I guess I should also say that the nursery just got these in today. They were pulling them out of the box while I picked through them to get the one I wanted. What should I expect shock wise? It looks a bit unhappy right now. You can see some dead foliage all over especially around the top. Should I fertilize? If so what NPK #'s should I use? Thanks again in advance for all the help and advice!
-Matty

Get it out of that plastic pot and into some bonsai soil right away....keep it in partial shade for a few days. Is it an elm?

Yes it's an elm. I can re-pot it first thing in the morning. Is there a particular mix I should use or just a bagged pre-mix or...?

Ok so I went out and got a new clay pot for it and potted it using "Black Gold Bonsai Mix" and I gave it a good watering. It's sitting in a spot that is bright in the morning through early afternoon but it's not direct sun. Anything else I should or should not do?

{{gwi:16710}}

Good choice on the pot, looks good. Keep it outside as long as you can.You are off to good start!

Done. Full sun, partial sun, shade?

They are said to be able to tolerate full sun, but I always have better luck keeping mine in partial shade in the heat of the summer. Mine get a good deal of morning sun and a few other periods of sun throughout the day and they are thriving. Just my experience, you need to find a spot where the tree is happy. Definitely keep it out of direct sun just after potting.

Man, I wouldn't have recommended a repot in the summer on a deciduous tree. Oh well, keep it in the shade OUTSIDE. It cannot and will not live indoors.

It's pretty frustrating to hear that it cannot be an inside plant since that's was the main selling point (besides the look). What if I had it under a grow light?

i was told that you can keep chinese elm indoors on many sites..? i just ordered the same one off of joebonsai.com :) having issues with watering though. any tips?!

Only the more experienced bonsaiists should try to grow one indoors. For most people, it needs to drop leaves. It needs a dormancy. So grow lights will not help. Put it outside or it will die, sorry.

Hannah, as far as watering goes I set my pot in a container and put a fill it to about 1/2 inch below the top of the pot and let it soak for about 15-20 min. Don't know if it's the "correct" method but it's working for me so far. And Ryan is right about it being outside. I was pretty upset about this as I wanted this to be an indoor plant but I gave in and set it outside a few nights ago and was absolutely shocked at the growth that occured over the next day. After seeing how happy it was outside I was more than happy to leave it outside. I'll just bring it in and display it for a bit if I have friends over.

Ryan,
Fall and Winter are just around the corner, what should I do with it then? Leave it outside? Bring it in when the temps drop below a certain point? TIA for you help and the help you've given thus far.
Matty

Stick it outside in the shade for now. And leave it out for good. They can take whatever temperatures 5B throws at them. Put the pot into a bigger pot and mulch around it to keep the roots from freezing.

Is there a good tree that can (should) be grown indoors? I see your zone is 7aVA , what part of VA? I was stationed in Yorktown and still have a ton of friends in the Yorktown/ Norfolk area. Did the earthquake effect you? It put a big crack in my buddies house.

Man, I was only about 45 minutes away from Mineral, the center of the quake. It didn't cause any damage to anything of mine, but boy it left me shaken, literally. I live in the NoVA area, Gainesville to be exact.

A GREAT indoor tree to check out would be Willow Leaf Ficus. They're my favorite species of ficus.

Ryan is right about a traditional repot - not good for summer on decidious. I just figured you would slip pot it (just put it in another pot with bonsai soil without trimming the roots). I think it is better to do that than it is to leave it in the topsoil that it was in. I should have clarified not to trim any roots. You should be ok.

I didn't trim any roots. Just put it in a new pot with new soil.

About any ficus will do well indoors as well as fukien tea and others. The biggest problem with the FT is that anything that you do, to make a change in the trees' environment (while they are a beautiful tree), will have them throw a fit.
Ficus can be nice trees and the care is much easier.

You will still need some grow lights and supplimental humidity for the winter. Googling care for these trees will give you a wealth of information.

Bob

The willow leaf ficus is a beautiful tree and so is the ficus bejnamania. I have both indoors here (southeast Michigan) all winter and they do ok under lights.....then I take them out for summer and they THRIVE. Happy tree hunting!