Greetings, need help with my Chinese Elm...

[M Riley]

Hello, I have a few questions on my Chinese Elm. I brought it this past summer, it's about 12 years old. I kept it outdoors until winter here in Chicago. I watered it once every 2 days and mist it once a day (kept the soil moist). Rotated every so often so that it received an even amount of sunlight. I also fertilized as well, once a week then once a month when fall started. When winter started I placed my Elm tree in my back porch with some shade and watered once a week with misting twice a week. I noticed that very few leaves changed color throughout the fall and most leaves remained green. Today I noticed that the leaves break off and break in half easily. What does this mean since I'm fairly new to Bonsai. Is it time to defoliate my Elm? Is it safe to defoliate? Are the leaved dead? Should I increase watering or is my tree dying? Thank you for your help

 

[Beng]

Can you upload some pictures, and your location?

Sometimes if strong chemical fertilizer was used all year leaves can remain green late.

Don't mist your tree in the fall or winter it'll lead to fungal problems. Outdoors provides enough moisture for the leaves. Only water when it's dry, dormant trees don't get thirsty often.

 

[GrimLore]

Hello, I have a few questions on my Chinese Elm. I brought it this past summer, it's about 12 years old. I kept it outdoors until winter here in Chicago. I watered it once every 2 days and mist it once a day (kept the soil moist). Rotated every so often so that it received an even amount of sunlight. I also fertilized as well, once a week then once a month when fall started. When winter started I placed my Elm tree in my back porch with some shade and watered once a week with misting twice a week. I noticed that very few leaves changed color throughout the fall and most leaves remained green. Today I noticed that the leaves break off and break in half easily. What does this mean since I'm fairly new to Bonsai. Is it time to defoliate my Elm? Is it safe to defoliate? Are the leaved dead? Should I increase watering or is my tree dying? Thank you for your help

You did all well where you are except the misting the fertilizer. Leave it be and those leaves will drop off natural. We still have non dropped leaves on some of out Maples and not worried about it. Overall in the North East the winter has been mild until last week or so.

 

[milehigh_7]

Hello, ...

Hi and welcome to the Nut House!

 

[JudyB]

Welcome M. Riley.
I would follow the advice given so far. I have some elms that do this every year. A few of the leaves don't turn like the rest, stay green on the tree, then around now when I go to do some tidying up of the branches, the leaves that appear green and supple, are just dry and crack off. I wouldn't worry unless it doesn't bud out in the spring! Then you know you have a problem...

Don't worry about defoliating, that is done in the summer to send a second smaller flush of leaves out. You can probably CAREFULLY take all the leaves off the tree to keep it clean, be careful not to damage any new buds. Or you can be safe and leaf (hee hee) them all on. They'll naturally come off when the new buds push out. Sorry for the lame pun!

 

[jkd2572]

It got ridiculous cold in Chicago this. week. If left out unprotected in that kind of weather it might have died or at least shocked it into total dormancy.

 

[IndoorJenny]

Chinese Elm Help

Hello, I have a few questions on my Chinese Elm. I brought it this past summer, it's about 12 years old. I kept it outdoors until winter here in Chicago. I watered it once every 2 days and mist it once a day (kept the soil moist). Rotated every so often so that it received an even amount of sunlight. I also fertilized as well, once a week then once a month when fall started. When winter started I placed my Elm tree in my back porch with some shade and watered once a week with misting twice a week. I noticed that very few leaves changed color throughout the fall and most leaves remained green. Today I noticed that the leaves break off and break in half easily. What does this mean since I'm fairly new to Bonsai. Is it time to defoliate my Elm? Is it safe to defoliate? Are the leaved dead? Should I increase watering or is my tree dying? Thank you for your help

I also have my Elm in Illinois so hello there! I grow indoors, not out since I don't have the neighborhood or the yard or a terrace for outdoor growing, so my CE is under a grow light and reflector, and thriving. The CE leaves will turn a pretty shade of yellow and then fall off, while others will remain a shiny leathery green. You can safely defoliate simply by lighting touching a browned or yellowed leaf with your fingers or a tool - if it's ready to fall, it will, if it's not, it'll hold on and let you know – but I suggest using a finger, aside from the ease in which you'll learn which leaves are ready to go, it gives you a certain intimacy with your tree and that intimacy is often overlooked.

Since mine in under light indoors it needs watered about twice a week, and the set it in a pan or sink with 2" of water for 10 minutes method has worked best for me.

If you're unsure of when to water, a $7 moisture meter will guide you till you get a feel for it.

Generally, CE's are pretty forgiving and harder to kill than you'd think, my first tree was a CE and with no experience I kept him going and he's still going strong.