Hey Everybody!

I just got my first bonsai im trying my best to make sure i dont kill it. I have been keeping succulents for a few years and i just now decided to expand my horticultural endeavors.

I am confused if i should leave my lovely chinese elm inside or outside. i am located in USDA Zone 8b at the moment, and the nights are starting to get a bit colder (this morning it was about 55 degrees outside), i have read that they dont like the cold that much.

I would love to be able to keep it inside on my desk (i know its probably not the best) but i just want to do whats best for it!

Any tips or anecdotal advice will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks everybody

Hi welcome!

Chinese elms are absolutely winterhardy in USDA7 and warmer.

Wonderful!!!

How would I know if it wasn't liking the cold, i dont want to shock the plant and just leave it out there:)

Squidoo wrote: Wonderful!!!

How would I know if it wasn't liking the cold...

Ask it.
Plants talk, if you learn their language.

I actually love that so much Clicio. This is exacly why bonsai has so much appeal to me. I really hope i can keep it happy

What are some things that you traditionally look out for when it comes to lighting and or positioning?

Plants that lack light are usually leggy: long weak thin shoots, bit paler leaves.

Trust me/us , your elm ( and so do almost all trees) needs to be outside, it WILL DIE inside. If you use the search button here in this forum and look for "help my tree is dying" you will see that 99% of the trees are dying because they are inside. A tree "eats" sunlight, in a house there is no sun ( and glass filters sunlight), simple as that.

Squidoo wrote: What are some things that you traditionally look out for when it comes to lighting and or positioning?

Light.
Air flow.
Rain.

Outside they can have direct sun or dappled sun, it depends on the species; they should be off the ground, higher to let the wind flow around and through it; they should take rain as this is the best water quality for them.
It's simple.
Keep them outdoors.

I will then keep them outside allow the tree to emulate a natural environment as much as possible.

This leads me to another question (and that you all for all the help and patience!)

I live in zome 8b, and I travel between zone 9b as well, is it safe for me to leave my trees outside now that the cold is coming?

I will definitely keep that in mind, i just hope that it isn't getting g too cold to leave my three outside! Its zone 8b and the nights are getting colder