GardenBanter.co.uk - [IBC] Bonsai Tree

----- Original Message -----
From: "Johnanpamorgan"

About three months ago I purchased a Bonsai Tree Serissa
Foetida(Tree of a
thousand stars) we have followed all the information on
watering but the leaves
are turning yellow and falling off. About ten days ago we
re-potted it but
still the leaves are falling off. Please can you help.

Nice to know that J.P. Morgan is into bonsai. ;-)

I wouldn't worry too much. Serissa do that, and take diabolical
delight in worrying newcomers to the sport of bonsai.

You, perhaps, should not have repotted. But this is an OK time
of year to do that so it's probably OK. But expect most -- or
even all -- of the leaves to fall . . . then grow back.

While the tree is bare -- or nearly bare -- don't water too much.
Let the soil dry out before watering. Use a broken-off chopstick
jammed into the soil half way between the trunk and the pot wall.
Remove the stick once a day and feel the dirty end. If it is
damp do NOT water. If it feels dry, WATER. Even after the
leaves return this is a good practice to follow. Overwatering
kills.

Since you have repotted, I assume there are no glued-on rocks
covering the soil. ;-) That's good.

When new leaves start to show up, you might want to use a regular
houseplant fertilizer, following the direction on the label, and
give the tree a dose of fertilizer. Repeat about every 2 weeks
thereafter.

Note: Your tree will loose (or threaten to lose) its leaves
whenever you do something it considers to be drastic.

Like moving it more than 6 inches. Bringing it inside after a
warm summer. Putting it outside after an indoors winter.
Changing windowsills. Opening a window.

Or sneezing.

Good luck. And, I suggest you get another -- different -- tree.
If you can grow outside, I'd suggest a juniper, or an azalea. If
you're stuck with growing indoors, try one of the figs -- Ficus
nerifolia, or F. benjamina. You can have fun with them while
your Serissa sulks.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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