Yes I only put mine outside when the temps are above 50 degrees. Like tonight the low is predicted to be 46 so I'll bring it in and then put back out tomorrow when temps are back up. I check my trees every morning before work and again when I get home for signs of pests, disease and if they need water or not. I water it when the soil is almost dry about 1/4 inch down. I do know that they die back to next node when cut. I cut the dead back to the node right before the live part just once when all the lower branches died back several inches trying to encourage new growth but the branches just keep dieing further back that's the part I'm trying to figure out I haven't cut any more off just the once I just don't have pictures of tree before the issue came up but it was full and health up to this year.
The average air humidity here is around 70 to 80 year round, i can't tell you how to overwinter BRTs, because mine just stay on my bench. But what i can tell you is that BRTs are very resilient, i would put it in full sun, and let it regrow and compartimentalize the damage that already occurred. They love sun, water and high temperatures, you said that you had a week with 30s to 40s at night, this seems really low to me, our winter is really short and not that cold, but sometimes it gets from 42 to 35, when that happen mine drops all their foliage, but this temperatures lasts only 2 or 3 weeks a year here at my place.
I'll try tenting it but right now it gets moved in and out because of temps. When inside the humidity is higher its just low outside today yesturday it was raining and humidity was 87 and it's flourished years before
Since its just getting outside this year I always ease it into the full sun but it's getting alot of sun just not fully direct. Over winter I keep the humidity as high as I can at least 50 and the temp is 68 to 70 degrees inside I bring the tree inside anytime temps drop into low 50's. I was thinking once I get it to recover about chopping top part off but don't know if they like that.
You can cut them back to a stump if you want without any foliage or branches left, but it has to be a healthy tree, don’t remove anything until it recovers and sprouts profusely.
They were suggested by the place I purchased the tree too help keep the soil moist like mulch. I have it in organic tropical/subtropical soil mix from bonsaiboy of new York I just push some of the stones off to the side and test soil with my finger to see if wet and how far down
Have you checked it for pests? Spider mites, thrips, etc. Since you mentioned this has been going on since March I would suspect pests. I've had many problems with pests in my plant room over this past winter.
I have looked for pests I didn't see any but I didn't use a magnifying glass so maybe. I did treat them with beyer 3 in 1 before brining in for winter and sprayed with neem oil once or twice during winter. Thanks I'll take a very close look
Ok thanks
