Chinese Elm - is it ok or doing very, very poorly?

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Hey There,

I realize I may need to take a close up so you can see the leaves, (Will update after work) but in short I'm a beginner and I believe this is my 3rd month with these bonsai.

My Juniper is doing decent. Initially it was more yellowed than now but I managed to get some green back even though I want it to be healthier.

My sister's bonsai (the elm) was severely dry and forgotten. It was kept inside and all the leaves yellowed and started getting crispy and dropping. I spent a lot of time reading, researching neem oil, and finding that it was infested with spider mites. After a few months of babying I believe it is still alive (I very gently knicked the cambrium in July and it's green) but still have an issue with small spider mites.

I literally need to water it with the diluted neem treatment now and may need to place both my sisters and my own bonsai back at my apartment in pacific grove 7-8 feet apart.

Please note the pictures below where they are close are only for show. They will be placed far apart to prevent further infestation.

My question is, are these leaf colors normal for cool weather or is it heavily infested still (heaven forbid dead! I haven't knicked the cambrium since) and I have to take a different course of action?

Again I will be taking them to a different environment in pacific grove, I'm currently in carmel valley and as nice as it is, it isn't very foggy which is not as good for bonsai or so I've noticed/read.

Thank you so much for your time and expertise!

7/13/202
bonsai_20220713.jpg

today
bonsai_20220805.jpg
 

Wulfskaar

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Last year, my Chinese Elm lost all it's leaves. It was smaller than yours.

I thought it was a goner, but I did an emergency repot (crap soil into good soil) and it ended up pushing out a few leaves before winter.

I'm not sure if yours is dead, but I'd continue caring for it a while longer to see if it does anything.
 

Mikecheck123

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Beginners are quick to blame pests and fungus when it's almost always a watering issue. Spider mites would not damage a Chinese elm this severely.

What's your watering routine? Does the pot have holes?
 

Shibui

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Orange leaves on Chinese elm is definitely not normal for mid summer. They should be a nice dark green now.
Good news is that Chinese elm is resilient and can come back from the dead. You just ned to work out what's going wrong.
Severe spider mite could cause this but it is more likely to be a combination or something else. If you can see mites or webs definitely treat for mites. If neem oil is not working you should look for a product that will work better. Neem probably neds to be sprayed on to cover all leaf surfaces. Watering on with a water can probably not the most effective application method.
Summer is classic time for dehydration, especially while beginners get used to watering properly. It can also be a time for root rot from overwatering if beginners decide to water more to compensate for hot weather.
I doubt that 7 or 8 feet will be enough space to stop mites moving so don't rely just on that spacing if you do have mites.
 

sorce

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Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 

WNC Bonsai

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That should be green, full, and covered with new branches. Mine never stop growing all summer long. I keep them in morning sun and water daily keeping the soil evenly moist. Fertilize with MiracleGro every couple of weeks, diluted about 50%.
 
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