What Would Happen to Bonsai Olive Tree If Planted in a Huge Pot?
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
3 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (17)
tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
3 years agowestes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)Related Discussions
huge shipment of Bonsai at Walmart...one came home with me
Comments (8)It's a Juniper. And yes if the pebbles appeared to be glued down, you must remove them. A lot of times these Big Box Store "bonsai", are just cuttings stuck in the soil. No slight, it's just how it goes. So it may have a big root system, it may not. My feeling is I would leave it this year. You can prune some of the foliage away thats right on the main truck to see what you have in there.Leave the twigs that look like they want to be branches. Also don't trim too much now, let it gain strength in it's new home. It's showing to be a semi-cascade style, so I would do a little research of the plant and that style. Juniper's like the sun, so I would put it where it gets good sunlight. But being in a small pot it will dry out quickly so watch for that. Maybe a morning sun and then light shade in the afternoon... It will also need a winter chill next year, so prepare for that. But for now just enjoy it. Did I say get the glued rocks off? ;) Haha HTH...See MoreOlive cuttings - for bonsai?
Comments (8)Great. As far as pot size goes, that's a bit harder, because different plants react differently - e.g. some do better growthwise if just slightly rootbound, others the opposite, and I don't know what olive likes. However, I do suggest you do one thing that'll make a huge difference - whatever pot you do use, keep it outdoors for as much of the year as you can (anytime the temps will stay above 40 F. (including overnites), do it - it really makes all the difference. So until further notice, do give it plenty of room (though not ridiculously so - that's not helpful), give it fast drainage with the right gritty mix, restrain yourself from watering more often than really necessary (olives are Meditarranean and grow in almost-concrete there!) but keep it (for now) in a somewhat wind and torrential-rain protected situation. Good luck!...See MoreDwarf Olive- Potted
Comments (29)For some reason, growing things in containers is one activity where advancements in knowledge and technology are either very slow in making their way into the mainstream or are being ignored in favor of what's comfortable. I regularly encounter people, even here, that balk when presented with perfectly logical reasons to make changes in their growing habits. When faced with the choice between making changes or trying to prove no change represents a betterment, they get busy on the proof. That a person refuses to change is of no interest to me, but purposefully trying to put others off the track by various means so they have company does everyone a disservice. We recently went through a bout of that on this and other forums from a person who suddenly quit posting after enough complaints were lodged. It's in your best interest to understand what you're doing and why. It's better to be able to run the show on your own than have someone micromanaging it for you. First, read this. It will explain some tricks about how to limit the amount of excess water your soil can hold. Pay particular attention to the part about 'perched water' and tipping the pot + using a wick and other tricks to help remove it. After you're done reading, I'll help you put together a planting with basic ingredients that will allow you to pot up, and get you through until next summer. Al...See MoreOlive tree bonsai
Comments (6)I just went out and looked at it, and the trunks are about 2 ft. tall. I want them to be 3 ft. tall, but neither of them has a viable top branch to train as a leader, because they were evidently topped out before, and all the limbs are growing horizontally. I want the main trunks to be at least 3 feet tall, so if I trim and leave all the lower branches to feed the trunk, do I need to top it out again to get a leader from the top, or can I just trim the top branches back drastically and hope I get a leader out of that? It seems that if I leave all the lower branches, the top isn't going to put out much growth if I top them off. I don't know anything about olives. If you lop a branch off a half-inch from the trunk, will it put out growth from the crotch, or close to it so I can make another leader? Things grow fast down here in FL, so I should have it as tall as I want it by next fall if I feed it plenty of nitrogen....See Morewestes Zone 9b California SF Bay
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agowestes Zone 9b California SF Bay
3 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years agowestes Zone 9b California SF Bay
3 years agotropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
3 years agowestes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
3 years agowestes Zone 9b California SF Bay
2 years agoortochini
2 years agowestes Zone 9b California SF Bay
2 years ago
Related Stories
HOUSEPLANTS12 Potted Plants That Make Long-Lasting Holiday Gifts
A miniature conifer, blooming amaryllis or desktop succulent could be the perfect gift for someone on your list
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGrow Your Own Privacy: How to Screen With Plants and Trees
Use living walls to lower your home and garden's exposure while boosting natural beauty in your landscape
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESWhen and How to Plant a Tree, and Why You Should
Trees add beauty while benefiting the environment. Learn the right way to plant one
Full StoryARBOR DAY8 Reasons to Plant a Great Tree
Beauty is its own reward, but the benefits of planting the right tree in the right place go way beyond looks
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESInvite Mining Bees to Your Garden by Planting Their Favorite Plants
Look for mining bees (Andrena) pollinating woodland wildflowers in U.S. gardens this spring
Full StoryTREES10 Top Trees to Grow in Containers
These container-friendly trees make great specimens for pots on the patio or marking an entrance
Full StorySPRING GARDENINGTop 10 Scented Plants for Your Garden
A palette of perfumed plants can transform even the smallest of gardens into a sensory delight
Full StoryEDIBLE GARDENSHow to Grow 10 Favorite Fruit Trees at Home
Plant a mini orchard in fall, winter or early spring to enjoy fresh-off-the-tree fruit the following year
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNGreat Design Plant: Retreat to the Shade of Hardy Catalpa
Big foliage and a towering height provide a shady respite in summer, but that's not all hardy catalpa offers dedicated gardeners
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGUrns Hold Huge Potential for Garden Decorating
Classic urns have uses far beyond holding olive oil and flowers. See how to use them as unexpected sculpture and more in the landscape
Full Story
tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)