esl
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:01 am

Chinese Elm Bonsai HELP NEEDED

Hi,

I purchased a Chinese Elm Bonsai a few months ago, and to say it is not doing well would be an understatement. It did well at first, but then lost all of its leaves and now is growing new branches in two spots and the rest of the tree appears dead. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[img]https://elan.websitewelcome.com/~bonsai/IMAG0360.jpg[/img]

lucenda
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Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:23 am
Location: chicago

Looks very wet! Try the chopstick methode. Keep it outside.

kdodds
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Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Elm + indoors = dead elm. The soil needs to dry out between waterings as well, and should be more appropriate to keeping bonsai (les organics, less moisture retention, more free draining.

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JustinBoi
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Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 7:14 pm
Location: Largo, Florida

Yes like kdodds said, elm + indoors = dead. I kept mine indoors for like 2 weeks and it looked almost exactly like that. All I did was move it outside & watered like usual and BAM, back to life. But now it's in the ground & growing like a weed ! I should post a picture soon 'cause it has grown out so much, the branching is starting to become more compacted. Something I recommend (:

TomM
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Location: Cedarville (SE of Utica) NY, USA

They will die indoors!

Daily watering or twice a day seems excessive.

Over watering can cause root rot.

Moving it around to hide it from your cat can be a problem. They like to settle in to a spot of their own and acclimate.

Any one of the above situations could cause the leaves to drop off.

kdodds
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Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Agree with TomM. Excessive watering can lead to root rot, which, ironically, leads to the tree not getting enough water. On the cat thing... train the cat, not the tree. BTDT, all cats can be trained to behave appropriately as long as their owners are willing to train them.

christy14
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Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:44 am
Location: london

:) thank you very much!
sorry I'm kinda new here... I don't really get u adults :P
joking ure the best ever ever ever ...

so is the advice....get rid of the plant, or the cat...ok the cat goes.

cynthia_h
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Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 7:02 pm
Location: El Cerrito, CA

Please continue discussion re. christy14's bonsai elm [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=46251]here[/url].

This thread was originally begun by esl; let's leave the mental "space" available for esl to ask further questions if needed. Thank you for understanding! :)

Cynthia H.
/moderator/

linlaoboo
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Posts: 469
Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 1:15 pm
Location: NJ

the mix seems compacted. move it outside. Let it dry up and water well



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