hi All! I am very new to the art of bonsai. I have purchased a Japense red maple bonsai a month ago, it was beautiful with red leaves, and I keep it indoors.

my bonsai has started to turn green and some of the leaves are getting brown tips.

from googling, I understand that the leaves turning green may mean that it's not getting enough sunlight. and the browning could mean that it's getting sunburnt. So as you can see, I'm very lost now. I don't know if I should give it more sun or less sun?

I used to give it small amount of watering frequently. then I read that it's better to give it lots of water but less frequently. so I did that.

help me please I don't want to lose my tree! should I give it more light or less? more watering perhaps? will the leaves turn red again? I have attached some photos.

thankyou!

hope the photo shows up!

pinkegg wrote:

hi All! I am very new to the art of bonsai. I have purchased a Japense red maple bonsai a month ago, it was beautiful with red leaves, and I keep it indoors.

Trees belong outdoors.

Many red leaves turn green after spring.
And yees. Keep it outside. Dried leaves .. dry air..

thankyou for your reply. unfortunately I live in an apartment without balcony so I can only keep it next to the window.

do you mean my leaves are too dry and the air is too dry? or do you mean I need to keep the leaves and air dry?

Light intensity, humidity, temperature, light period, seasonal changes.

Trees belong outdoors.

pinkegg wrote:

do you mean my leaves are too dry and the air is too dry?

I think so.

thankyou, short sweet and painless answer. thankyou very much!

so other than putting it outside onto my non existent balcony, what I need to do now is to give it more water and less sun?

thanks again for your help

More water, but as much sun as possible.
The main problem indoors is the lack of humidity in the air, so... it needs more all around humidity, not necessarily more water. It can be overwet and still dry.

pinkegg wrote:

so other than putting it outside onto my non existent balcony, what I need to do now is to give it more water and less sun?

No. It's already getting less sun as it is indoors. You need lower temperatures - so it drops its leaves and goes dormant.
Next year, when the days lengthen and it gets warmer, you're going to need more light - more than it will get indoors.

Indoors, it is not going to do well in the long run.