Zelkova dying!??

[Mr. Joey]

Dear forum,

I'm having an issue with my bonsai and I have no clue what the issue is. Per comments on the forum a while ago I have put the tree outside since everyone said it was an outside tree. After 3 days, the tree has worsened!!

Please tell me what could fix my tree as I am hopeless

 

[p_anova]

Post a picture and fill out your location.

 

[Mr. Joey]

Post a picture and fill out your location.

Picture is added. Idk where to fill out my location but I'm in the Netherlands

Edit: added my location

 

[p_anova]

Looks like a watering issue. What is your watering schedule and where do you keep the plant?

 

[Mr. Joey]

The tree was originally behind a window with lots of sunlight. My schedule for watering is when the soil is not moist anymore. Usually that means nearly every day or once in 2 days.

I have a smaller bonsai that doesn't seem to take up much water at all and it has the same issue of seemingly dying....

 

[Mr. Joey]

Last few days the tree has been in the backyard, although it has been super sunny and hot which might not have helped the plant as it rapidly got worse... Hence why I took it inside again today

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Welcome Aboard BonsaiNut!

The condition of your tree shows a decidedly grim situation. Photo looks like it’s in garden soil the leaves are toast, while the soil is relatively dry… and the tree is inside on a humidity tray. Imho it’s very hard to grow a full grown bonsai tree inside.

This is a tree in the critical care ward. It sure looks like it’s under watered in a time it needs a good supply of moisture. The other sounds the same.

To see of damage control can be done, scratch the surface of the bark in a couple places to see if the trunk is still green. If it is green underneath, it’s possible that it can recover.

If so, take off all the leaves and find an area of day long strongly dappled sunlight in the garden outside…. On the ground in a safe place is ok. Then moisten the soil, add bark on the surface soil and keep the rootball moist.

With lots of luck, leaves may appear. If not keep the tree there through the winter and see if it perks up in springtime.

If the tree recovers you should repot in bonsai soil in the springtime.

Good Luck!

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Mr. Joey]

Welcome Aboard BonsaiNut!

The condition of your tree shows a decidedly grim situation. Photo looks like it’s in garden soil the leaves are toast, while the soil is relatively dry… and the tree is inside on a humidity tray. Imho it’s very hard to grow a full grown bonsai tree inside.

This is a tree in the critical care ward. It sure looks like it’s under watered in a time it needs a good supply of moisture. The other sounds the same.

To see of damage control can be done, scratch the surface of the bark in a couple places to see if the trunk is still green. If it is green underneath, it’s possible that it can recover.

If so, take off all the leaves and find an area of day long strongly dappled sunlight in the garden outside…. On the ground in a safe place is ok. Then moisten the soil, add bark on the surface soil and keep the rootball moist.

With lots of luck, leaves may appear. If not keep the tree there through the winter and see if it perks up in springtime.

If the tree recovers you should repot in bonsai soil in the springtime.

Good Luck!

cheers
DSD sends

There is definitely still green underneath, which at least seems hopeful.

Should I take all the leaves off or leave the ones that are still green? There are a couple!

 

[BobbyLane]

whats caused this, is not the tree being in garden soil, but that the soil has gotten too dry.

 

[Mr. Joey]

This s the smaller one. Soil is definitely thoroughly wet. There seems to be quite some moss around on the soil. Does that harm the tree in any way

 

[p_anova]

These trees does not mind being in sun......eh nevermind. What they said . Hope it pulls through.

 

[Mr. Joey]

whats caused this, is not the tree being in garden soil, but that the soil has gotten too dry.

So, definitely give more water. But that doesn't explain the other tree which is still wet?

 

[Juanmi]

The tree was originally behind a window with lots of sunlight. My schedule for watering is when the soil is not moist anymore. Usually that means nearly every day or once in 2 days.

I have a smaller bonsai that doesn't seem to take up much water at all and it has the same issue of seemingly dying....

I'm 99% sure that it's an Ulmus Parvifolia (Chinese elm). Those 2 trees are similar but there are some differences.

So, it looks like a commercial tree, I'm sure that it comes in a very poor cheap and clumped substrate, so that's why it's dying. Water can't get through the substrate. So chances are that it's indeed a watering issue.

At this time I'm watering my trees 1 to 2 times a day, I feel like 1 every other day is not enough.

After watering put a toothpick on the substrate to check if water is getting everywhere or not. If not maybe you should water them by immersion.

I hope this helps.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Sure thing.

Good news. Definitely looks like the leaves just got toasted in the sun since the roots couldn’t pass on enough water fast enough to keep them hydrated. So there is a good chance to get this tree to recover.

Please Post a photo of the other tree. Likely it was toasted too.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Mr. Joey]

Sure thing.

Good news. Definitely looks like the leaves just got toasted in the sun since the roots couldn’t pass on enough water fast enough to keep them hydrated. So there is a good chance to get this tree to recover.

Please Post a photo of the other tree. Likely it was toasted too.

cheers
DSD sends

Oh sorry, the picture didn't fully upload I'm guessing. Here is another try:

 

[BobbyLane]

looking at the weather forecast for next few days, we wont be getting much sun but some well needed rain. leave it out in a bright spot, water and feed well. it should come back, if not just throw it away and get another one.

 

[Mr. Joey]

Please note this was a very cheap bonsai, has a lot of other moss and stuff growing in the soil. As well as it has little critters inside (given this forum told me these critters were normal and won't cause the tree any harm)

 

[Mr. Joey]

looking at the weather forecast for next few days, we wont be getting much sun but some well needed rain. leave it out in a bright spot, water and feed well. it should come back, if not just throw it away and get another one.

The last thing I want to do it give up on it and throw it away. It HAS to pull through!

 

[Mr. Joey]

So, just to clarify. Do I need to take all the leaves off? The smaller one is in a worse state!

As for the bigger one, should I not just take the worse leaves on and keep the better ones?

 

[LemonBonsai]

Like Juanmi said. You will need to water it first by immersion. Compacted garden soil becomes hydrophobic which means if the water can run right past it, it will. And in a bonsai pot, water has nice big drainage holes to run out of instead of getting soaked in by the soil. You will need to get a bowl or bucket and put the tree inside then fill the bowl or bucket with water 3/4 up the pot and leave it in the water for 20 minutes so the soil can slowly be rehydrated.

After the soil is rehydrated you shouldnt have an issue with getting the soil to take water as long as you dont let it dry out again.

But as others have said, if it survives next spring it needs to be put in some good soil