chinese elm care
Hi, My Chinese elm seems to have plenty of new buds sprouting at all times but very few actually grow into leafs. Most of them just dry up. I have it in a bonsai training pot with free draining mix with lava rock, clay particles and pine bark. The pot seems to dry up very fast so I've to water everyday. During the colder days it shed leafs all the times but even now some leafs still turn yellow and falls upon touch. What action should I take?
just an update for whom may have similar problems. I inspected the root system and found out most short roots are dry, dark and broken, probably dead while only 1 or 2 long roots are white and healthy. I've re-potted it in a nursery pot with Hoffman's bonsai mix and it's been 2 days not a single leaf turned yellow yet. Not a bad mix, I'd recommend it. I have it in the shade now. Will post picture when it gets healthier.
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linlaoboo,
Thanks for the update and I'm glad things have worked out for you. The old soil seems to be an appropriate mix. Was it old and compacted? If not, why do you think that the soil was so dry? Is it possible that you had not been watering it adequately?
Several of my Elms were having a rough time this year as well but seem to be coming around now. Chinese Elms are often afflicted with a fungal disease know as Black Spot. Examine your leaves closely and check for black lesions on the leaves. This could be a simple spot or an obvious, and ugly, patch. When the fungus is present it does seem to cause some leaves to yellow and drop even if they are not badly effected.
It is worse in the early part of the year when the weather is cool and damp. Tender, new leaves also seem to be more vulnerable. With the late spring we have experienced in this area I had more troulbe this year than normal.
Anyway, here is a picture just in case and so you are aware of it in the future.
[url=https://img819.imageshack.us/I/blackspot.jpg/][img]https://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4707/blackspot.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Norm
Thanks for the update and I'm glad things have worked out for you. The old soil seems to be an appropriate mix. Was it old and compacted? If not, why do you think that the soil was so dry? Is it possible that you had not been watering it adequately?
Several of my Elms were having a rough time this year as well but seem to be coming around now. Chinese Elms are often afflicted with a fungal disease know as Black Spot. Examine your leaves closely and check for black lesions on the leaves. This could be a simple spot or an obvious, and ugly, patch. When the fungus is present it does seem to cause some leaves to yellow and drop even if they are not badly effected.
It is worse in the early part of the year when the weather is cool and damp. Tender, new leaves also seem to be more vulnerable. With the late spring we have experienced in this area I had more troulbe this year than normal.
Anyway, here is a picture just in case and so you are aware of it in the future.
[url=https://img819.imageshack.us/I/blackspot.jpg/][img]https://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4707/blackspot.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Norm