RussianBonsai
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Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:22 pm
Location: London, UK

Please Help me save my Tree!!!!! (Fukien Tea)

Hey Guys,


About 5-6 month ago I've got the bonsai tree which I have identified as Fukien Tea (thanks to your forum!). We got it as a present (presumably it was bought from the Marks and Spencer's) and label did not say much except couple of the advices: To put it in the sink full of water for a couple of hours upon arrival at home (which few of you suggested on various threads) and that "small amount of foliage might be lost during the autumn months" (or something like that) so I was not worried when my tree drop some leaves. It did grow some of the little buds and new leaves during Nov-Dec (which I found strange) ad them dropped some more leaves..... During January-February It did not grow any new leaves whilst still losing some and by last week only about 15-20 leaves remained, that is when I'd panicked and did my research realizing that I was overwatering my poor little tree! Sadly it has lost all of the leaves yesterday, so now it is completely naked. I've followed the link on this forum (https://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Carmona.html) which brought me to the picture of the completely naked tree giving me hope that my little friend is still alive! Please help! what should I do to save it?...
It is still at the same pot with the same soil which looks about right (judging by your description in different threads) and takes the water quite quickly staying wet for a two-four days. It is just a feet away from the window seal with direct sunlight for about 3-5 hours (at winter time). It has a humidity tray underneath (there are four sort of legs and one hole in the centre of the pot which is about an inch above the bottom of the legs so water can not get back into the pot).

Please tell me what to do I don't want him to die :cry:

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Bonsai Nutcase
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Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 2:33 pm
Location: SW Florida

I have a fukien tea also and I will try to help. Hopefully, others will chime in if I'm off the mark. When I water I do it thoroughly then let the plant go almost completely dry. I have noticed if I don't let it dry in between a few leaves turn yellow and fall off. But it will do the same thing if I let it get too dry also. There's a fine line but I lean toward drier than too wet. Also, they like lots of sun. I think 3-5 hours of direct light may be too little. Maybe adding some artificial light may help to extend your day. Mine is outside and gets a full day of sun.
One other thought.....I know they will drop leaves just from a drastic change. It could be you're doing what you need to, maybe it just needs time to recover? Hopefully some of the others here may have some more (and better) input.

RussianBonsai
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Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:22 pm
Location: London, UK

Thanks Angela.

Appreciate your advice as I remember that I went for a couple of weeks on a holiday and my friend who was looking after the flat forgot to water it and some of the leaves turned yellow and looked a bit wrinkled but after couple of hours at the sink full of water it was ok. Perhaps I was overwatering it lately. I've picked up another good advice - to use the tooth pick as indicator of the humidity of the soil. But my main question is - is it still alive having lost all of the leaves?

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Bonsai Nutcase
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It's possible. Try using a fingernail to scratch the bark. If you see some green then it's alive.

RussianBonsai
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Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:22 pm
Location: London, UK

Hi guys,

Soil is almost dry.. No leaves in the making... shall I water it?.. You could tell it took a while for a soil to dry up. Is that bad? Perhaps I should tell you that I have another bonsai tree (no idea what it is yet) next to my Fukien Tea and it doing just fine - very healthy and leafy.....

Also I did try to scratch the bark which proves to be difficult, it shows black under the very thin skin and I don't want to scratch the tree not to hurt it...

RussinBonsai

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Bonsai Nutcase
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Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 2:33 pm
Location: SW Florida

If the soil is almost dry (make sure to check a bit under the surface) then I would go ahead and water it. That took quite a while to dry out so if it is still alive it might take more time to start putting out leaves. Do you have a picture of the other bonsai next to this one? Some plants can handle more water than others, that may be why your other one is doing all right. Or it may be the soil, one may dry faster than the other. What type of soil are you using and when did you repot last?



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