I'm new to bonsai and I found a spruce seedling in my yard in minnesota that looks promising. I pulled it out of the ground and got about 2/3 of its roots. It's about 9 in. tall I placed it in a pot with a mix of black dirt and bonsai soil (calcined clay, lava rock, pumice, and pine bark fines). It gets about 2-3 hours of direct sunlight and several hours of indirect sunlight. I'm thinking I'd probably water it once every 2-3 days. Its been 3 days now since I potted it and some already slightly yellow-brown branches and needles are more yellow-brown. I'm looking for some advice on what to do next. When should I start training it? Will it be strong enough to start training this winter? Should I fertilize it yet this as it's autumn in Minnesota right now? Am I watering it enough? Too much? Is it getting enough sun. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks ahead of time. Attached is the seedling as of today.
Spruce Seedling in Minnesota
- Thread starter Willster
- Start date
BonsaiManic
Shohin
First off, did you dig it or pull it? Ideally, you want to keep the root ball intact. Secondly it's probably not the best time of year for collecting, repotting or transplanting trees. Third, I'm terrible with identification, but your tree looks to me more like an eastern red cedar, which is actually a juniper.
I wouldn't do anything with your tree until spring of 2026. Give it time to grow and recover so that it's strong enough for next steps. It just went through a trauma.
This time of year in Minnesota, I imagine your temps are not very warm. Full sun all day won't hurt it; it needs as much energy as possible before winter dormancy. Watering is the first and trickiest aspect of bonsai to manage. You don't want the roots wet. But you don't want them dried out, either. I'm in the desert, so it's hard for me to recommend a watering regimen for a cooler, wet climate.
Welcome to the forum! Lots of good advice here, and lots of people willing to help!
I wouldn't do anything with your tree until spring of 2026. Give it time to grow and recover so that it's strong enough for next steps. It just went through a trauma.
This time of year in Minnesota, I imagine your temps are not very warm. Full sun all day won't hurt it; it needs as much energy as possible before winter dormancy. Watering is the first and trickiest aspect of bonsai to manage. You don't want the roots wet. But you don't want them dried out, either. I'm in the desert, so it's hard for me to recommend a watering regimen for a cooler, wet climate.
Welcome to the forum! Lots of good advice here, and lots of people willing to help!
