new2bonsai
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Help! - ligustrum sinensis (japanese privet)

Hi, I got my bonsai tree about 2 months ago and when I got it the leaves were all on and green and sort of glossy but a few weeks ago leaves started curling up then falling off and then more and more have fallen off :shock: now there are no leaves on it except these 2 new shoots/branches that are green and glossy and have grown from the bottom of the trunk. I thought it was dead but I scratched the bark and inside it was green which I think is a sign of it being alive, so.... What can I do to make new shoots grow/save my bonsai? I cant post a picture atm but will be able to soon. Thanks

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new2bonsai,

Reviewing your previous thread about this same tree I noticed that Alex alluded to the fact that indoors may not be the best location for this tree.
usually deciduous things need dormancy, google it for better answer
And I wrote this:
I grow some ordinary garden hedges (Privets) as bonsai and allow them to go dormant over the winter. What have you decided to do with yours?
At the time you did not reply. Can you give us some more information on how you have been managing this tree? Inside or out? What type of soil is it in? what are your watering habits?

Norm

new2bonsai
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Well I keep it indoors, I give it a water whenever it gets dry and I give it lots of light and its quite warm inside aswell sometimes. The soil is quite gritty with chunks in, it drains well.
I was planning on repotting in the spring and letting it go dormant next year when I am more knowledgable, obviously it would have been better to let it go dormant this winter but that can't be changed now. Is there anyway I can help my tree?

new2bonsai
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I have a picture to post but how do I post it?

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new2bonsai,

From your description the most obvious things would be to lower the temperature and raise the humidity. Our homes are often too warm and too dry for plants to do well. If you can lower the heat or move the tree to a cooler location this may help. You say you have good light but what you consider adequate lighting may not be so for your tree. Most indoor growers utilize supplemental lighting of some sort.

Also consider the use of of a humidity tray. This is a shallow container with no holes. About an inch of gravel is placed in the tray and then water is added up to the level of the gravel. The tree is then placed on the gravel, this raises the humidity in the vicinity of the tree. Similarly, a clear plastic bag can he used as a sort of make-shift greenhouse to help raise the humidity. If you try this make sure to air the bag out a little each day to prevent problems with mold or fungus.

When you water make sure to thoroughly wet the entire mass of soil. Do this twice waiting 5 or 10 minutes between waterings. A little water often is the wrong approach. Come spring, if it is still alive, the tree should be placed outside and remain there.

Norm

EDIT: [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724]Posting pictures.[/url]

new2bonsai
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Ok, thanks for that, ill try and post a picture soon, I have to go out soon. I have a humidity tray already and ill move it somewhere colder, so its an all year long outdoor tree? inside I have a spotlight thing above it giving it light, is this ok? shall I cut back the branches a bit so new buds can shoot through because I think some may be dead :?

thanks

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new2bonsai,
I have a spotlight thing above it giving it light, is this ok?
In my opinion this is a poor choice for indoor lighting. Conventional incandescent lighting provides too little output in relation to the amount of heat that is generated. Even disregarding the less than ideal wavelength, you have to get these types of lights so close to be effective that excessive heat becomes a problem.

You don't say how close you keep the light to the tree but if you have this light too close it may well be part of the problem. I prefer to use fluorescents, you can get the lights much closer without the concerns about heat. There are of course high intensity lights but they are a horse of a different color.
so its an all year long outdoor tree?
Aren't all trees? :wink: Seriously, all trees belong outside if/when possible. Some growers are limited by various factors such as their living arrangements, geographical location and the species of trees they prefer to grow, but in general yes. This is not to say that all trees should be left to their own devices over the winter either. Even species that are fully hardy in the ground will be more vulnerable in pots, so some winter protection may be necessary. But you won't have to worry about that until next fall.

Norm

new2bonsai
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ok thanks for the reply and info

new2bonsai
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So its been a few days and there has been no change really ( not that I expected anything to happen just yet). Do think it would help if I cut back some of the branches? Would this encourage new buds to form or just make it worse? thanks.

Oh and also, next winter ( if its still alive) I cant imagine it surviving in the weather and also we sometimes have very windy days, wouldn't this just uproot it/knock it over. (the tree is quite small)

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new2bonsai,

I don't think I would be too anxious to prune anything just yet. It is difficult for you to anticipate how far to prune and you may unnecessarily go too far. Let the plant decide what it will keep, you can always tidy up dead tips later.

Depending on local conditions and the species in question your tree/s will need some degree of winter protection. I tried to research your tree but did not find a lot of information. One source suggested that it be handled as you would a Chinese Elm. I keep my Chinese Elms in an unheated garage over the winter where the temperature usually stays in the 30's F for large periods of time, this is ideal. Not too warm, not too cold. Other trees stay outside under mulch and do well. Junipers and Boxwood are two that are evergreen and would not do as well in the dim garage.

Most bonsai are wired into their pots in order to prevent them being up-rooted as you mentioned. I have not always done this, especially with younger material, and have found that as the plant becomes established it will become more stable and this concern eventually declines.

Norm

new2bonsai
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thanks for the reply. I'll leave the tree alone for a few weeks and see if anything grows on it



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