Hi, hoping for some help/thoughts on the below.

For reference I live on the South West coast of the UK where it’s currently autumn and c.10 degrees celcius – 50 degrees fahreinheit. The Tree is a Chinese Elm that is about 12 years old and about 15 inches tall.

Having not repotted a tree previously, I recently took the tree to be repotted. I did tell the place that did the repotting that I kept the tree outside and would continue to do so through winter elm yellwo leaf., however, when I came back to fetch it was in a soil that has a lot of what feels like potting soil mixed in it and isn’t very free draining at all. I asked them about it and they said that the tree should come indoors over winter and that that’s what they did with their collection of Chinese Elm’s

I don’t really have anywhere inside that gets enough light (that isn’t above a radiator) so have continued to keep it outside. The trouble is that given the temperature, rain levels and the type of soil, the soil stays very wet. I’ve recently noticed quite a few leaves turning yellow and dropping (probably 15% of all the leaves).

I don’t know whether this is:
1)Just some stress on the tree having recently been repotted
2)The normal process as the tree goes into dormancy over winter
3)The tree struggling because it’s damp all the time and there is root rot

1 and 2 are obviously ok, 3 would be a problem. Interested to hear any views and in particular from others who keep Elms in the UK and whether they are seeing yellowing and leaf drop i.e. whether it’s just dormancy approaching.

I've removed all the yellowing leaves, however attached pic shows an example of the colour some of the leaves are going.Thanks in advance, all help appreciated!

Elms should not be repotted in fall. Actually, no tree should.

The leafs yellowing is normal this time of the year.

If the soil is too heavy, you can try to protect it from rain during winter.

Dont go back to that business for any advises or purshases.

I am not entierly sure if repot to correct the misstake now or in spring is the best. Hope someone will chip in on that.

Thanks for your help.

Agreed, I've since repotted a couple of trees and am a lot more confident on it. Not sure whether to put the tree through the additional stress of repotting now or try my best to get it through winter and then repot next year.

Should not have been re potted now, and leave it out as you have done, correctly. It is autumn and they do lose leaves. I would not worry about it. As for the soil, again, I would not worry too much, wait and see you might find it does drain ok. The tree will not be taking much water at this time of year so it will be difficult to tell. I would place the tree so that you can keep it out of the rain. Where you are is a mild climate, so I think it will be fine a few yellow leaves is nothing. I would never go back to that place again that is for certain.

sorry to piggyback this topic.......

I need to re pot my elm this spring as I have never done it. I am suitably nervous about it being one of the main reasons.

As this topic seems to be based around a UK tree, as mine is, I have a question about what the ideal kind of soil to use to re pot it would be?

If the aforementioned soil is indeed not well draining enough for a UK climate, what should be used instead?

thanks for any help!

Akadama all the way.

Put 10 bonsaianer in a room and ask about substrate. You will get 15 answers. I for one will not plant trees in akadama. It is instant death in a wet climate with lots of night-time frosts in winter.

My ideas re. substrate: www.growingbonsai.net/characteristics-of-good-bonsai-substrate/

And hence......my struggle!

I class myself as a beginner, so likely I would struggle to notice if I used macadamia when the correct time to re pot was, based on how it looked etc. And therefore, I also don't really want to be re potting excessively regularly.

If that article is to be a base for what I do, do I get these items from a google search, and mix them together to get a desired consistency?

leatherback wrote:

Put 10 bonsaianer in a room and ask about substrate. You will get 15 answers. I for one will not plant trees in akadama. It is instant death in a wet climate with lots of night-time frosts in winter.

My ideas re. substrate: www.growingbonsai.net/characteristics-of-good-bonsai-substrate/

Instant death? First time I read this. I tought that was the ideal for wet climates once it allows drainage and air circulation to the roots.

kebras wrote:

leatherback wrote:

Put 10 bonsaianer in a room and ask about substrate. You will get 15 answers. I for one will not plant trees in akadama. It is instant death in a wet climate with lots of night-time frosts in winter.

My ideas re. substrate: www.growingbonsai.net/characteristics-of-good-bonsai-substrate/

Instant death? First time I read this. I tought that was the ideal for wet climates once it allows drainage and air circulation to the roots.

In my garden it becomes airless mud in one winter.