Hi all,
Cheers for reading....I'm seriously concerned about my beloved Chinese Elm as it lost all its leaves last Autumn, and it's now may and still no leaves have grown back
It stays on my window-sill in my room all year round, above a radiator which is only on intermittently....watered to keep soil moist, fed with Bonsai food according to the schedule on the bottle. But still no leaves, new shoots or any sign of growth at all
I feared the worst so I have performed the scratch test, and it passed....clearly green when you reach the cambium. Therefore, I'm a bit baffled...would it take a certain amount of time to show no green during this test?
I would take a pic but its just a mini elm with no leaves! BTW I have a Chinese Acer right next to this one and this is doing very well....
Many Thanks
Craig
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Gnome
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craigywer,
I don't know what to make of your problem. Having gone this long without any foliage is troublesome. I had an Elm fail to leaf out once but in that instance it was over winter and I have a pretty good idea that I had potted it too frequently in too short a time span.
Have you had it long enough to get used to its requirements before it lost the foliage? What do you feel caused the leaf drop in the first place? Had you made any major changes prior to the problem?
Norm
I don't know what to make of your problem. Having gone this long without any foliage is troublesome. I had an Elm fail to leaf out once but in that instance it was over winter and I have a pretty good idea that I had potted it too frequently in too short a time span.
Have you had it long enough to get used to its requirements before it lost the foliage? What do you feel caused the leaf drop in the first place? Had you made any major changes prior to the problem?
Norm
Thanks Norm,
I had it a good 8 months before the leaves started to drop. Duringn that time it was very healthy, and I had to keep trimming the new growth which was getting a bit out of control.
the only thing I can think that may have caused a problem was when I used a drip feeder. I put it in, and by the next day the whole lot had dispensed...clearly not what was supposed to happen.
Also, is there a specific month in which to trim your tree to keep the shape? I was doing it farily freqently due to the rapid growth
Many Thanks
Craig
I had it a good 8 months before the leaves started to drop. Duringn that time it was very healthy, and I had to keep trimming the new growth which was getting a bit out of control.
the only thing I can think that may have caused a problem was when I used a drip feeder. I put it in, and by the next day the whole lot had dispensed...clearly not what was supposed to happen.
Also, is there a specific month in which to trim your tree to keep the shape? I was doing it farily freqently due to the rapid growth
Many Thanks
Craig
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IndorBonsai
- Senior Member
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- Location: Seattle area WA
Have you checked your roots and made sure there is no root rot and the roots are not pot bound? ( I wouldn't recommend re potting it tho, not yet )If and only if you have root rot should you re pot the Chinese elm at this time.
Has this tree been indoors all its life or outside most its life and just recently brought indoors?
Pluss you said that you had a fertilizer drip going that emptied all in one day?
If this is the case I would have flushed the soil with cool water for at least 10 minuets ( depending on the strength of the fertilizer ) hoping to flush out the excess and not have it burn the roots. If the roots did get burned only thing you can do is wait and see if it survives taking care not to over water.
Do not fertilize a sick tree it only makes it worse.
good luck and hope your tree gets better.
Has this tree been indoors all its life or outside most its life and just recently brought indoors?
Pluss you said that you had a fertilizer drip going that emptied all in one day?
If this is the case I would have flushed the soil with cool water for at least 10 minuets ( depending on the strength of the fertilizer ) hoping to flush out the excess and not have it burn the roots. If the roots did get burned only thing you can do is wait and see if it survives taking care not to over water.
Do not fertilize a sick tree it only makes it worse.
good luck and hope your tree gets better.