my question.. should i have left it out from the beginning? has
moving the
tree in and out ... put too much stress on the foliage... and
will the tree
put out a new set of leaves if these die??

Probably, probably . . . and probably (but a little less
probable, unfortunately, for the last one); it will depend on how
healthy your tree is and how vigorous its roots are. But don't
look! It doesn't need any more disturbance.

Hornbeam are cold-temperate trees. (The very similar American
hornbeam is fairly common here, but gets much less common south
of me and quits at Lake County Florida, but to the north of me,
they grow well into Canada. The Japanese version also extends
well to the north.) Given a modicum of protection for the roots
in a pot, they it should have survived those temps easily.

Put it outside in morning sun. Part shade in p.m. Defoliate --
taking MOST of the leaves, but leave one or two on each branch.
Interior leaves probably are best. Do NOT water until the soil
feels nearly dry. Stressed trees don't use much water. On the
other hand, hornbeam are a damp-woods tree, hence the "nearly."
A weak solution of an organic -- fish emulsion (with nitrogen!)
is good -- fertilizer (at a little less than 1/2 the dilution
recommended for the stuff) won't hurt when you water.

If you're going to get new leaves, they should show up in a month
or so, depending on the outside temperature.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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