Is my Chinese Pepper Tree really dead?

[BeautifulBonsai]

This is my first post, unfortunately not a happy one!

I got a Chinese Pepper Tree for my birthday this March, and it was really healthy. It's an indoor tree, and new leaves were growing almost daily. However, after around two and a half months, the leaves began to turn brown and drop off. After searching for help on various forums and on the internet, I realised that I had been over fertilising and over watering the tree (I was watering it little and often, every day, which I believe is the wrong thing to do?) The tree also hadn't been getting enough light.

So, I followed the advice I found on the internet and scraped a little bit of bark from near the bottom of the tree's trunk, and it was green. Great! I repotted the tree with bonsai compost; I found it was very root bound. I then soaked it and began putting it outside for around six hours a day in the nice weather, or in the window all day if it was cold or raining. I left the tree until the top soil was almost dry before soaking again.

Unfortunately, it seems I was too late. The tree has shown no signs of recovery in almost two weeks, and doesn't seem to be taking up any water at all. There is no sign of new growth, and when I tried to bend some of the lower, smaller branches, they almost seem to crumble and break off. There was no green there at all. There also seem to be reddish bands around the trunk where it bends.

So, is my tree really dead? I'm so disappointed with myself

I have added a few photos to help, I just want to make sure there really is no help for my tree before I give up. Thanks for your help in advance!

https://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c42/I ... C_0159.jpg <- This is where I scraped the bark
https://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c42/I ... C_0157.jpg <- This is where I tried to bend the branches
https://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c42/I ... C_0155.jpg <- The tree as a whole

[rainbowgardener]

Sorry, but I think you really know the answer to that one. It is beyond hope, but in the process you have learned a lot and will be able to do better next time:

• Don't water every day; water when it needs it
  When you water, water thoroughly; never water just a little
  Keep it in good free-draining, very mineral bonsai soil
  Trees in general need plenty of light
  Don't be moving your tree in and out all the time
  Out for the warm season, in for winter if it is not cold hardy
  Most trees can handle rain and cool

there is a ton of good info here already, it would help you to do some browsing in it. Check out the bonsai articles here: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/bonsai/

and the bonsai learning forum here: viewforum.php?f=36

which contains this article about bonsai soil and repotting: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=3422

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but welcome to the Forum anyway.

[BeautifulBonsai]

Thank you for your reply, rainbowgardener. I am sad to see it go, it was a beautiful tree when it was healthy, it's a shame I never took a picture back then.

[GardeningCook]

Sorry - but your tree is a goner.

However, don't beat yourself up about it too much. Gardening in general is a learning experience, & specific gardening like bonsai even more so. I have a nice little bonsai collection now, but getting to that point had me early-on unintentionally murder several little trees that still haunt me a bit.

If you're still interested in bonsai, do some reading/research, take stock of what environment you can provide, than treat yourself to another little tree that will most likely fit what you can provide. Here's a link to a website/vendor that has provided me with some extremely healthy trees, as well as good culture info: https://www.brusselsbonsai.com/

[BeautifulBonsai]

Thanks, Gardening Cook; I am looking in to getting another tree after I do my research!
I will take a look at your link and start my research!