Help for my chinese elm bonsai!

Question

I live in Florida and it's regularly very hot 90 and humid. The bonsai is from a grower in Florida and I know they can tolerate the weather. The first 3 months it did fine, but I've had increasing yellowing leaves and now the tree is going bare. I do not water too much (I test the soil)...and I've sprayed a sulfer/fatty acid spray for fungus every 7 days. Nothing is helping. It is outside in sun part day and shade part day. What gives?

Answer 1

Since it sounds like you're doing everything by the book, it may be this. Chinese elms have a kinda weird thing about them - they are really a deciduous tree that looses it's leaves in fall and has a dormant cold winter period, BUT in can be grown indoors as a tropical and it still survives (Florida outside is considered almost tropical).

The thing is that growing them in the heat seems to mess with the summer/fall/winter cycle. Since they need to replace their leaves at least once a year normally, it seems that a small change like a few cool nights or a few very hot days sends them into a leaf renewal cycle. It happens to me all the time in my greenhouse. I may have up to 100 growing at any given time and a few always get into a cycle. First the leaves start to yellow, and over a period of time (usually about 2 weeks) all the leaves are gone. Within another 2 weeks, new leaves start emerging.

If your tree is otherwise healthy, just keep an eye out for the new leaves. You may want to give it a little more shade time to protect the tiny new leaves, and unless you have an actual fungus problem (on other plants as well) you shouldn't need to spray so much. Because of the small volume of soil in a bonsai pot, chemical buildup can be a problem. That may have even been a trigger for a leaf cycle.

Answer 2

Make sure that the plant is not getting the hot afternoon sun.

Stop using the fungus spray...  no need to use it since you do not have a fungus!

If you try a little more shade, and you are comfortable with your watering...  but the problem persists...  I would take it to a local garden center to have someone take a look at it!

Answer 3

try a little more shade.

Answer 4

Bonsai should never need spraying.And really it shouldn't be outside in hot weather.They just aren't that tolerant.They should be shaded at all times.I would say you've killed it.Be careful next time.

Answer 5

You seem to be a very caring grower who is very concerned about her bonsai. This site is by an artist/grower and there may be info that you can used.

http://www.american-bonsai.com

If need be, you can even contact him through the site.