Please help! I bought my first Chinese Elm a few months ago and I absolutely love it. It has been doing very well growing healthily and I have even proved it now.

Disappointingly, it then seem to suffer an aphid attack. I didn't realise at first until I noticed the small white specks and the leaves becoming sticky, as well as the surface my bonsai I was sitting on. Googling suggested first trying soap solution. I tried this and it had no effect. I also read that a three parts water one part vinegar might work. This didn't work either. I then bought a houseplant insecticide product from the garden centre - image attached. Things then went from bad to worse. Please see the attached photos of the leaves. The bonsai is now shedding leaves at an alarming rate. I am keeping my bonsai regularly watered. And have fed it twice now since I bought it. Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated.

I have kept my Chinese bonsai mainly in the house in front of a well lit window, but also outside when the weather has been warm.

One get it outside! Next try the soapy solution again, use a hose if you can to wash the insects off the leaves especially under the leaves. It does work, but not instantly it will take a few days. The main thing is it must be outside all year.

Thanks! I'm on it right now!

This seems to be a relevant video for you!

I agree with the keeping it outside. If you need to treat, look at this:

I just bought a Chinese elm and I am a new bonsai enthusiast so I don't know much about what a tree should look like but common sense tells me there's something wrong with the tree I just received two days ago. The seller insists that there's nothing wrong with it and just gave me general instructions. I reported the leaves were yellow and brown, some branches were dry, there are holes and stains all over the leaves and there are spider webs. Thoughts?

Chinese elm is a temperate decidious tree. It is natural for them to shed leaf in winter if kept under right conditions.

However, I don't think this tree has been under right conditions for a while. Last years growth is leggy and sparse. The shedding of leafs looks more like stress than normal seasonal cycle. I think there may be a spider mite infection going on as well due to the weakness of the tree.

Wish I had read the seller online Google reviews prior to engaging with them, sick trees seems to be a recurring topic along with horrible customer service which is exactly what I am experiencing. Now I am not exactly sure what to do with the tree since I don't want my other trees to get sick. Thanks for the feedback I really appreciate it.

You would be better buying a tree that you can see for yourself, and also they will not survive inside,

I second Geoff on both points.

Chinese elm is not an indoor tree. It needs winter dormancy for survival.

Now it is winter in most of northern hemisphere. Unless you don’t live in a very mild climate it is not the right time to move it outdoors. I would suggest any place you can provide away from your other trees that you can keep cold but frost free. Light is beneficial, but not mandatory during the dormancy.

Thank you, I am in Texas so I should be okay moving it outside. Should I prune all the leaves and branches that look sick?