its general form does seem Ficus - like.

Hello all,
I have read so very much today, and found another one of tapla's amazing threads. I have bookmarked them. I think after i finish read the second thread i will get a notebook, take some notes, and then also write down the plants i have and keep notes and such in it to keep track of things.

I went out and found the somewhat like a wood rod i am going to use. Do i stick it toward the middle or edge of the pot??

Also, from what i have been reading today (my brain is on overload) but its very interesting and its amazing how much some people know down to the smallest things and some of the pictures ive seen of people plants are just beautiful!!!
From what ive read, if i am reading it right, for this bonsai am i eventually going to want to use the gritty 5-1-1 mix for it?? And find a container that is porous for it as well?? The terracotta planters ive seen in my area are the standard deeper pots, so if im correct thats what im striving for, then i will look around online and order one. If the gritty 5-1-1 is what would work best for this (and maybe some other plants i have) then i will start looking around at stores to find exactly whats needed so i will be able to mix it up. I had no idea that soil and plants were so complex and i hope ive got the right idea and am excited about figuring all this out!!

Pirate_girl,
When i looked online for scale the pictures just showed this thicker white looking stuff on the bark of the tree. The only site i went to when i looked at it said how to treat scale, and take a knife and scrape it off, but on mine, it looks more to be powder ish stuff on the leaves, not on the bark. I get that some may die, but ive realized all of my plants are most likley in bad soil now and could be the number 1 reason they are like that. Im hoping since the bonsai might have a chance if i get it in a better soil, and more then likely pot as well. So i want to make sure of what i am doing before going out and spending a lot of money on things to make the gritty 5-1-1 mix.
Do you think that this bonsai would be happy in that kind of mix??
I put the dowl rod into the side of the pot, and its been in there for 2 hours now and when i pull it out to check, its pretty wet. Which from all i have read today on soil, water rentention i am thinking that it might not be a good thing to have it sitting in that soil. I would like to start figuring out all the list of things i found on another forum if the 511 will work. I have been wanting to lift the plant out of the pot just to see what it looks like and is going on under it, but since i dont have decent soil for it, i havent messed with it much.
I did see another knat come out of the mossy stuff on top again.
Just please bare with me.
My main question is the 511 mix, and then a terracotta pot to get it replanted started. Am i wrong on this?? I have been reading all day and i am kind of confused on some things still yet, but i will go back through and reread everything tomorrow and make some notes about mixes and other things. I dont just want to go out and spend all this money on it and it not be the right thing. From what ive read other posters have had issues finding certain things and had to look at several different places to find the right stuff. I have no problem doing that, but just wanted to make sure it would be a good thing for this plant. From what ive read today, it seems like it will work with many of the other plants that i have, even the ones that are not doing go great right now.
Thanks for the help, advice and thoughts :)

Bonsai need a special shallow pot. I'm sure you can buy one in a garden centre or online.

Here is a link that might be useful: here is a webshop

The pot it came in already looks like a Bonsai pot from here. Of course I can't tell if it's got drainage holes, which it would if it were & those are an absolute must.

I'm sorry, your questions are beyond my knowledge from here on out. I don't grow Bonsai nor do I have experience w/ scale.

Ms greenfinger,
Thank you!! I am sure at some point IF i can keep it alive, it will need a larger pot. I live in a somewhat small town and sometimes it is difficult to find certain things around here.

Pirate_girl,
Thank you for all the advice and help you could give me. I appericiate it. The pot that it is in now does not have drainage holes. I can take a drill and make a couple small holes in the bottom for now.
I did put the dowel rod into the side of the pot and checked it a couple hours later, and it is damp and a slightly different color then the dry part of it.
I wish there were garden or bonsai clubs around my area. Ive looked online, called a couple places to see if they knew of any, even if id have to drive a bit to get there, and no one seems to know anything about one here. One lady at the library said in the spring they have a tulip workshop that shows people how to plant and grow tulips, but not many people showed up so they wont even be doing that again.

The white spots are a natural part of the plant's anatomy. When you do repot, you'll be able to repot into the pot it's in. Bonsai don't NEED bonsai pots, they just LOOK better in them. Small, shallow pots are actually much more difficult to grow in because if the soil isn't appropriate for the depth of the pot, it might be 100% saturated after a thorough watering.

Your plant won't survive long without a way for excess water to get out of the pot, so drain holes are almost mandatory.

Al

Okay, great!! Ive made a few small holes in the pot its in.
Is the gritty mix 5-1-1 what i should replant in?? I am going out this weekend to look for everything i will need to make some if that is indeed what will work best. I also think some of my other plants will benefit from the mix as well.
When people talk about "screening" the mix, can i use a strainer to do this, or will i also need to find something with larger holes to filter the mix through??

Knowledge empowers, so I urge you to concentrate on making sure you understanding the hows and whys of soil making before you forge ahead. If you don't fully understand the concept that illustrates why certain soils are more plant friendly than others, it's very easy for your train to run off the rails. The soil you want for bonsai is going to be very much like the gritty mix, or the gritty mix. It should hold almost NO water between particles, which allows you to grow in even the shallowest of pots w/o worry that the soil will remain soggy for extended periods.

Just think - if you have a soil that holds 3 or more inches of perched water at container capacity, your soil will be 100% saturated in a 3" pot.

I talk to a LOT of people about soils, so I don't remember if I suggested that you should read this. If you continue to pursue bonsai, it will be a valuable part of what you need to succeed.

Al

Tapla,
Thanks again for the help :) ive been in the process the last two or three weeks going in and out man stores to find the materials to make the 5-1-1 and a small batch of the gritty for the bonsai. I had trouble finding the pine bark, so i bought a few bags of the reptile bark. I will look around more for a place where i can get the exact pine bark for the next batch. I did not realize how complicated it would be to find everything, or things that can be subsituted. The only thing left i need to find now is the turface (which i have a napa store and found another forum on here that even pictures what i can use) i also have been reading many of these forums and trying to get an idea of things.
When i went to find the chicken grit today, they also had a tester. I will add a pciture of this, but it tests for "conditions of soil ph, soil moisture, light intensity and total combines nitrogen, phosphorus and potash levels" i do have a dowel in with the bonsai, but i thought this might help me with this and the other plants maybe??
For the soil ph and soil fertility, it says to get some soil out of the container add rain or distilled water to mud consistency and then stick the prongs in...there is hardly any soil in the bonsai so i am not able to check those with it. I understand and am hoping this tool might help me in the future when i need to fertilize with the 5-1-1 and gritty.
Also as i understand that when you use the girtty or the 5-1-1 that basically you need to fertilize and add nuritriants then i normally would. When i have read the reicipes it says that you can add a long term fertlizier with it, is this and ideal thing to do, and what kind should be added?? I have read on many forums that you use foilage pro?? Is this a good thing for me to get and have on hand when i repot?? (I have spider plants, bonsai, urn plant, corton, devils ivy, kalanchoe, a kalanchoe tomentosa, sedeveria sorrento, aloe, double impaitent, brougvilla,and a few others i dont know the names of)
I have been using schultz-instant plant food 10-15-10.
Sorry, i wasnt very great in science 20 years ago in school but i have been reading trying to undertstand and taking notes to try and get a better understanding.

Here is the meter i got..the only thing i could really test tonight on the bonsai was the moisture and it said it was a 3 and the paper that came with it said 2-3 is where you usually want it to be..not sure how much that is so