Relatively new, really enjoy it.

[Adam.VT]

Hey, I'm relatively new to bonsai. I've had a couple little ficus for a couple years that were gifts from the grocery store. Not the most impressive trees, but they're still alive. I just defoliated one the other day and hopefully that won't kill it.

I also picked up a little common boxwood in a 2.5 gallon pot, again at a grocery store. But this one was not shaped to be a bonsai in anyway. It had a nice little trunk and some good nebari, so I picked it up. I did a major trimming, and will be repotting it next week, when I get my new bonsai pots. I also exposed some of the roots and put some rooting powder on them, then reburied them. Hopefully, that will help that nebari come along. I was thinking about defoliating it too, but was worried that all that, with the pruning and repotting, would just be too much. Is it? Will it kill my tree if I defoliate it so soon after a hard pruning and repotting?

I also have a little juniper that I got as a pre-bonsai that I've done some very slight trimming on. I am also trying to bend it into more of a cascade style. It came as a semi-cascade.

I also bought a pretty nice 15 year old kingville boxwood online. I paid some good money for it, so I really don't wanna kill it or ruin the work thats been put into it. So any suggestions would be most welcome.

 

[JudyB]

Welcome!
Post some photos of your trees, so you can get some good advice about them. I wonder why you want to defoliate your boxwood now? This is mostly done to stimulate a new, smaller crop of leaves. I would not do it now, since you already did a pruning. Most of the time, it's good to do a pruning at the same time as you repot.

Can you please update your profile to show where you are located, this will help with advice.

Show us the trees, and we'll try to help!

 

[fourteener]

Hey, I'm relatively new to bonsai. I've had a couple little ficus for a couple years that were gifts from the grocery store. Not the most impressive trees, but they're still alive. I just defoliated one the other day and hopefully that won't kill it.

I also picked up a little common boxwood in a 2.5 gallon pot, again at a grocery store. But this one was not shaped to be a bonsai in anyway. It had a nice little trunk and some good nebari, so I picked it up. I did a major trimming, and will be repotting it next week, when I get my new bonsai pots. I also exposed some of the roots and put some rooting powder on them, then reburied them. Hopefully, that will help that nebari come along. I was thinking about defoliating it too, but was worried that all that, with the pruning and repotting, would just be too much. Is it? Will it kill my tree if I defoliate it so soon after a hard pruning and repotting?

I also have a little juniper that I got as a pre-bonsai that I've done some very slight trimming on. I am also trying to bend it into more of a cascade style. It came as a semi-cascade.

I also bought a pretty nice 15 year old kingville boxwood online. I paid some good money for it, so I really don't wanna kill it or ruin the work thats been put into it. So any suggestions would be most welcome.

I've never heard of defoliating a boxwood. Usually the purpose is to create smaller leaves/smaller internodes etc. Two things that are not issues with boxwoods. I'm not sure you should ever defoliate your boxwood, much less after the other work.

 

[FrankP999]

I think defoliating a boxwood would kill it. You worked on the tree a lot, let it recover and build some strength.

Defoliation is generally for deciduous trees like maples, zelkova, etc. You generally want a tree to be in strong condition before defoliation.

Good luck.

 

[JudyB]

I also wondered why the poster wants to defoliate boxwood. Mine have pretty small leaves, so there's really no reason...

 

[Adam.VT]

will do

This was my very first post after finally being approved. So yeah, I'll take some time and update my profile, and I'll see what I can do about posting pictures.

 

[Adam.VT]

Also, the reason I'm thinking about defoliating it is to help with ramification, but upon seeing all the questions as to why I'd want to do that... I guess I won't. lol.