Is it officially dead?

[Chisai Ki]

Hello, all! I have attached a couple pictures of the Fukien Tea bonsai I have been trying to revive for some time now. It is/was about 3-years old. I have tried everything I can think of or read about, and it is not growing new leaves.

Is it officially a goner, or is there a small ray of hope left? And if you cut back any of the branches, they are still green inside.

Thank you!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

It still has green leaves so... its not dead yet.

Where do you keep it? Only inside? What is your watering regimen? Have you repotted it since you got it? What have you tried so far to save it?

Care guide for the Carmona Bonsai tree (Fukien tea) - Bonsai Empire

Carmona Bonsai Care guidelines Placement The Fukien Tea is traditionally an indoor Bonsai, but it can be kept outside in very warm climates. It requires a lot o...

www.bonsaiempire.com

 

[Carol 83]

It's still hanging in there but if you like tropical's get yourself a nice ficus. They won't cause you the anxiety or crush your bonsai dreams like a Fukien Tea.

 

[Chisai Ki]

This tree has been in three different soils since it was purchased about three years ago - the potting-like soil it came in, calcined clay (horrible), and not mostly pumice with just a small amount of some non-peat organic mix. I have also repotted the tree twice. The first time was in the same deep pot it came in to replace the potting soil. The second repotting came when I purchased the bonsai-type pot it is in now and went with the pumice. I try to keep the tree outside as much as possible in an area where it gets a lot of morning sun, but shielded from the intense afternoon sun. It was inside when I took the picture because it was raining for a while outside. As far as watering, since the tree is outside a lot, I water it in the morning. If it was a hot, sunny day, I water it again in the evening. Overcast or cooler days (which there have been very few lately in the Midwest) I just water it once in the morning or evening. I have also tried some bonsai specific fertilizer, but that has yet to help.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Probably too dry. Fukien like a consistently moist root ball thats well draining. Those pumice particles are probably not holding enough water to satisfy the tree.

Id leave it outside in the rain during summer also. Constant moving it around isnt helping. Just ignore it for a while other than watering probably always twice daily in that soil mix.

What has the fertilizer regimen been like?

 

[Chisai Ki]

Fertilizer was once a week, but was told it would be doing little if the tree was not doing well??

 

[Orion_metalhead]

And what type of fertilizer and at what strength?

 

[rockm]

Stop watering on your schedule. Water on the tree’s schedule. Regular timed watering wether the tree needs it or not kills a lot of new bonsai

It’s not as simple as “I water once in the morning and once I the evening”. Trees use different amounts of water depending on weather season sun exposure species and soil type

You have to learn when the tree needs watering. That is the most difficult thing to do in bonsai. But once learned your learning curve begins to slope downward.

You can get an idea of when by using a chopstick inserted halfway into the soil in the pot. Use it like the oil dipstick in your car. Pull it out if it’s moist or wet on most of the underground portion don’t water. Rinse repeat until the stick is not wet then water. While your learning this method also observe the color of the soil surface. Wetter soil is darker and soil tha t is drying down turns light in color. Also tip the pot up on the side a bit. Observe the weight. Well watered pots are heavier than pots that need water. Keep all this in mind while your watering

In a couple of months you may learn when the tree needs water just by the soil color or weight of the pot

 

[Chisai Ki]

Thank you for all of the replies!

Ther fertilizer I am using is "Bonsai Tree Food" (3-3-3) from the Bonsai Resource Center. Says up to once per week. I when I was fertilizing, I held to that schedule.