Is this Bonsai dead?

[HELEN211]

My Son handed me this sad looking Bonsai to bring back to life, is there any hope for it? If so, where do I start?

22112011358.jpg

[rainbowgardener]

Instructions for posting pictures are in New to Helpful Gardener? under Helpful Tips and Suggestions for New Members. You can't upload them directly from your computer, they need to be on line first at some kind of photo hosting site, like photobucket.com.

Welcome to the Forum!

[Gnome]

Helen,

I took the liberty of posting the image of your tree in this thread. It is always better to keep your topic in one thread rather than split. I'll lock the other thread so that your discussion remains here. Welcome to the forum.

Norm


[img]https://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee514/HELEN211/22112011358.jpg[/img]

[tomc]

It may have passed. On one of the bonsai forums there is most likely a FAQ, read through the chop-stick method of monitoring how wet soil is.

Get it lots of sun and cross your fingers.

If it lives worry about other training schemes later. Like in the spring.

[TomM]

Helen,
It may involve training your son as well, no, just trying to be funny -
I do hope your new tree pulls through. It has good bones.
Do not let the soil remain too wet. It looks as though it does not drain well. Soggy soil leads to root rot - a common killer of potted trees.

[Gandalph]

Scrape the bark with your fingernail. If it is green underneath, there is hope.

Pull the dead leaves off, and try the "fingernail scrape" on the branches. Trim back the ones that are still green by half, and remove the ones that are dead (not green)

Keep the roots moist, but not wet.

Good luck