Grow Your Own Bonsai Set - Olive

Grow Your Own...
Bonsai Tree
Sweet Gum

Grow Gift Set
Barcode:5055128614412

Complete grow set, ideal for anyone wishing to grow their own bonsai tree. Set contains bonsai pot with saucer, compost, sachet of seed, decorative blue slate chippings & detailed instruction booklet.
Variety: Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Formosana)

  • ornamental tree
  • will tollerate partial sun


The best time to sow any seeds is when they would naturally fall (usually in the autumn) however these seeds can be sown year round indoors.



Growing Bonsai from seed is a real test of patients but is very rewarding. It can take up to 3 years before you have a tree you can start working on, but growing your own bonsai from seed gives you complete control over the health and development of your tree. It is also much cheaper than buying one that may become a sickly plant due to incorrect feeding and training when it was younger.

PLANTING
SOW OUTDOORS: from August to November or March to June.
Do not sow seeds when there is a risk of frost!
Sow seeds aprox 4cm deep, cover over and water well.
SOW INDOORS: throughout the year. Place on a warm windowsill in a bright area which is not located next to a heat source such as a radiator.

WATERING
Sweet Gum are not thirsty trees so only water when needed. Check the soil condition, before watering. If the soil is damp to the touch, the tree doesn’t require any water.

FEEDING
To promote good foliage growth, feed the tree every other week throughout the spring and summer. A fertilizer specific to broad leaf trees or shrubs will promote healthy foliage.


PRUNING
The larger branches of the tree are a challenge to bend, so pruning is the easiest way to shape the tree. Pruning should only be carried in the spring and summer months while the tree is actively growing. Prune shoots back to a pair of leaves wherever branching is not required. It is important to prune top growth so as to strengthen the branches that are lower down.

RE-POTTING Sweet Gum can be re-potted every other year in early spring while the tree is still in its dormancy. At the time of re-potting, prune the roots heavily. A good-quality bonsai soil will get the plant off to a good start, and the soil should be kept moist while the roots become established.
Protect from full sun for a few weeks after re-potting.

WIRING
Liquidambar tree buds break off very easily. As such, wiring should be carried out prior to budding or after the bud leafs out and hardening of the new growth gets under way.


DEVELOPMENT

Before propagating seeds, its important to understand the development of a bonsai.

Support types

Image 1 - Tree at 1 year old.
No pruning or wiring should be done until plants are at least 3 years old but they can be re-potted.

Image 2 - Tree at 5 years old.
Now re-potted. The roots and growth have been pruned and the trunk can be wired. Try to refrain from wiring branches untill the tree is at least 7 years old as this could restirict the growth.

Image 3 - Tree at 10 years old.
From now on the tree should be re-potted ever 5 years. The growth can be pruned and branches wired and trained every autumn.

Image 4 - Tree at 15 years old.
Continued training and pruningand the tree will start to take shape.

For more in-depth information on growing and caring for your bonsai, please read the detailed instruction book included in the grow set.

Do not eat ornamental flowers or seeds.
Some plants can be harmful if consumed or cause irritation if touched.
Always wear gloves when gardening and wash hands thoroughly when finished.
See our list of potentially harmful plants here.



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