Help, I went on holiday for 5 days and did not water my bonsai and it has shed nearly all its leaves, unfortunately I do not know what type it is but it looks simlilar to a chinese elm. I water it nearly every day and spray the branches every day. It is situated on my balcony outside and is in the sun for most of the day. I live in Bangkok so it does get humid at mid day.
There are new leaves growing but very slowly and they drop off after a few days. Should I prune the longer branches back, also do you know how to get photos on this website so I can show you the tree. I look forward to hearing advice,
- Gnome
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edseb1977,
Welcome to the Helpful Gardener.
Can you describe the soil? Is it dense and organic or loose and gritty? Also, tell us a little more about your watering practices. Is the soil really drying each day or are you giving it a little each day to keep it constantly damp?
Please read [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1479]this sticky[/url] for some tips on watering. There are also links there to more information.
Norm
Welcome to the Helpful Gardener.
It is possible that you are over-watering. With little or no foliage, water usage will be diminished. Has the soil been allowed to dry out at all? By this I do not mean when it was neglected, nor do I mean bone dry, but it cannot stay constantly wet either.I water it nearly every day...I live in Bangkok so it does get humid at mid day.
Can you describe the soil? Is it dense and organic or loose and gritty? Also, tell us a little more about your watering practices. Is the soil really drying each day or are you giving it a little each day to keep it constantly damp?
Please read [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1479]this sticky[/url] for some tips on watering. There are also links there to more information.
This site does not support uploading pictures directly, you must use a third party hosting service and link to you your pictures. Ynot has created an article with suggestions for taking better bonsai pictures, it can be found [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]here.[/url] Within that article you will find a [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724]link[/url] to a short tutorial on getting pictures on the board.do you know how to get photos on this website so I can show you the tree.
Norm
thanks for such a quick response, yes I do keep the soil as damp as possible , watering every two days with a watering can. Should I leave the soil to dry for a few days ? I am not sure what type of soil I have but it has not been changed for around a year. Its looks pretty dense and organic though. still working on a photo.
- Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
edseb1977,
A coarse, free draining soil helps to allow the soil to dry quicker, this in turn allows frequent watering without excluding oxygen. This might seem contradictory. How can I say that frequent watering is both good and bad?
With a loose soil, frequent watering brings with it fresh oxygen with each watering. With a heavy soil frequent watering never allows fresh oxygen to reach the roots. A good mix would be one that dries on a daily basis during the warmest part of the year. During cooler weather it would dry slower and thus require less frequent watering.
Norm
Yes, it must dry a little in between watering. Have you read the sticky thread I linked to? Tree roots need oxygen as well as water. By keeping the soil constantly wet you are excluding necessary oxygen.yes I do keep the soil as damp as possible... Should I leave the soil to dry for a few days ?
A coarse, free draining soil helps to allow the soil to dry quicker, this in turn allows frequent watering without excluding oxygen. This might seem contradictory. How can I say that frequent watering is both good and bad?
With a loose soil, frequent watering brings with it fresh oxygen with each watering. With a heavy soil frequent watering never allows fresh oxygen to reach the roots. A good mix would be one that dries on a daily basis during the warmest part of the year. During cooler weather it would dry slower and thus require less frequent watering.
Norm
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Fwiw, I have chatted with others in the 'orient' and they tell of how fast-draining soil is so much better with the high-humidity keeping 'thick organic' soil wet a long time (as gnome is saying). IMO -> lose that dense 'organic' stuff at first opportunity The tree can only fail with releafing attempts a couple times before its exhausted and it dies...just a cautionary thing for you...leaves aren't limitless, and tree will be rather weak after a few 'failures to set leaves'. Do NOT prune anything off as that will take away any possible leaf-buds that may be present (make sense?)...
Alex
Alex