"Iris Cohen" wrote:
I have a couple of Bonsai trees (Zelkova Schneidria) which are starting
to
show a white powder-like substance around the lower part of the trunk.

I tried to find out more about this Zelkova "Schneidria." It is from
Gwangdong
province and apparently a lot of them have been imported into Europe the
past
couple of years. A picture shows a densely leaved specimen very similar to
standard Chinese elm.
The white powder is excess undissolved salts, & the tree will eventually
be
harmed. At present, every time you water, pour the water into the soil
generously for several minutes. In the spring, repot in better drained
soil.

Yes, you are right concerning the origin of the tree: the accompanying
leaflet states that this is a warm area of China, and therefore the bonsai
is suitable for growing indoors. The "Schneidria" is probably something
added by the Dutch importer. However, this is confusing, as my bonsai
guide says that the Zelkova sheds leaves in Winter, and that has not
been the case with the trees which I have.

A couple more questions: I have been unable to get any specialist
bonsai fertilizer, but was advised by the store where I bought the
trees that it was ok to use a houseplant food "pellet" once per month.
Is that good advice? Also, how much water should I use on the plant
each day? ( I am currently using about 2 egg-cup fulls every day).

Jim Humphreys