Help for a Bonsai

June 7, 2011 1:51 PM

Hello! I'm having difficulty with my Bonsai tree! Help a confused beginner horticulturist out!

I love plants and i'm having trouble taking care of a bonsai. It is an Ulmus Elm. It was doing fine until the day i trimmed it. Since then it is growing extremely slowly; the new leaves are turning yellow and then drying out despite the fact that my elm is watered regularly and exposed moderately to sunlight. The weather here is moderate, with hot summers and cold winters. We get good amounts of rain during 2-3 months a year.

Also, one of the larger branches with many ramifications looks quite dead. What's the best course of action in dealing with this branch?

posted by theJigsawLady to Home & Garden (3 answers total)

I've never had a bonsai but yellow leaves can mean it is getting too much water. Let it just about dry out before watering. This way the roots can spread out and look for water and thus, get stronger.
posted by dawkins_7 at 6:33 PM on June 7, 2011

Dead branches get pruned off. I bow to dawkins' superior expertise on the matter of water.
posted by yeolcoatl at 7:26 PM on June 7, 2011

Where are you keeping it? Does it get morning sun or afternoon sun? How long have you had the tree? How often do you water it? What method of watering do you use? Do you soak the pot in a basin?

You may want to try searching the web to see if you have a local bonsai club that meets regularly or has a localized forum. They may be able to give you advice that is specific to your climate and would most likely be happy to help a fellow enthusiast out.
posted by dottiechang at 9:44 PM on June 11, 2011