Adenium obesum Desert rose Bonsai care and maintenance

#desertrosebonsai #adeniumobesum #bonsaicare Here are some related video links: 9 Low-Maintenance Vines for Busy Gardeners | Easy to Grow Vines!    • 9 Low-Maintenance Vines for Busy Gardeners...   10 Low Maintenance Flowers that Tolerate High Temperatures and Heat    • 10 Low Maintenance Flowers that Tolerate H...   Cheapest Houseplants and 15 Tricks to Acquire Them for Free    • Cheapest Houseplants and 15 Tricks to Acqu...   13 Best Low Maintenance Houseplants    • 13 Best Low Maintenance Houseplants   The thick trunk Desert rose gives it a bonsai tree appearance from young age. The plant is fairly easy to grow provided you maintain it right. The Desert Rose Bonsai adapts easily to growing in a pot, what makes it well suited for bonsai, although it doesn't grow a very ramified branch structure. Bonsai Pot The size of the pot depends on the plant size. Keeping it root bound will result in more flowers so choose a pot size same or slightly bigger then previous pot. Terra cotta is an excellent choice for pots as it provides air circulation for the roots. Requirements for Growing Desert Rose Watering It is a drought-tolerant plant that stores water in its thick stems. Infrequent and occasional watering is best when the soil turns dry to the touch. It turns dormant in harsh winters and might even shed leaves so reduce watering in winters. Location Being a succulent tropical plant, it loves to bask in the direct sun and will benefit significantly from 5-7 hours of direct sun in a day. So place in on a spot where it receives direct sunlight. Temperature In hot tropical regions where the temperature ranges from 70-100 F, it can stay outdoors all year long. Don’t worry if you live in cold regions where the temperature drops as low as 45 F as it produces a lot of flowers in such regions. You’ll just have to move it back indoors when the temperature drops below 40 F. Soil As long as the soil is light and drains well, desert rose is going to stay happy! Opt for a well draining bonsai or cactus soil mix with a gritty and light texture for the best growth. You can also enrich the soil with compost and organic matter at the time of planting. Fertilizing Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer, diluted to a quarter of its strength, every month in spring and summer is ideal for promoting growth. If you’re using granular fertilizer, feed the plant once in 3 months. The plant turns dormant in winters and does not require any sort of feeding. Pruning and wiring You can train the plant to look like a bonsai. Using wires can help bend and reposition the branch to achieve interesting shape and size. Also, don’t forget to remove dead and decaying parts of the plant! When you wire the branches do not wind the wire too tightly so the branches can grow thicker without wire marks being left on them. The Adenium scars easily from tightly applied wire. Repotting Repot every two or three years in late spring with root-pruning. A well-draining soil mix is needed as excess wetness is a sure way to kill the Desert Rose. As with all succulents, before repotting let the soil dry out a bit, and wait with watering until a few days after the repotting. Pests and diseases Mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, and scales can cause some trouble for desert rose, but apart from that, the plant is mostly disease-free. Root rot commonly occurs when it’s allowed to sit in standing water for too long. It may show signs of wilting if not planted in soil fit for cacti or succulents. Thanks for watching! Hit the like button and don't forget to subscribe.