One Bonsai almost dead and one dying

[beltman_jr]

[img]https://video.sianneproductions.com/DSCN3984.JPG[/img]
Above, the current state of my poor bonsai
[img]https://video.sianneproductions.com/DSCN3988.JPG[/img]
Above, the leaves it used to have

My little bonsai (5 years with me) went to stay a little while somewhere else, but almost died there, so I got it back.. It stopped growing anything on the main part of the tree, but tries to grow new stuff around it.

Can the main part ever recover? What to do?
I have enjoyed this bonsai for such a long time and it was my first. So I really want it to live....

[img]https://video.sianneproductions.com/DSCN3989.JPG[/img]
My other bonsai.
This one is losing its leaves fast. I recently got it in and guess it is far too wet, though the label that came with it mentioned to keep it moist at all times...

What should I really do with it?

[kdodds]

Where are they located? Near a window? Away from a window? Are you watering? How much and how often? How does the soil feel to the touch? Are you fertilizing? If so, with what and at what dosage and how often? What happened to the older plant to make it fail?

[beltman_jr]

Hi,
I actually just got both of them in.
One is near the window (the one on the lowest picture), receiving daylight, but no direct sunlight (window on the north side of the house).
Its soil felt wet. I stopped wattering it since it came in last week.

If I do water it will usually be like a liter of which most goes straight through. I haven't repotted it either, but it seems to be in its original soil.


The older plant was at my parents and got all black leaves. It was simply too dry where it was staying and some mini snails really liked its company too. The snails I have removed. It is now standing in a tray with small stones and water. But it doesnt even try to grow new leaves on the main bark. Only a tiny new couple of shoots straight from the roots and those leaves turn black as well.

In general I would water it thoroughly when the soil (and a bit beneath it) goes dry. I noticed that the soil stays wet a lot longer, so I fear for the roots too.

I hope you could tell me the best location to put both of them and how to save them. I'm quite sad that this plant is almost dead. It even travelled with me to Bonsai classes some years back.

[kdodds]

Boy, sounds like a real problem with the first one, the defoliated one. If new shoots are growing, that's a good sign, a sign that there's life left in it. But why they immediately turn black I could not say. Are they using any insecticides, air fresheners, and airborne chemicals in the room?

The second sounds like it may have just been dropping leaves in acclimation to its new position as this is a common thing with many Ficus. Has it stopped dropping leaves? Do you wait until the soil is relatively dry to the touch before watering again?

[beltman_jr]

Well, with the defoliated one I wonder if it would ever use its main trunk again.

The other one stopped dropping leaves as rapidly as it did at first.

The room uses no air fresheners or chemicals. Neither do I use insecticides.

I'm currently waiting for the second one its soil to get a bit dry before I'll water it again.

[kdodds]

It sounds, then, like the second one is doing well enough to be considered "out of the woods". The first, I have no clue. New growth shouldn't turn black like that. I've seen it happen, sure, but I can't say I've ever figured out why. I had a Sageretia, admittedly that came to me sickly, that exhibited these same symptoms. This blackening and repeated new growth also blackening coincided mostly with my use of insecticide to combat fungus gnats, that's why I asked about insecticide. I took apart the plant, pot, soil and could find nothing obvious that would be to blame (like grubs).

[beltman_jr]

Well, no weird insects found digging through the roots of the plant.
But the ground was hard to get through, so perhaps now the roots have an easier time growing.

[rlw1979777]

Black leaves is a sign of heat stroke. Was it shipped anywhere? Also trees usually go through some shock, and that will make them drop just to be difficult. With my location, its normal, since just till last week, it was still hitting 45 at night.