ok if you look in the bonsai gallery u can see some pics of him like 2 weeks ago and he was really green and alot more of leaves are browning up falling off now id say about 50-60% of him is browning. I know that chinese elm is deciduous tree and will do this just I wanted your opinion on it and info on what I have been doing I check him for water everyday and always needs it so I give him a good couple sprays on his soil and mist him like 1 or 2 times a day. there is ceiling fan on its lowest power kinda right above him ( of to side a lil ) and sometimes can get lil chilly in my room ( usally warm) and that is what I'm guessin is makein him lose leaves is the changes of that and its his new home. some leaves are still nice and green he has growth that is doing good and near that new growth in the shoots its that nice pink color so I'm pretty sure that means hes still doing good. also I gave him on small dose of 16-4-8 slow release fert a week ago or so but wont update that intill prob srping since he seems that hes tired and prob wont brighten up intill spring comes and put him outside. they kept him tropical were I bought it and will be changin that and givein him a dormant stage come fall. heres some pics.
give me your opinion and any changes that should make that I'm doing wrong.
I just want him to make spring since its right around the corner.
https://yfrog.com/j1new004j
https://yfrog.com/17new003vj
https://yfrog.com/ehnew002fj
https://yfrog.com/77new001j
https://yfrog.com/66newmj ( soil area )
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bonsaidude
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Tell us a bit about the tree's location and it's lighting. Is it in a north facing window for instance? Are you giving it extra light with a fluorescent fixture or is it just receiving available light.
Temperature should not be an issue for your tree. With cooler temps. and less light it will rest, even indoors, and drop leaves. If it is kept well lit and warmer it will grow more vigorously. I would not feed the tree at this time unless it's under strong light to push growth. It is probably resting.
Please reply and answer the above questions so we have more to go on.
Temperature should not be an issue for your tree. With cooler temps. and less light it will rest, even indoors, and drop leaves. If it is kept well lit and warmer it will grow more vigorously. I would not feed the tree at this time unless it's under strong light to push growth. It is probably resting.
Please reply and answer the above questions so we have more to go on.
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bonsaidude
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ya well I don't mist it but its the mist function of the bottle and I give it a good couple of them so it gives him a decent amount not just a tad mist ( I mist his leaves from a far distance) And for lighting I did have him under a light for a little while and sucks to say I had to stop cuase the light was to much for me in my room and made the lighting werid in here ( was the compact flouresnt light ) I only had it like that for like a couple days to a week. now I just have him near my window thats a south side and gets good light and no drafts comin from window either.
[img]https://img684.imageshack.us/img684/4552/new2d.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img684.imageshack.us/img684/4552/new2d.jpg[/img]
Well from what I see it looks and sounds like the tree is going dormant or close to complete dormancy. Many Elms do not drop all of their leaves when dormant, btw.
Don't worry about a little coolness. In the winter many of us keep them outside in a protected area with temps. into the 20° - 30°F area.
Since it looks like a dormant period for it I would not feed the tree until you start to see some new growth, closer to Spring. I'm guessing that you see little new growth at this time and that's the way it should be. It's just adjusting to the conditions of Winter as they all do.
It will need little fertilization and just a slightly damp substrate until longer days and warmer temps. wake it up.
You have radiating heat which is much better than forced hot air, but I would put some pebbles on a large plate or tray and fill it with water. Put the tree on the pebbles and this will help a little with humidity for it as the water in the tray evaporates.
Don't worry about a little coolness. In the winter many of us keep them outside in a protected area with temps. into the 20° - 30°F area.
Since it looks like a dormant period for it I would not feed the tree until you start to see some new growth, closer to Spring. I'm guessing that you see little new growth at this time and that's the way it should be. It's just adjusting to the conditions of Winter as they all do.
It will need little fertilization and just a slightly damp substrate until longer days and warmer temps. wake it up.
You have radiating heat which is much better than forced hot air, but I would put some pebbles on a large plate or tray and fill it with water. Put the tree on the pebbles and this will help a little with humidity for it as the water in the tray evaporates.
My main concern is how you are watering your tree. Your reply did not really answer my question. How are you watering your tree? Is misting the top of the soil the only way you water it?
When you water the tree, you should be soaking the top until water runs out the bottom. I always water my trees twice - once, to give the soil a good soaking and ready the roots for water, and a second time about ten minutes later. Both times, I let the water run out the bottom.
If misting the top of the soil is the only way you are watering, I dare say no water is getting to the roots and you have a more serious problem then it going dormant. It would be more of what Norm calls "permanent dormancy."
When you water the tree, you should be soaking the top until water runs out the bottom. I always water my trees twice - once, to give the soil a good soaking and ready the roots for water, and a second time about ten minutes later. Both times, I let the water run out the bottom.
If misting the top of the soil is the only way you are watering, I dare say no water is getting to the roots and you have a more serious problem then it going dormant. It would be more of what Norm calls "permanent dormancy."
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bonsaidude
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ok then ya I'm just mistin it, I will today give him a good amount and make sure I see it run out bottom usin a waterin can insted of the spray bottle my only concern now is there hope for him if I change now. ( update I just watered him since I kno then we was dry and saw water come out the bottom ) sad to say I havent been doing that since I got him. he has been gettin some water then in that case since then. Also like len said he does have little areas of nice new growth doing good.
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bonsaidude
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bonsaidude
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Victrinia Ridgeway
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Is the soil on the surface the same further down... if it is it's in very quick draining soil and that would account for the leaf blast if it got dried out. Also, if it is, you'll likely need to water almost every day, as that kind of soil requires daily watering as it'll hold virtually none. Dig into it with your finger a ways, and check to see if it is mostly rock as far down as you care to check, or if it quickly turns to more bark than rock. If it's just a top dressing, then it sounds like you are on the right path... also just know that trees generally blast leaves when they change enviornments to great degrees, and it sounds like that was was being grown in a warm/moist/well lit kind of place, so it's reaction is not surprising. The leaves that grow back will likely be large to compensate for the reduced amount of light.
