help - new worried bonsai owner

annamariadcruz · #1 January 26th, 2007, 12:59 PM

I confess to not knowing anything about the tree before I bought it for christmas. The label said it was around 9yrs old. Then, it had some dead blooms on it, and some dried up leaves. It was watered and placed in a bright room, and seemed to fare pretty well, with new bright green leaves. We then moved it to another apartment, and all the leaves have died. Its soil is perpetually wet - we try to water every couple of days (but I don't know how much). When it was moved (about 3weeks ago), I gave it a dilute solution of regular plant feed during one watering. We haven't pruned it, as we don't know how to. It is in a north facing room, but we have just moved it somewhere brighter, to a south room. It also has a couple of tiny black flies arount its base, and perhaps some black spots on one part of its trunk. We are deeply concerned about it, and really really want to save it. I don't know how to put up pics (although I have some, so if someone knows, please help). It's leaves are just turning dry even though its soil is wet. There are still a few bright green ones remaining though - how can I tell if he can be saved or not?

Here's some pics:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s.../bonsai007.jpg

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s.../bonsai001.jpg

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s.../bonsai004.jpg

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s.../bonsai002.jpg

interlude · #2 January 26th, 2007, 01:54 PM

you need to know if it is a indoor or outdoor tree. and look on the web for bonsaitoday.com

**globalist1789** · #3 January 26th, 2007, 01:54 PM

I can't ID the tree from the photo. Bonsai is not a type of tree it's a way of training them, so it is very, very important to know what species you are dealing with.

Firstly, I can say that there is a very good chance that you have watered it to death. Sorry to say. If your lucky you haven't. The very first thing to do is get it out to that foil pan and stop watering it so much. Use your finger to feel in the soil and only water when the first 1/2 of the soil is totally dry. No leaves means that it isn't using much water, so it's got wet feet and the water isn't going anywhere. This leads to rot, and rotten roots means a dead tree.

Give it lots of light, water a lot less, and don't feed it until it is well recovered. It's a very nice tree and I really hope that it makes it.

annamariadcruz · #4 January 26th, 2007, 02:14 PM

I'm sorry, I know the name: thousand star serissa. Is there anything I could do to prevent rot setting in? So no more watering for now I guess?
thanks,
a-m

**James D.** · #5 January 26th, 2007, 05:07 PM

It sounds like you rotted the roots, you shouldn't have watered it while it was still wet, or had it in a north facing window if it needed more light. If you take it out of its container and check the root to see if they are rotted or scratch the bark the see if the cambium layer is still green( use finger nail to scratch the bark). if the cambium is still green then it will survive, it may takes months before it will be back to growing and untill then only water it if it drys out.