help and advice

ruthie · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 6:39 pm Post subject: help and advice

I have had my very minature chonese elm since xmas. It has once been dried out and lost all its leaves...then i moved home and it came on leaps and bounds. It is now in the same position that it has always been it, and is watered with filtered water regularly and bonsai food...yet even though the leaves are green...they curl inwards and are nowhere near as fruitful as what they were when we moved here. I do not know what else to do. It is definitely not dried out. It sits on a window sill in quite a warm room...any advice pls?

John P · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 7:19 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

I'm not sure where you live in this world Ruthie, but I'd be very tempted to offer it a position outside. They absolutely thrive outdoors.

ruthie · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

i am in the very unpredictable weather of the uk...I was also told that it was an indoor plant and not meant for out kind of outdoor weather.

jimothy · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 7:44 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

Stymie · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

I have to back up Jim's advice on this. Your informant was wrong. I keep mine outside here in Yorkshire all year without protection and they are robust characters for it. Central heating conditions are anathema to any plant life. I would stop feeding yours until it has recovered and is in good health. Conditions outside are particularly excellent for your tree at this time of year. Just keep its compost moist. It would be nice if you could take my suggestion above and give a little more info. in your profile.

Some people make a living out of selling and re-selling to unsuspecting people and they bank on the customer coming back for another. Perhaps they won't agree with me but they sell Serissa, saying that it is an ideal tree for beginners, when it is actually just about the hardest one to keep happy. Sorry dealers, you know that I'm right.

steve · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 11:50 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

I also agree. I live in pretty unpredictable weather myself and mine stays outside year round as well. The reason dealers sell so many trees as indoor is that most people want them indoors to admire whenever but very few actually live indoors. If you are looking for an indoor tree try a ficus or fukien tea. They are much more suited with few special needs.

ruthie · Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

Hi thank you to all for the advice. I am somewhat confused though. I have a book about bonsai's...and I will quote what it says for the Chinese Elm...
"indoors, in a situation with plenty of light and a temperature of 15-18 degrees C. Outdoors from May to September where it is SUNNY and well ventilated."
Now in Manchester the outdoor temperature is about 11-12 degrees at the moment and it is exceptionally windy. So to keep it outside seems to go against the advice of my book, and the Bonsai shop that sold it to me.
Please does anyone have any further help, as I am somewhat confused. Does anyone actually know what it means when the leaves curl inwards? They are not dry, just folded.

Dick · Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

I don't know which book you are quoting from, but what you quote is only one "possible" way of growing the Chinese elm.

Wjat others have told you is absoutely true. Where you are, that tree can grow outdoors the entire year and not suffer.

If you are a registered member, look at the A-Z forum for more specific information about Chinese elms. It will help.

Also, I suggest that you look up the care requirements for your tree in Harry Tomlinson's book "The Complete Care of Bonsai". He will support what you have read here. The people who have posted to you have many, many years of bonsai experience. I myself have been growing bonsai for 35 years and will vouch the accuracy of the posts.

ruthie · Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

hi, i have now put it outside on my balcony. It has endured endless rain over the last 2 days and lots of wind n cold weather. Is this the right thing to do? her leaves don't look any better and i am worried that the shock might kill her.

Dick · Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 5:32 pm Post subject: Re: help and advice

Not to worry. What you have is a tree not a baby. In the wild it endures a lot more than what you have given it up to this point. It will probably not make much difference to the foliage that remains but it should sprout new foliage soon.

steve · Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 1:05 am Post subject: Re: help and advice

Well said Dick. It does the tree no harm to be in it's "native" habitat.