'Frank'

Lottie

Lottie

Sapling
Messages
34
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18
Location
United Kingdom
Helloo everyone, this is my new Chinese Elm Bonsai named 'Frank' - no idea why, boyfriends choice.Im very new to this, it is my first Bonsai I've had, can't wait to learn about Bonsai and how to take care of them. I have already done a lot of research on Chinese Elm about watering and feeding. Hoping you guys can help me with any questions and queries I might have. I'm going to post a pic later of the leaves on my bonsai as I'm not sure if it has so disease or something. Anyway, nice to meet you all. ?
 

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Welcome to the site!
 
twisted trees said:
Where are you keeping it? Chinese elms are outside trees.
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They can also be indoor trees I have read online, and also says that in the booklet that came with him. I've tried to put it in the best conditions suggested inside. A window getting morning sunlight. And not near a radiator.
 
Vin said:
Welcome to the site. Well Frankly (get it lol!), it needs pruned and the soil looks a bit too organic. Those are things you'll learn in time. The big issue is what makes you think it's diseased?
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Haha ? yeah I pruned it a little but I wasn't sure how much I should prune it tbh. I've had it almost two weeks. And I think it might have some type of disease because there's a few spots on some of the leaves, I will add photos of this! Oh? You don't think it's in the right soil? I bought it from https://www.herons.co.uk Would they not of put it in the correct soil? Thanks :)
 
Welcome to Crazy!

I recently found out an old elm of mine Named Frank died!

Sorce
 
Potawatomi13 said:
Baaaad instructions:rolleyes:! If wanting sturdy healthy tree needs to be outdoors;).
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Can it be an indoor and out door tree? It's just I live in Norfolk, UK and we still getting a lot of cold and rainy weather at the moment....Couldn't I just pop it outside in summer? During the nicer weather?
 
Lottie said:
Can it be an indoor and out door tree? It's just I live in Norfolk, UK and we still getting a lot of cold and rainy weather at the moment....Couldn't I just pop it outside in summer? During the nicer weather?
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Hi Lottie,

Maybe some members from Britain will give you a more accurate answer, but I think that keeping outside where you live is not a problem.

Ulmus parvifolia are definitely outdoor trees, but they can also live indoors, providing that you can give them a period of dormancy (colder temps in winter). but they will fare much better if you keep them outside, after a period of careful, gradual adaptation.

Now, I don't think you'll get frosts, but maybe on the east coast there can be slight frosts until mid-May, I don't know, this is a part of England I've rarely been to.

To be on the safe side, you can put it outside at the beginning of May (probably earlier), in a shaded place.

It will probably lose some leaves: don't worry, elms are deciduous trees.

But one thing I would definitely do is repot it in a new, more adapted soil mix. But wait! Try to find bonsai enthusiasts nearby for some advice on how and what to use.

I'm sure some Britons can give you more, better advice.
 
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Hi Lottie,
Alain has given you very good advice here.
Your elm can probably go outside now. If a hard frost is forecast, stick it in your garage or something overnight, but I’d say you were safe now.

You’ve been getting various advice on soil etc on other threads. In your area there is one of the best dealers in the UK- https://www.kaizenbonsai.com

You’ll find a wealth of information on that site as well as trees and supplies. They sell their own premixed soils which would suit you well - if you are going to repot I suggest ordering some of this https://www.kaizenbonsai.com/premium-bonsai-compost-no1-new-improved-formula

Also check out

https://www.kaizenbonsai.com/bonsai-tree-care-information/graham-s-guide-to-repotting-bonsai

Finally on another thread you were asking about seeing good trees - there’s a list of shows at http://www.fobbsbonsai.co.uk/UKdiary.html

I know there are club shows in your part of the country, not sure if they’re in that diary. Perhaps the best of the remaining ‘big’ shows in the UK this year is Heathrow.

As others have probably said, try to join a local club.
 
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Hi Lottie,
First of all... I'm not an expert at all... But I had a simular tree as you have and had the same thing going on.

I live in Belgium so we have simular weather conditions as well.

A couple of weeks after I purchased the tree I had the same problem as you. Leaves started to turn yellow and dropped.
As I did some research I learned that this tree can be held indoors but it prefers to be outdoors, so I moved it outdoors and left it untouched.

As weeks passed I could clearly see that the tree felt better in these conditions. (color and growth)

I don't have a scientific explenation why but in my experience I'd say that taking it outside is the way to go.

20170923_184210.jpg
 
SupathaiflY said:
Hi Lottie,
First of all... I'm not an expert at all... But I had a simular tree as you have and had the same thing going on.

I live in Belgium so we have simular weather conditions as well.

A couple of weeks after I purchased the tree I had the same problem as you. Leaves started to turn yellow and dropped.
As I did some research I learned that this tree can be held indoors but it prefers to be outdoors, so I moved it outdoors and left it untouched.

As weeks passed I could clearly see that the tree felt better in these conditions. (color and growth)

I don't have a scientific explenation why but in my experience I'd say that taking it outside is the way to go.

View attachment 186680
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Oh, cool...Thanks very much for sharing your experience with me! Very handy to know ? Looks like yours is doing well!
 
Lottie said:
They can also be indoor trees I have read online, and also says that in the booklet that came with him. I've tried to put it in the best conditions suggested inside. A window getting morning sunlight. And not near a radiator.
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Written, I imagine, by people selling the trees. They don't necessarily have a vested interest in your tree living terribly long; if it did, you wouldn't be buying another one in a year or two. Worse, if they didn't stretch the truth, you might not buy that tree and instead pick up a Schefflera. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that, because a tree doesn't outright die in a couple of years, it's doing good being kept indoors - and these businesses capitalize on that.
I'd expect it would do well if you kept it outdoors during the summer, and brought it in for the winter (with, perhaps, some supplemental lighting).
 
Solaris said:
I'd expect it would do well if you kept it outdoors during the summer, and brought it in for the winter
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They do ok with that (lack of dormancy) for a few years, but get weaker and weaker, and die without at least a short dormant period.
 
JudyB said:
They do ok with that (lack of dormancy) for a few years, but get weaker and weaker, and die without at least a short dormant period.
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It's my understanding that they're opportunistically deciduous, and don't need a dormant period like most of our trees do.

Wikipedia says they're unreasonably cold-hardy, though, so there's not really a need to stress-test the theory.
 
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