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New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18241

  • KelVarnsen
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Hey guys,

As a complete beginner that is trying to do as much research as I can I would like to say this forum is a wonderful discovery.

I was given a 7 year old Chinese Elm as a gift some 3 weeks ago and I want to make sure that I take good care of it. However, in the last two weeks I have noticed that some leaves are browning/yellowing despite my submerging the pot once a week and misting the tree once a day. I have read that although bought to brighten up my bedroom this type of bonsai is not suitable to be kept indoors at all and I fear that both the store where it was bought and me (unwittingly) have conspired to keep the tree from its winter sleep/dormant period.(it is shedding leaves but I have noticed new buds and leaves beginning to grow)

I hoped that someone could give me some advice please? Should I take the tree from my bedroom and put the tree in my shed immediately? Should I feed the tree at all?(I have 2 bottles of Liquid bonsai tree feed and a large bag of Biogold Bonsai slow release fertilizer available to use) Should I alter my watering plan at all?

Many thanks in advance

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New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18243

  • BonsaiLearner
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submerging the pot once a week


While submerging the pot is good habit, you should not stick to a watering routine. rather, water the bonsai when it needs it
www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/watering

this type of bonsai is not suitable to be kept indoors at all


Incorrect. keep it indoors (at least for winter);

www.bonsaiempire.com/tree-species/chinese-elm

Do NOT feed it in winter (this will draw water out of the tree), read the above article for a detailed overview of chinese elm care

It doesn't at all appear as if you have done any research. Next time maybe look around on this website a bit before asking questions?

Ed

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New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18245

  • KelVarnsen
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submerging the pot once a week


While submerging the pot is good habit, you should not stick to a watering routine. rather, water the bonsai when it needs it
www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/watering

this type of bonsai is not suitable to be kept indoors at all


Incorrect. keep it indoors (at least for winter);

www.bonsaiempire.com/tree-species/chinese-elm

Do NOT feed it in winter (this will draw water out of the tree), read the above article for a detailed overview of chinese elm care

It doesn't at all appear as if you have done any research. Next time maybe look around on this website a bit before asking questions?

Ed


Perhaps next time just skip my posted topic rather than post something that snotty?

Thanks.

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New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18248

  • alainleon1983
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Perhaps next time just skip my posted topic rather than post something that snotty?


Uhmmm... That should not be the spirit within this forum. Please, do take into account that Ed (BonsaiLearner) did take his time and provide you with an answer. I believe he just highlighted a simple fact: Search for information first and then, if the information you find proves to be insufficient, unclear or nonexistent launch your question. A previous search for info wouldn´t hurt either.

Now, that said, one thing that I disagree with Ed is regarding watering by submersion as a "good habit". Watering by submersion prompts salt deposits to build up on the soil, specially if the zone you are living in is considered as a hard water location. This phenom, if prolonged in time, might lead to a lack of vigour and poor or weak health of our trees due to overwatering and/or a weak root system. Also, the existence of salt deposits would be particularly catastrophic when training acid loving soil specimens. Furthermore, I feel, and this is just an opinion based on personal experience; that I can not fully control the watering regime of my trees when I submerge a tree in water. So, I prefer to water using a regular hose.

One last thing, here is a link from Harry Harrington´s website related to watering good practices and another one depicting the effects of pH and salt deposits in our trees:

Watering Regimes
pH & Salt Deposits

Alain

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Last edit: Post by alainleon1983.

New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18249

  • Treegan
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Perhaps next time just skip my posted topic rather than post something that snotty?


Hi Kel, I am also a new member here. From the looks of it the users posting on these thread are some of the most active and veteran members of this forum. I'll give it to you they come off a bit harsh, but at the end of the day they provide some pretty decent info and knowledge. I wish I could give you some actual info for your current situation, but what Ed said is true, there is a lot of research to be done and even when you think you have done it all, you may only be scratching the surface. If you come back with a more detailed question they will be more willing to help. =]

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New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18253

  • leatherback
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Perhaps next time just skip my posted topic rather than post something that snotty?

Perhaps next time just skip this forum if you are not willing to listen to input?

In any case, do not dunk your pot weekly in a tub of water. Especially with the substrate your plant is growing in, the pot will get way too wet. Your roots most likely have droned.

Where does it stand? How warm/cold? If the plant is in a very coool location, it will need way less water.

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New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18256

  • BonsaiLearner
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one thing that I disagree with Ed is regarding watering by submersion as a "good habit".


The way I was thinking of it was as a cheap plant with clay-rich soil from the field it was grown in, which would most likely require submerging in water in order to actually absorb any. In general, submerging is bad habit.

Thanks for the correction,
Ed

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New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18257

  • Auk
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While submerging the pot is good habit


I understand your point, but if you must submerge the pot to get water to the roots, you need to consider repotting so you can water properly.

this type of bonsai is not suitable to be kept indoors at all

Incorrect. keep it indoors (at least for winter)


Not completely correct. This tree is semi-deciduous and adapts to various climates. In general it is better to keep trees outside. In the Netherlands, in our current winter, that would be no problem at all (though it seems we're going to get colder weather). Things are different if the plant has been kept indoors, temperatures outside are dropping, and it hasn't hardened off in autumn.

Do NOT feed it in winter


Not entirely true and conflicting with your earlier advice. When kept indoors, you can feed it (if needed). Bonsai4me says once monthly:

www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Ulmus.html

It doesn't at all appear as if you have done any research. Next time maybe look around on this website a bit before asking questions?


That I fully agree with.

It's not like he's the first person that has a new bonsai. This forum is flooded with it, with the same, S-shaped, ugly, commercial, cheap, wannabe-bonsai type of plants. Likewise, the same questions are asked over and over and over again. All the information is available, under the Basics at this website, and in the forum, where these same questions have been answered many, many times.

If you have not seen that, you've not done any research and you're just being lazy.

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Last edit: Post by Auk.

New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18260

  • KelVarnsen
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Thank you for the information and your time.

Re Leatherback's: Perhaps next time just skip this forum if you are not willing to listen to input?

I think that I will. Input is one thing, snotty replies is quite another.

Thank you.

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New chinese elm-need some help! 8 years 2 months ago #18262

  • BonsaiLearner
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I think this explains it, although this is about junipers
adamaskwhy.com/2014/01/01/so-youve-recen...purchased-a-mallsai/

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