claramsh

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Thank you to everyone who has helped me with the issue I’ve had in the last post. I have repotted the plant, and while doing so I noticed that my plant had root rots. I took out the rotten ones mostly, but then I noticed a black-brown spot on its thickest root, and I didn’t cut it since it looked like it was the root it was mostly living off of, and I’m scared to kill the plant. I haven’t applied fungicide on the roots yet but I’m planning to do so at the end of this week, but I don’t know what to do about that brown spot, should I cut that root? Will it regrow? And, is there other methods that I could use to help the root rot on top of using the fungicide?
 

Bnana

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In what kind of soil is it now? If it's in good soil root rot is no issue.
 

claramsh

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I’ve replanted my bonsai two days ago, I’m actually not sure what kind of soil it is. I ordered my bonsai online and its soil was horrible, so there was this soil I found in one of my garden plants that seems to drain the water well, and I’ve used it now. I ordered a bonsai mix that contain pumice, lava rock and akadama, and I will mix it with some compost, this will arrive at the end of this week though. I’m worried that by the end of the week the root will rot horribly to a point of not being able to save it, and what worries me is that the tap root is affected already. I’ve heard that I need to cut the affected roots but how will my bonsai get better from the damage without taking away its main source of water and food?
 

Bnana

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Don't mix compost into the bonsai mix, that will clog it. The idea of these soils is that they are free draining and let air in. If you add compost that doesn't work anymore.
An elm can do with very few roots but you can't cut them all away. Most important is to get it into proper circumstances, bonsai soil and outside.
 

claramsh

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Don't mix compost into the bonsai mix, that will clog it. The idea of these soils is that they are free draining and let air in. If you add compost that doesn't work anymore.
An elm can do with very few roots but you can't cut them all away. Most important is to get it into proper circumstances, bonsai soil and outside.
Will I need to keep my bonsai outside at all times? Or can I get it back in once the roots are settled? I know if I change its environment too much it will stress it and will be very hard for it to adapt. At the moment it’s at a windowseal where it’s very cold, the window is in our house’s staircase which leads to the outside door and it’s fairly cold and airy there. I am worried of putting it outside because my house is kind of like a flat, and the outside bit isn’t in a private yard, so it will be easy for it to be stolen. I wanted to keep it on the window for now since I’ve kept it there for while, and I’m thinking that it may be used to the environment. I don’t know if it will help the plant though. Should I apply fungicide on its roots once I cut them too?
 

claramsh

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Don't mix compost into the bonsai mix, that will clog it. The idea of these soils is that they are free draining and let air in. If you add compost that doesn't work anymore.
An elm can do with very few roots but you can't cut them all away. Most important is to get it into proper circumstances, bonsai soil and outside.
The soil I ordered is also mainly rocky, would that be okay for my chinese elm?
 

Bnana

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Elms can grow inside but they do a lot better outside. On a window sill there is less air movement and less light. A south facing windows lets more light in but it gets very warm.

These rocky soils are great, they let air in so the roots can breath. The main cause of root rot is lack of oxygen, the roots don't die because they rot, they rot because they died.
 

Tieball

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You know....a photo or two....or more....would be really helpful.
 

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Elms can grow inside but they do a lot better outside
I here this over and over again. I am not a novice as I have been working with plants since I was a child and I am nearly 72 with several hundreds of plants inside and outside.
I cannot keep a Chinese Elm inside long term. I bring it cuttings to root and get them right back outside asap.
 

claramsh

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Elms can grow inside but they do a lot better outside. On a window sill there is less air movement and less light. A south facing windows lets more light in but it gets very warm.

These rocky soils are great, they let air in so the roots can breath. The main cause of root rot is lack of oxygen, the roots don't die because they rot, they rot because they died.
Ahh, I see. Thank you so much for your help.
 

claramsh

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You know....a photo or two....or more....would be really helpful.
I have this other thread on which I’ve posted some photos which is why I didn’t include any in this thread, but I’ll attach some now. My plant seems diseased as well, so I will replant it in good soil, I will cut any rotten roots and will apply fungicide. I have changed its place to a big windowsill (not the one in this picture, this pocture was before I moved it)where it gets plenty of light as well and hopefully it’s not too warm. If it doesn’t get better I might move it outside.
 

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claramsh

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I here this over and over again. I am not a novice as I have been working with plants since I was a child and I am nearly 72 with several hundreds of plants inside and outside.
I cannot keep a Chinese Elm inside long term. I bring it cuttings to root and get them right back outside asap.
So do you think I should leave it outside? I’ve changed its place many times inside the house, I’m worried that it will stress it once I get it outside. Will it adapt to the indoors conditions though? I know it’s selfish of me trying to keep it in, but we don’t have a yard, I can leave it in front of my house but someone can easily steal it since many people would walk past it... I’m so conflicted and I don’t know what to do...
 

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claramsh

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