Help with a chinese elm

charlotte · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 12:39 am Post subject: Help with a chinese elm

Hi, I'm sorry for repeating questions that other people have asked but I want to be specific:)

I got a chinese elm on christmas day, and two days after I noticed that the leaves were shrivelling up and dropping off. It said on the packaging that it was 2 years old. My mum said she had bought it 4 days before christmas day from a garden centre, and put it in the bedroom but hadn't watered it at all. In addition to that, we had a new baby in the house so the heating has been on full bung 24 hours a day Sad

So I soaked the soil with water and have been adding water every day and I have bought a mister bottle which i am also using regularly. Today there are no leaves left on my poor bonsai at all, but there are quite a few tiny green buds. Have I now over-watered it? And how often exactly should I be giving it the bonsai feed solution? I am totally confused! I have learned from this site, however, that my bonsai should be outside Smile

Should I wait for it to recover, or put it outside immediately?

I'd be really grateful for a bit of guidance,

Many thanks!

TB420 · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:10 am Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

Hello Charlotte and welcome. You are correct your tree should be outside. Put the tree outside and leave it. You probably will not have to water it much outside, Since it has new buds you should not let it get frosted on. Don't fertilize until march. You have not overwatered your tree you saved it. Chinese elm are a hardy sort, great for beginners. Place it outside in a location sheltered from the drying winds and frost, or bring it inside on cold (frosty) nights. Your tree will thank you for it. They need the cold, it slows them down and gives them a rest. When you are ready to prune, ask and you shall receive proper directions. Since it is naked you will have more of a hand in styling then if it had all of it leaves.

Tom

Dick · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 6:35 am Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

Hi Charlotte,

Welcome to the forum. This is a very friendly place to get your bonsai questions answered.

As had been said, your tree is probably best to live outdoors, even though it was probably sold to you as an indoor tree. They trouble with chinese elms if that they can live inddors and out, but where you're located, outdoors is the best. They to keep the soil evenly moist nd let it grow in a location that protects it from the midday direct sun.

Good luck and come back when you have any question what so ever.

charlotte · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:46 am Post subject: Help with a chinese elm

Thanks very much for taking the time to help me.

I'm sure I'll be back with more questions!

TB420 · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

Please come back, the more the merrier. Your always welcome and there is almost always someone awake with the time differences.

Tom

Stymie · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:29 pm Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

Charlotte.
I would suggest that you leave the Elm outside all the time. Bringing it into a warm atmosphere at night will break its natural rhythm and it needs a seasonal rest. I don't wish to confuse you. Its a tree which grows outside where it will be much better in Oxon.

TB420 · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

Don, how cold does your weather usually get. Do you get frost regularly. I would only bring a tree in if it is going to frost hard.
I would expect that a hard frost would damage new buds. I would leave it out all other times. If it can be sheltered from frost on a porch then I would put it on a porch, and never bring it in. I will never tell another person to bring a tree in even if it is going to be -50 F.

Tom

Stymie · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:56 pm Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

I have always left mine out without any kind of protection through many frosts. The severe frosts are becoming less nowadays so I don't intend to start coddling them now. The lowest in recent years has been no lower than -4C. Four days of below freezing temps can be withstood.
Even Dick is giving 'how to' advice for people who keep them indoors in his latest sticky but of course, he is in colder circumstances.

lance111 · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 11:57 pm Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

Hi charlotte
I live in Wales and it is real cold down here at the moment, we had alot of frost, but they are out in it... Smile

lance111 · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 11:58 pm Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

Hi charlotte
I live in Wales and it is real cold down here at the moment, we had alot of frost, but they are out in it... Smile

TB420 · Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 3:39 am Post subject: Re: Help with a chinese elm

I live in zone 5b. It has gotten down to 8 f (-13c) for about 3 nights. We have not had any snow accumulation at all this year and it is 32.2f (0c) right now at 10:35. We are supposed to have some cold weather coming. I just don't like snow. A little is OK but over 3 inches is a pain. A few years ago we had about 45 days where the temperature never got above freezing, and several snow storms that just kept piling up without melting.

Tom