Help me save my tree

AndrejsJ

Seedling
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Hi guys!

I live in Eastern Europe and bought my first Bonsai (Carmona) before transporting it to my apartment tree was full with leaves and looked healthy. But tree started to loose leaves and now there are only few left. I tried doing some crazy things like repotting it, fertilizing and letting sit on the window sill to get some sun (i have a bright apartment so tree did get some sun).

Tree is repotted in a well-drained bonsai soil and akadama. I have morning sun for about 2-3h and set-up grow light on 06.03. from 6PM-6AM My apartment is warm +20c degrees.

Please, any suggestions? Because It has two big leaves, so that indicates that tree is not dead yet, i don’t know what killed it but help me save it please.

Please see attachment.
 

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sparklemotion

Shohin
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The only advice I can give you right now is that your lighting schedule seems backwards. Plants need darkness, and if you're lighting the tree overnight (6PM-6AM) it's not getting it.

Can you provide a clearer time frame of when you did what (with non-ambiguous dates, please, I have a hard time switching from EU to North American day/month order)? If you repotted it and fertilized it after it was dropping leaves that was probably unwise (never fertilize a stressed tree). What kind of soil was it in? Did you get it from a bonsai nursery? How long was it exposed to the cold between the store and your house?

Lots of people seem to have trouble with carmona (fukien tea), so don't feel too bad.
 

AndrejsJ

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Regarding the light, well the tree gets direct light only from 10AM-1PM, after that its just bright with no direct sun light, after 6PM it’s completely dark, what could be the best grow light timing?

Okey, so i got the tree on about 20th of february it was just in regular soil please see attachment, i got the tree from local supermarket we have Home Depot, and i transported it in a car but temperature was below 0’c for a few hours.

I repotted the tree in a soil once again yesterday because i thought it was the issue, and also overwatering, since it was my first tree I’m trying to figure out how to revive it.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
 

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just.wing.it

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It might come right back...
These trees don't like being moved much...
Many times, when relocated, they drop all leaves, and pout a bit...then grow back.
If you really think it's dead, you can do a scratch test.
Just pick an inconspicuous spot and scrape a little bark away, if it's green underneath, it's alive still!

Welcome to the Nut House!
 

AndrejsJ

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Yes, it is still green.

Thank you just.wing.it for all your suggestions, I will leave it alone for a while and hope it responds to the new environment.
 

Carol 83

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It's normal for them to lose leaves when put in a different environment, watered too much, too little, or just because they want to be a pain. Hopefully, it will come back for you.
 

AndrejsJ

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Thanks, one more question, how long usually does it take them to adapt and show some life signs if all is well?
 

sparklemotion

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Regarding the light, well the tree gets direct light only from 10AM-1PM, after that its just bright with no direct sun light, after 6PM it’s completely dark, what could be the best grow light timing?

If you are going to run a light, do it from 6am-6pm (or 10am-10pm)...basically, your 12 hours of growlight should be "daytime" hours. Yes, that's overlapping with your direct sun time, but sunlight through a window is a lot less strong than sunlight outside.

Okey, so i got the tree on about 20th of February it was just in regular soil please see attachment, i got the tree from local supermarket we have Home Depot, and i transported it in a car but temperature was below 0’c for a few hours.

I repotted the tree in a soil once again yesterday because i thought it was the issue, and also overwatering, since it was my first tree I’m trying to figure out how to revive it.

I think this is the timeline that this tree has gone through:
  • February 20: Buy tree, tree exposed to freezing temps (hopefully just between buildings and car, not actually outside for a few hours).
  • February 20ish: Repot from regular soil to bonsai soil (pls confirm)
  • ...leaves dropping...
  • March 6: Added growlight
  • March 11: Repotted to regular soil
If this is accurate, this tree is likely crazy stressed. Fix the light situation, and then focus on keeping the right amount of water in the soil (moist, but not soggy) at all times. No fertilizer, no moving, no pruning, no repotting. Watch for buds for the next month or so.
 

just.wing.it

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If you are going to run a light, do it from 6am-6pm (or 10am-10pm)...basically, your 12 hours of growlight should be "daytime" hours. Yes, that's overlapping with your direct sun time, but sunlight through a window is a lot less strong than sunlight outside.



I think this is the timeline that this tree has gone through:
  • February 20: Buy tree, tree exposed to freezing temps (hopefully just between buildings and car, not actually outside for a few hours).
  • February 20ish: Repot from regular soil to bonsai soil (pls confirm)
  • ...leaves dropping...
  • March 6: Added growlight
  • March 11: Repotted to regular soil
If this is accurate, this tree is likely crazy stressed. Fix the light situation, and then focus on keeping the right amount of water in the soil (moist, but not soggy) at all times. No fertilizer, no moving, no pruning, no repotting. Watch for buds for the next month or so.
Amen!
 

AndrejsJ

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I think this is the timeline that this tree has gone through:
  • February 20: Buy tree, tree exposed to freezing temps (hopefully just between buildings and car, not actually outside for a few hours).
  • February 20ish: Repot from regular soil to bonsai soil (pls confirm)
  • ...leaves dropping...
  • March 6: Added growlight
  • March 11: Repotted to regular soil
If this is accurate, this tree is likely crazy stressed. Fix the light situation, and then focus on keeping the right amount of water in the soil (moist, but not soggy) at all times. No fertilizer, no moving, no pruning, no repotting. Watch for buds for the next month or so.

Okey, I will change light schedule from 8AM-8PM, it is more flexible from me.

Timeline seems correct, only thing is I repotted on 11th of march to a better bonsai soil so there shouldn’t be any watter holding in the soil and soggy issues.

I will set both my lights then and follow instructions provided, thanks!
 

Ingvill

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All my elms & ficuses lost a lot of leaves, some lost almost all leaves, when being moved from the shop (greenhouse environment) and into my (very dry & dark) house last fall.
I placed them on a south facing window sill, watered them when needed (I stuck my finger in soil every day to check) and I waited to fertilize until they showed normal growth again.
They all bounced back just fine on their own.
It's my understanding that many trees lose leaves when suddenly switching environments, it can be a bit of a shock for them.
And that healthy trees usually bounce back on their own if we give them time to adjust.
So I would just follow the good advise you've gotten here from experienced people, and I wish you the best of luck with your new tree :)
 

AndrejsJ

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Thanks Ingvill.
sorce
I think I’ll pass on that, hoping for thr best :D
 

JosephCooper

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Repotting is very hard on trees, especially when they are weak.

Putting it in good soil right now and fertilizing it will really stress the tree.

Overcare will do the same.

Try not to mess with it for a while, okay?
 

AndrejsJ

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Yes, thanks JosephCooper, for now I will just let it chill on the window-sill for a month without moving it, just watering when soil seems dry and leaving lights from ~8AM-8PM

Thank you for all the suggestions, probably will give an update in a month or so!
 

JudyB

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Put a wooden skewer into the soil and leave it in there, pull it out every day to see if it's still wet, then when it starts to dry you can water it.
Welcome. Please go to your profile page and put your location in, so people can give you good advice for your climate.
 

AndrejsJ

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Put a wooden skewer into the soil and leave it in there, pull it out every day to see if it's still wet, then when it starts to dry you can water it.
Welcome. Please go to your profile page and put your location in, so people can give you good advice for your climate.

Thank you JudyB, this is actually what I am doing already! Just updated my profile, thanks :)
 
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