Bonsai help. All the leaves came off.

[Bananas1350]

I have a bonsai tree that I kept on a west facing window. All was fine. Then I realised that all the plants on there were frying in the afternoon hot sun and moved them.

so it went onto a east facing window. All was fine I thought. Was watering normally. And then it got knocked one day and I realised that all the leaves had died but just not fallen off.

I soaked it and fed it and it has now got small re growth. Unfortunately I don’t know how long the leaves had all been dead. ( note to self pay better attention ). In my defense I have never had a bonsai before and had no idea the leaves wouldn’t fall off when dead.

the tree is still alive as I can see new growth slowly coming through.

can anyone advise the best place to keep it then. Would the really hot afternoons sun have done this?

I know very little about bonsai trees, except they they are normally grown outdoors, because they are miniature trees. I would think it has suffered from hot sun indoors.

it’s probably best to place it in a sheltered spot outside, and kept moist (some need watering daily in the summer). It would also help to know which tree it is.

@yamadori is the best person to give advice!

What species is it, I suspect that would be important?

It’s a Chinese elm.

Hi @Bananas1350 and thanks to @NanTheWiser for the shout out...

Okay, if it is a Chinese elm then although they can cope reasonably well with indoor conditions (and are often sold as such), they are actually a hardy tree and prefer to be outdoors, at least in the summer months. If you have somewhere you can keep it in the shade outside for a few weeks, then it will be able to recover and put out some new growth. Keep it well watered and out of strong winds and fingers crossed it will produce a whole load of new leaves. Then if you want to bring it indoors for the winter, keep it in a cool room with plenty of natural light and away from sources of heat such as radiators.

This is brilliant. Thanks!!!!

Ooh, can I jump on a bonsai thread?! I hope yours recovers, OP. New growth sounds promising.

I have a bonsai hazel, it’s new. It’s outdoors and very small. The leaves have started to go a bit brown on the tips? Has it got too hot? I’m so worried about it.

It also has some whitefly on the leaves underneath so I squashed them.

Browning leaf tips have a variety of causes, the most common being a lack of water, which can be for a number of reasons. All trees transpire through their leaves (basically that means that water is lost from evaporation and the normal processes of photosynthesis). When the leaves lose water faster than it can be replaced, then the leaf tips will not receive enough and will dry out.
If it is underwatered, there is not enough water for the plant to replace that which is lost through the leaves. There is also then an issue with the roots being damaged from lack of water which doesn't help matters either.
On a windy day, evaporation is greater, and the tree can't move water up its stems fast enough to replace it.
Very hot days have a similar effect, but the plant effectively shuts down to protect itself, which can cause leaf tip problems too.
Ideally, a tree in a bonsai pot needs to be in a sheltered position, in dappled shade for at least the hottest part of the day, and kept well watered. You can increase the humidity round the tree on very hot days by standing it near a pond if you have one, or a dish of water nearby.
Bear in mind though, that roots need air as well as water to function, and waterlogging at the roots can cause the same symptoms as a lack of water. This is why bonsai pots usually have feet and large drainage holes underneath, so the roots don't sit in water.

Pests can be squashed with your fingers as you have done, squirted off with jets of water, or you can use a proprietary pesticide such as Roseclear or an organic version if you prefer.

Thanks so much. I’ve moved it to a place which gets a bit less sun and hope that works. It wasn’t one that I bought and isn’t in proper bonsai soil so I might replant it in the autumn.

@DidItMatter A good supplier of bonsai soil online is Kaizen Bonsai, avoid the stuff marked as bonsai compost in garden centres, it's not much use. If you want some reading matter, there's a book called Bonsai Basics by Colin Lewis that you might find helpful.

Thanks @Yamadori I’ve taken it out of its pot and it’s really waterlogged. Quite peaty soil. So I think maybe it’s overwatered. I’ve changed the soil. Prob a terrible time to do this but I was worried about how soggy the soil was and rotting the roots. We’ll see. I feel such responsibility for the tiny trees.

@Bananas1350 Any news - did it pull through?

Oh no, sorry to hear about your bonsai. Moving it to a less sun-intensive spot was a smart call. But when it comes to placement, perhaps you could consider a spot with bright, indirect light to avoid the harsh afternoon sun. And if you're ever looking for more tips or guidance on nurturing your bonsai back to full health, you might find some helpful insights over at https://bonsaiforbeginners.com/

I looked at that website. You lost me at the bit where it says you can grow junipers indoors. Not in the UK you can't. A rookie error which calls all the other information on that website into question as well.