Hello all! I am new here and sadly to say a bonsai murderer.

A couple of months ago I was gifted a Chinese elm bonsai. I have no experience with bonsai trees and sadly getting ill with COVID-19 and having to move out/move in a new place meant that I was a terrible mother to the poor tree and neglected its care.

At first the tree was thriving, growing new shoots and leaves. But I believe I overwatered it by falsly interpreting 'keeping the soil damp' as 'keeping the soil moist' . The tree soon started to lose leaves rapidly and now is bare. I let it dry out and checked the cambium which does not look green (picture attached).

Is there anything I can do to save it?? I am terribly sorry I let this happen and damaged this poor baby.

Thank you in advance,
A very guilty and clueless bonsai mother

If you keep it indoors on one of them small plates and the floor under is still dry after watering you are not overwatering, but underwatering.

Best care for chinese elm is outside in a bright place all year. If you live in an area that gets prolonged period of less than -10 some protection may be needed. Coldframe, unheated greenhouse or a simple shed is good options. Never take it indoors as this species die indoors in most places.

Hello,

Thank you for replying.

I forgot to specify that it is an indoor bonsai, so I thought that it is actually to be kept indoors.

Thank you for specification about the tray. When I was watering, the water would come out the drainage hole and onto the tray, that's why I believe it was overwatering that did the deed.

You killed this plant because you had it inside.

Noctiluca wrote:

Hello,

Thank you for replying.

I forgot to specify that it is an indoor bonsai, so I thought that it is actually to be kept indoors.

Thank you for specification about the tray. When I was watering, the water would come out the drainage hole and onto the tray, that's why I believe it was overwatering that did the deed.

There are not one tree in the entire world that grows naturally indoors. Indoors is a term used by the industry for trees that needs some protection in winter. They are produced in greenhouses.

But indoors dont kill that fast. Its more a slow decrease in health and the death normally occures in winter time when it is far too hot, too dry and lack of light.

What killed your tree was underwatering. A bonsai should be watered abundantly over the whole surface until the water pours out in a steady stream from the drainage holes. And that is not easy indoors.

Sorry to see you struggle.

Looking at the picture I think there is a good chance you can get some leaves on it again. The trunk does not look dried out. Trees respond to bad conditions by dropping their leaves. If the roots did not die from the swapping between very wet and very dry, I would expect this to pop some buds in the next 4-6 weeks.

Keep it in a bright spot, but not full sun. Keep the substrate evenly moist, watering when the surface is just dry. Then just wait. Do not fertilie untill the tree recovers.

Hello, and thank you for being very helpful, it is much appreciated!!

I have watered the bonsai until the water came out of the drainage hole and will continue to keep it moist. Should I wait for the top soil to be fully fully dry before watering again?

Thank you for your input. As stated earlier, I have been watering my bonsai until water was dripping from the drainage hole. To be safe, I will be showering my bonsai from now on, if they make it back from Styx.

Noctiluca wrote:

Thank you for your input. As stated earlier, I have been watering my bonsai until water was dripping from the drainage hole. To be safe, I will be showering my bonsai from now on, if they make it back from Styx.

Shower all the surface of the soil. Dripping out of the drainage holes is not enough, it should be a steady stream that continues quite a while after you stopped watering.