Help sick bonsai

[Daniel Dawson]

Hey there first time poster! Looking for some expert thoughts and suggestions.

I have had my bonsai for 13 years (see pics) it's a flowering Fukien tea kifu and to be honest it's been the easiest thing to take care of, water it once a week, I have had in direct sun, barely any sun each time I have moved homes it's had slightly different sunshine and it has never affected it. It's been so easy!.....

.....Up until 3 months ago that is. We recently moved and about 1.5 months after moving it just turn yellow and dropped over half its leaves. I thought maybe it's getting to much morning sun so I backed it off away from the window... Then I noticed the brown spots on the leaves which you can see in the pics. I thought it might help to repot it and spray it with pesticide which I did and that was about 3-4 weeks ago and not much change has happened.

Anyone have an idea of what might be the issue? I am stumped at what to do.

 

[JudyB]

When I had a fukien it was prone to scale infestations, so I tried to use insecticidal soaps. The tree didn't fare well with soap spray, I had to spray the soap, then rinse it off after it dried. I don't think their leaves like being coated with substances. I'm not sure what your spots are, but it must not have acclimatized to your new space. If it's not getting worse, then watch for insects or scale, and watch your watering. Yellow leaves often mean too much water. Maybe someone else can help you more, good luck.

 

[sorce]

Has it ever been repotted?

The black dots seem to correspond with What are normally white spots?

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[Daniel Dawson]

Has it ever been repotted?

The black dots seem to correspond with What are normally white spots?

Sorce

I just repotted it a couple weeks ago to see if that would help, which it hasn't improved. Previous to that it had been nearly 4 years.

For a tree that has been so easy for 13 year on water, light and so on it seems to be throwing a fit and can't figured it out.

 

[petegreg]

I think it needs acclimatisation and well balanced watering. The brown spots are drying pores on the drying leaves...nothing more.
As for insects, Fukien tea suffers badly from louses, this is the only insect attacking mine. Next to my FT there are a chinese elm being attacked by spider mites regularly and a ficus infested by the scale insects. The fukien tea tree is not prone to them.

 

[sorce]

Sounds like it will come back nice in a few.

If it has never done this in 13 years, it's Probly just due!

I'd leave it where you thought it was getting too much sun and not worry.

Fukien the Tea tree!

Sorce

 

[Daniel Dawson]

Sounds like it will come back nice in a few.

If it has never done this in 13 years, it's Probly just due!

I'd leave it where you thought it was getting too much sun and not worry.

Fukien the Tea tree!

Sorce

Thanks for the help!

 

[Daniel Dawson]

I think it needs acclimatisation and well balanced watering. The brown spots are drying pores on the drying leaves...nothing more.
As for insects, Fukien tea suffers badly from louses, this is the only insect attacking mine. Next to my FT there are a chinese elm being attacked by spider mites regularly and a ficus infested by the scale insects. The fukien tea tree is not prone to them.

Ok so what I am understanding is that I should just let it adjust to the southern sun it gets and just watch how much and when I water it.

 

[sorce]

Thanks for the help!

I don't know if it's good "help",
It just sounds like you don't need "help"!



Curious what the whole thing looks like...

Sorce

 

[Daniel Dawson]

I don't know if it's good "help",
It just sounds like you don't need "help"!



Curious what the whole thing looks like...

Sorce

Lol it does help bc I am freaking out! Heck after having it 13 years it's like apart of me! I would post of full pics but man it's ugly right now most of the branches are bare! Once I it turns around I will surely post!

 

[petegreg]

Ok so what I am understanding is that I should just let it adjust to the southern sun it gets and just watch how much and when I water it.

Well, mine prosper well on the E-facing window sill... Sorce's asked sth concerning when repoted last time, it can be important.

 

[sorce]

Lol it does help bc I am freaking out! Heck after having it 13 years it's like apart of me! I would post of full pics but man it's ugly right now most of the branches are bare! Once I it turns around I will surely post!

I would wait for some other advice....

But I was thinking about defoliating it on purpose....and letting it grow anew, where it was, or wherever it will be as close to the same location as if has been healthy for 13!

Then you could take a nice bare pic!

Sorce

 

[markyscott]

Daniel - can you please tell us what part of the country you live? What is your climate zone? Where did you move from and what kind of climate did you have there? If you add that info to your profile, we won't have to keep asking you but we really need to know to give you advice.

Did you always keep the FT inside? Or was it cared for outside before?