My Bonsai Tree - Help!

[erdnase]

I have a little Chinese Elm bonsai tree, which has been sitting on my window-sill happily for the last 3 years. It can be both an indoor or outdoor tree here in the UK, and my window ledge is pretty much half and half. It gets lots of light, and it's nice and fresh where it's positioned.

Since I got it 3 years ago (it's around 15yrs old, I think), it's shed its leaves in the autumn and come spring, they've grown back. All has been well, until now. As of yet there's no sign of any leaves coming back, and if I find out it's dead and I've been watering a stick all winter, I won't be happy!

Can anyone help? Is it too early still, or could there be something else wrong? The branches are still supple and not dry/brittle like I'd expect if it were dead.

[Simpo Two]

First hunch is that you've over-watered it - the biggest cause of all houseplant deaths. Take it out of the pot and check for waterlogging. Plus, the very cold winter won't have helped - windowsills can get very cold at night. This slows growth and makes the plant need even less water.

You can tell if it's still alive by carefully scratching the surface of one or more branches. If it's brown underneath it's dead, if green, still alive.

You may be able to resuscitate it by repotting into fresh soil and paying close attention to light, heat and water.

[erdnase]

Thanks Simpo.

I'm pretty careful about overwatering, having killed numerous houseplants with it over the years! I try to be more careful these days, and only water my bonsai when the soil dries out completely. That said, I just did the scratch-test you recommended, and the results aren't good. Brown underneath and no green

I'll look into repotting it as a last ditch attempt at saving it. Thanks again for your advice.

[Simpo Two]

Happy to help. I'm not a Bonsai expert but maybe if you cut it down to the ground (like an old fuchsia) and nursed it, it might grow again from the base. Can anyone confirm? Perhaps you have nothing to lose by trying!

Another point is that spring is very late this year. A friend of mine bought a peach tree recently and by last week nothing had happened. B&Q would only give him his money back if he returned it - but it wouldn't fit in his car. So he cut the top 3 feet off to take it back in two pieces and found it was alive after all, doh!

[Shaolin]

I've always thought bonsai needed an annual long holiday outdoors to keep them healthy and alive, optimaly only being brought indoors occasionally? Do you have somewhere cooler but sheltered like a porch or something that is light where it can go for a bit?

[Simpo Two]

That makes sense - they are outdoor plants after all. The dry air of a modern heated house can't do them any good.

[NiceCupOfTea]

A lot of normal trees still have no leaves on them due to the hard winter we have had this year, take a look outside!

Don't know if this would affect an "indoor" bonsai? My FIL is into bonsais so I'll ask him when I see him.

[erdnase]

The windowsill I keep my little tree on is practically outside. The window is almost always open, and it's really only when it's very cold or frosty that I'll close the window over. As far as environments go, I would have thought it was almost ideal. It gets lots of fresh air and sunlight (not direct sunlight though.. it's an east facing window).

From what I understand, the Chinese Elm can be kept as either an indoor or outdoor tree. The first couple of years, it really thrived where it is, losing its leaves in the autumn and growing strongly in the spring/summer.

I'm still hoping it's just a late spring this year, but if nothing happens in the next few weeks I'll take it to plant A&E (my mum!), who'll help me re-pot it. Fingers crossed.. I hate losing any plant, but when it's 15yrs old, it seems particularly rotten. Thanks again for everyones help.