Question
QUESTION: I sent a question but by accident I deleted the ht of the bonsai pine tree...it's 6 foot high...and the email goes like this.....I bought a bonsai pine tree. It' 6 foot tall and I planted it on the ground. I
was told by the seller that's it's almost 75 year old. My concern, after a
month, some needles are turning brown at the ends...am i over watering it, or
underwater it?....i used to water it 3x a week...Before i water it i touch the
soil, and when it's dry I water it...I ask a person in a nursery that it may be
dry on the top but wet on the bottom...so my next question, how will i know if
it needs water?....thanks in advance...


ANSWER: Hello,

Why did you choose to transplant your bonsai into the ground? Was there a specific reason for this? Soil conditions can vary, but assuming its resting in a good soil, that will not be a problem.

In regards to water. When your tree was in a pot, it had much less soil and needed water more often. Now that it's in the ground, it will need much less water. However, if there is grass and other plants near your pine, they can absorb your trees water and nutrients. while in the ground, you plant will likely need much less water then in a pot.

What about light? Is your pine getting enough direct sunlight?

Keep an eye on it, but you may want a local "tree person" take a look at your specimen pine.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I got the tree on that height and was on a barrell container that was already broken...so i decided to plant it to the ground....it's in the center of the backyard with plenty of sun light.

Answer
Then i suspect it's a water problem. You may want to add a little mulch on top of the soil, but in the ground, it's difficult to over water. The earth, grass, weeds, etc... will usually absorb the remaining water. until your tree recovers, i would not recommend fertilizing it.

Thank you

BTW: You may want to ask your question on Learning2Bonsai.com. It's a new community, but it's dedicated to bonsai growing and you may get a different answer.