So I'm Suppose To Take Care of the Bonsai?

You need to realize I DO NOT HAVE A GREEN THUMB. My DH, Mike, has always been the gardener growing tomatoes and peppers in our back yard. Me, I love rock gardens! But for some reason, I have been appointed caregiver for these bonsai. The last plant I had was a pot of English ivy which in fact is a WEED but it still died on me!
I flashback to ages ago when I had a boyfriend who did bonsai for a hobby. He blindly entrusted four precious trees to me which promptly died in my “care.” Are these bonsais to suffer the same fate?

My story starts when I was surfing the internet a couple weeks ago searching for flowers to send to a friend. As usual, I consult Mike for his opinion since we were sending the flowers from the both of us - he likes to be included in these decisions (men, right?).

Anyway, I'm clicking around the site and Mike cries "Stop!"

I freeze, "What?!"

"Look at that bonsai. Bonsais are cool," my husband intones.

"Uh, yeah. But I don't think Marcy will have the time and patience to care for them, dear. She travels a lot remember." I patiently pointed out.

"No, for us. It would look good on the coffee table or by the console." Oh, so innocent.

Anyway, we sent orchids to Marcy and I thought that was the end of it.

The following days, I was peppered with bonsai questions – “What type of bonsai is best?” “A bonsai would look good over here.” “Do they have to be trimmed a lot, you think?” It was HINT, HINT! for three days till I finally caved and bought NOT ONE BUT TWO bonsais (“L” sign on my forehead, I know!). Mike was ecstatic. I had ordered a juniper tree and a gardenia bonsai.

It was a huge production when they finally arrived. Mike was like a kid on Christmas morning. The trees were buried in a boxful of styrofoam peanuts and wrapped securely in foam and packing tape. After 20 minutes, we managed to extricate them every so carefully so as not to hurt the branches or leaves.

So I set them up, place the pots on the humidity trays, line the trays with the white pebbles, dust off the excess soil around the pots, etc. They are gorgeous I must say. The juniper was just staged nicely and the gardenia had young flower buds that would soon bloom. Both plants were taller than the web site description. Mike didn’t mind, but that now posed a problem on where to place them.

Plus, I didn’t realize that the juniper was an outdoor bonsai. Ergo, no other place for it but on our balcony – “But the cold wind might tip it over.” This from Mike. OH-Kay. At this point, I’m rolling my eyes at Grandma Moses.

The next day, I overhear Mike on the phone: “Yeah, Regina bought some bonsai trees. Really nice!....Yeah, I guess she’ll be trimming and fussing over them……No, she hasn’t bought any fertilizer, maybe later…….She hasn’t decided where she really wants them, you know how that goes…..She hasn’t watered them yet, I guess she has a schedule for that….One is outdoor and one with flowers is indoor…No, she hasn’t done that…..Oh, I’m sure she knows that….. I really don’t know anything…….Honey, what kind of bonsai did you buy?”

I beg you to pray for these bonsai.