Hi,
I bought a Fukien Tea (Carmona) as an impulse buy in a shop trying to get a nice looking indoor bonsai. I must admit that I did no research (hence impulse buy). The tree was in good condition, green leaves, with lots of flowers. There was some indication that the plant needed a slight bit of care, but I thought that it was probably due to natural shop conditions, and that it would improve at home.
When I got home, the leaves started turning yellow over the next week, so I pushed it outside where I have left it for a another two weeks. The outside location was not in direct sunlight but was probably hot and dry during the late afternoon. It now looks dead/dying!
I have not watered it every day, and admit that with my new job, it didn't get any attention or water for the last week. I have picked it up last night and sprayed it head to toe, and saturated the soil with the water sprayer until it started dripping water from the drainage holes.
I am based in Geneva, Switzerland, and have had hot sunny weather the last few days, but before that it's been mild and overcast.
The soil and pot are from the shop. The soil drains quickly, taking around 1 minute of light spray to start having water appearing from the drainage holes, followed by around 1 min of light dripping. I think that it absorbs a lot of the water and seems in good condition. I am successful with my other household plants, however bonsai just seem to evade me.
The plant is on a bookshelf, just next to a large window (probably less than 30cm away) and has access to a lot of light, without direct sunlight. You can see the window in one of the photos.
The pot has a tray, but I have not put gravel and water as I recently found in a post somewhere else on this site.
I hope this description and the photos enable a good evaluation.
Thanks to all for any help or suggestions that are passed on. I am looking for tips on how to revive or care for it, even a basic analysis of dead vs. alive would be good at this point.
Thanks in advance...
[img]https://www.theaspguy.co.uk/photos/bonsai/IMG_0038.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.theaspguy.co.uk/photos/bonsai/IMG_0039.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.theaspguy.co.uk/photos/bonsai/IMG_0040.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.theaspguy.co.uk/photos/bonsai/IMG_0041.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.theaspguy.co.uk/photos/bonsai/IMG_0042.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.theaspguy.co.uk/photos/bonsai/IMG_0043.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.theaspguy.co.uk/photos/bonsai/IMG_0044.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.theaspguy.co.uk/photos/bonsai/IMG_0045.jpg[/img]
)make sure the pot doesn't sit in standing water , there must be room between bottom of pot to water in the tray. Looks like most of the leaves are dead on the branches. I would removed the dead leafs so the tree can channel more energy into generating more leaves. I won't be surprised if it's already dead but it doesn't hurt trying.
Disclaimer: Also new
If you really really want that plant bad repot it in a larger pot, place in bright light and allow it to recover, then when its healthy you could try bonsai'ing it again. At least thats what I would do, no clue how things would turn out though. This would be more of a "revive measure" rather than bonsai saver since the plant would lose the styling it has as it grew normally. And thus you would have to start over to get the look you wanted.
Again I am new take any "bonsai related" advice from with a grain of salt.
If you really really want that plant bad repot it in a larger pot, place in bright light and allow it to recover, then when its healthy you could try bonsai'ing it again. At least thats what I would do, no clue how things would turn out though. This would be more of a "revive measure" rather than bonsai saver since the plant would lose the styling it has as it grew normally. And thus you would have to start over to get the look you wanted.
Again I am new take any "bonsai related" advice from with a grain of salt.
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IndorBonsai
- Senior Member
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Sat May 02, 2009 5:15 pm
- Location: Seattle area WA
The tree is in stress dropping its leaves looks to me like it is almost dead.
Try this might help ,
If you can find it buy some long fiber sphagnum moss ( NOT SPHAGNUM PEAT MOSS! ) sphagnum moss has natural root antiseptic properties , no root rot , it actually helps promote root growth.
Rinse off as much of the old dirt from the trees roots as you can ( DO NOT TRIM THE ROOTS AT THIS TIME ) be careful to not damage the roots.
Replant the fukien tree in long fiber sphagnum moss, in a larger pot.
Fukien Tea Trees do not like their roots trimmed. Trimming the roots is probably the second best way to kill your tree other than over watering it.
Fukien Tea Trees like slightly moist soil , not soaking wet.
Mine do best in almost dry soil conditions.
I think that maybe your tree got a little to dry, but don't fear, this has hapend to me before, there probably is still hope for your tree.
Try this might help ,
If you can find it buy some long fiber sphagnum moss ( NOT SPHAGNUM PEAT MOSS! ) sphagnum moss has natural root antiseptic properties , no root rot , it actually helps promote root growth.
Rinse off as much of the old dirt from the trees roots as you can ( DO NOT TRIM THE ROOTS AT THIS TIME ) be careful to not damage the roots.
Replant the fukien tree in long fiber sphagnum moss, in a larger pot.
Fukien Tea Trees do not like their roots trimmed. Trimming the roots is probably the second best way to kill your tree other than over watering it.
Fukien Tea Trees like slightly moist soil , not soaking wet.
Mine do best in almost dry soil conditions.
I think that maybe your tree got a little to dry, but don't fear, this has hapend to me before, there probably is still hope for your tree.