I got my bonsai last Christmas and having issues (newbie)

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Nightmare on Elm Street

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Hi guys,

So I'm fairly new to having a bonsai as I only got mine last Christmas and lately within the last couple weeks my Chinese elm hasn't been looking so healthy (as shown in the pictures). many of the leaves are going red and some even looking wilted or brown. I'm not sure what to do and any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 

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The sound of tin flutes fills the air as you round the bend, wanderer. The sway of the Woody Dwarves had led you far... you near their collection of secrets...deep within.. the Tiny Forest..

Seems like your tree is reeeally starting to miss the suns UNFILTERED presence... It is important to understand that (in most cases) INDOOR “bonsai trees” generally just means “can tolerate indoor conditions during stretches of INtolerable outdoor conditions”... there ARE a few exceptions.. but for the most part INDOOR trees do not exist.... there DO exist trees that can withstand being “wintered” indoors..

Now having said all that... a properly “tuned” indoor area for wintering plants is a HUGE asset.. and MYSELF, and MANY other users here take advantage... You just need to make sure your plants are creating enough to consume (enough light), they are receiving proper humidity, ventilation and breeze... I strongly recommend this book.... it’s on Stone Lantern fot purdy cheap if i recall correctly.

89D8B651-7FDC-4AD0-B9B6-83FE489F07C0.jpeg
 
Nightmare on Elm Street said:
I live in Ireland and usually keep my tree on my windowsill where it can get sunlight.
Click to expand...

I don't know if you already know this, but what you have is a Chinese elm. They are very adaptable trees; if you keep them in a tropical environment they will maintain their leaves all year. If you keep them outdoors where it gets cold, they are deciduous.

If I didn't know better, it looks like your tree is going dormant and is showing the beginning of fall coloration. Is it cold next to your window where you are keeping your tree?

On a separate note, it appears that you don't have enough soil in your pot. Consider filling your pot with some bonsai soil, but don't repot at this time of year. Best time to repot is in the spring when buds are first starting to open.
 
Bonsai Nut said:
I don't know if you already know this, but what you have is a Chinese elm. They are very adaptable trees; if you keep them in a tropical environment they will maintain their leaves all year. If you keep them outdoors where it gets cold, they are deciduous.

If I didn't know better, it looks like your tree is going dormant and is showing the beginning of fall coloration. Is it cold next to your window where you are keeping your tree?

On a separate note, it appears that you don't have enough soil in your pot. Consider filling your pot with some bonsai soil, but don't repot at this time of year. Best time to repot is in the spring when buds are first starting to open.
Click to expand...

Would it be suitable to throw a bit more soil in on the top just to keep it going till spring? 😁
 
Nightmare on Elm Street said:
Would it be suitable to throw a bit more soil in on the top just to keep it going till spring? 😁
Click to expand...

Yes. That's what I meant - get some more soil in there to cover all your roots except for right around the base of the trunk. By bonsai soil I mean mostly inorganic soil that looks like fine rough gravel rather than potting soil. A common mix is 1/3 pumice, 1/3 crushed lava rock, 1/3 acadama (or other calcined clay bits). If you want you can add a little fine pine bark. You can usually order a small bag online for not too much money if you just need a little. I mix my own because I use garbage cans full :) Pour it into the pot and gently work it in around the roots with a chop stick, but don't remove the tree from the pot, or remove any of the dirt currently in the pot. In the spring, when your tree wakes up from dormancy and starts showing growth, you can remove it from the pot, gently remove the old soil, trim away dead and over-long roots, and repot it with 100% new soil.

soil.jpg

Here is a photo of a couple Chinese elm seedlings, showing some pretty fall colors:

rainbow-elm.jpg
 
Last edited:
Bonsai Nut said:
Yes. That's what I meant - get some more soil in there to cover all your roots except for right around the base of the trunk. By bonsai soil I mean mostly inorganic soil that looks like fine rough gravel rather than potting soil. A common mix is 1/3 pumice, 1/3 crushed lava rock, 1/3 acadama (or other calcined clay bits). If you want you can add a little fine pine bark. You can usually order a small bag online for not too much money if you just need a little. I mix my own because I use garbage cans full :) Pour it into the pot and gently work it in around the roots with a chop stick, but don't remove the tree from the pot, or remove any of the dirt currently in the pot. In the spring, when your tree wakes up from dormancy and starts showing growth, you can remove it from the pot, gently remove the old soil, trim away dead and over-long roots, and repot it with 100% new soil.

View attachment 331530

Here is a photo of a couple Chinese elm seedlings, showing some pretty fall colors:

View attachment 331533
Click to expand...
Ah thank you very much. Here was me thinking it was dying but it's going dormant for the winter haha I thought it was a bit early 😅 I will top it up with soil.
 
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