Good luck...
Victrinia
Good luck...
Victrinia
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bonsaidude
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His soil isnt to bad, Little bit of lava rocks and reg rocks on top and the soil is pretty consistant ( bark, dirt, and that gritty material ). I do wish to repot him this coming spring just so I know extacly whats going on down there. Is there such thing as repotting a bonsai to much ? only reason I ask is cuase I bought him from a nursery a couple towns over and don't know whens the last time they did it. Also I'm my opinion he might be getting more sun than where he was (greenhouse) that was kinda dark.
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Gnome
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Moderators Note: This was posted in another thread and would be better off here where it can be viewed and discussed with the tree in question.
In the future please try to keep your posts in the appropriate thread. Not only is it better for the forum at large but for you as well. Potential responses to your question would have been limited to the members reading the [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21749&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0]Sand for soil ?[/url] thread.
Norm
And a reply from Len:If u don't mind me sneaking a quick guestion also about my elm, if you remember my waterting problem from a diff post and since then has been 110 % better. I was wonderin on those very long shoots he dropped some leaves from it and has alot towards the end of it, come spring will he fill back in the rest of the shoot with leaves ( I know its prob yes but j/w ).
[img]https://img638.imageshack.us/img638/6406/shoots2.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9699/shoots3.jpg[/img]
And the reply to the reply:With regards to your Elm question, you can get it to what we call "back-bud" by pinching back the terminal (end) leaves. Then the nodes between the terminals and the next largest branch will pop for you. This is how one improves ramification (finer branching). Elms are especially happy to do this for you so don't be afraid to get the scissors out and pinch off those terminals. The tree will look much fuller that way.
bonsaidude,Can I pinch now ? ( lets use the shoot in the picture for example ). what I was waiting for was spring or just leaves to come back in genral, cuase the thing I heard is that there should be at least 2 leaves left on the shoot so it could support it. So in the end I was gonna wait for the leaves to come back then cut it. so if I trim that whole terminal back and have no leaves left on the shoot he will still grow back the leaves on it ?
In the future please try to keep your posts in the appropriate thread. Not only is it better for the forum at large but for you as well. Potential responses to your question would have been limited to the members reading the [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21749&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0]Sand for soil ?[/url] thread.
Norm
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bonsaidude
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I'm sorry only reason I did that was cuase I had your guys attention already in that thread and knew that you would check back. Also it was a very quick guestion I wasent looking to take up thread space all the spamming and so forth. Cause I know ive been asking alot of guestions latley and just want to get off your back. So how bout that last guestion I asked ?
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Gnome
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bonsaidude,
OK, in reviewing this thread here's my opinion. First, since you say the soil is consistent throughout and it drains well I don't think I would be too anxious to re-pot this spring. You don't know when it was last re-potted and unless it is root bound you will be better off leaving well enough alone. Your soil looks better than many examples we see here.
[img]https://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1967/newm.jpg[/img]
About the shoots, at the location of each leaf, even the fallen ones, there will be a bud ready to emerge as a new shoot. As Len noted when the terminal bud is removed the tree will be encouraged to open those latent buds. But wait, again I would not be in a hurry to make any changes. Your tree has been stressed and it just making a recovery, pruning right now will set it back just as it is getting going again.
I know the long shoots look unsightly now but there is an ebb and flow to bonsai, especially younger trees. It needs to grow for a while before it is pruned again, it needs the energy. Don't forget the leaves are what feeds the tree. Chinese Elms can be pruned hard and respond well but the tree should be strong, right now yours is not.
Later this year, after it is outside and growing well, those long shoots can be shortened or perhaps even removed entirely. By that time you will have had a chance to study the shape and character of the tree and make decisions about what will stay and what will go.
In closing, slow down, if you don't kill it, it will be with you for a long time. Remember, Rome wasn't burned in a day.
Norm
OK, in reviewing this thread here's my opinion. First, since you say the soil is consistent throughout and it drains well I don't think I would be too anxious to re-pot this spring. You don't know when it was last re-potted and unless it is root bound you will be better off leaving well enough alone. Your soil looks better than many examples we see here.
[img]https://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1967/newm.jpg[/img]
About the shoots, at the location of each leaf, even the fallen ones, there will be a bud ready to emerge as a new shoot. As Len noted when the terminal bud is removed the tree will be encouraged to open those latent buds. But wait, again I would not be in a hurry to make any changes. Your tree has been stressed and it just making a recovery, pruning right now will set it back just as it is getting going again.
I know the long shoots look unsightly now but there is an ebb and flow to bonsai, especially younger trees. It needs to grow for a while before it is pruned again, it needs the energy. Don't forget the leaves are what feeds the tree. Chinese Elms can be pruned hard and respond well but the tree should be strong, right now yours is not.
Later this year, after it is outside and growing well, those long shoots can be shortened or perhaps even removed entirely. By that time you will have had a chance to study the shape and character of the tree and make decisions about what will stay and what will go.
In closing, slow down, if you don't kill it, it will be with you for a long time. Remember, Rome wasn't burned in a day.
Norm
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bonsaidude
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Awsome great thank you for info. Ya I'm going to wait a while cuase if you see my other post I'm currently fighting a infestation problem at the base of his trunk and seems pretty bad tryin to fight it off go check it out on bonsai fourm and give any input on that if you want thank you. [url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21805[/url]