Japanese Stewartia

[Stewartiaowner]

Hey Bonsai friends,
I'm a bonsai owner and when I first got it as a gift it began to grow leaves really nicely. I have been watering it regularly to make sure the soil is moist and have kept it in the same place (quite a bright room with lots of natural light). However in the last two weeks the leaves have started to turn brown (please see the pictures) and I thought perhaps I was over watering it but it seems to be getting a little worse.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I can make sure this doesn't happen and keep it happy?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Potawatomi13]

Please add location to profile for best advice. It needs to be outside if wanting it to survive.

 

[Stewartiaowner]

Ah I'm in London. So should it be outside??

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

It needs to be outside.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Year around. Go buy a fig if you want a houseplant to learn bonsai indoors.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[MrWunderful]

Yep It definitely needs to be outdoors. That organic soil might not be helping either.

 

[bwaynef]

Also, you may be keeping it too wet. (It might be hard NOT to keep it too wet in that soil also.)

 

[Stewartiaowner]

Thank you all, really appreciate it! It is now outside!

And Forsoothe, not sure if that was intended to come across as rude but this is my first Bonsai so perhaps just a helpful comment without the pissy extra or don't worry about commenting next time. Thanks.

 

[Stewartiaowner]

Also, you may be keeping it too wet. (It might be hard NOT to keep it too wet in that soil also.)

Oh, should I change the soil? Yes it does seem to stay damp even after watering a few days previous!

 

[n8]

I wouldn't change the soil while the plant is struggling. See if it recovers outdoors and try to water when the top 2cm of the soil gets dry.

 

[bwaynef]

It'll probably do more harm than good to repot it right now. Keep that in mind late-winter or spring of 2022.

 

[Stewartiaowner]

Hi, thanks everyone for the advice. I moved the bonsai outside at the weekend but it doesn't seem to be faring better yet.
The leaves seem to be turning more brown as you can see and I am wondering if there is some fungus or something at the base of the trunk (the whiteish stuff)?
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'd love it to flourish and do the best job I can!

Many thanks and apologies in advance if I am missing something obvious still.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Hi, thanks everyone for the advice. I moved the bonsai outside at the weekend but it doesn't seem to be faring better yet.

Give it time. This is bonsai, not the Kentucky Derby.

 

[Stewartiaowner]

Hi all,

I have followed your advice and given it time, I'm watering it as per the instructions I was given.
It's outside and I am watering when the top 2cm gets dry (I just watered it last night hence the damp soil in the photos).
However it doesn't seem happy and more of the leaves are turning brown and falling off.
I would really appreciate more advice as I'm trying to be really attentive but I just don't seem to be able to help. I'm attaching pictures for more reference points.

Any help would be really really appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lutonian]

These are trick plants, they don't like london tap water (I'm in Luton so the water is similar too chalky) use rain water and I keep mine in light shade as hot breezes/intense sun can damage the leaves. Looks like its is still being kept to wet. Push a wooden skewer into the soil to the bottom of the pot and use this as a dipstick to see how wet the soil is and how far down it is wet. I does look like you might loose it but keep trying if the buds are alive there is hope. Do be to disheartened if it does die we all kill trees and that specie is a trick one.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Not big believer in killing roots with wooden sticks poked in them. Just be careful of H2O and wait. Tree still lives.

 

[Lutonian]

Not big believer in killing roots with wooden sticks poked in them. Just be careful of H2O and wait. Tree still lives.

You use the same hole each time and it's better than having a dead plant and after a while you will not need the stick any more once you have experience