Hi, I got my bonsai tree as a present about a year ago, it was a healthy & beautiful tree then but after a few months it experienced an attack by tiny spiders which was cured with the use of usual house antibug sprays.after a few weeks it relapsed & was treated the same way.we got rid of the spiders but it seems that our tree is not doing so well .The leaves are getting yellow & falling ,I can't see any signs of insects which I used to see,My father trimmed the poor tree which I think didn't help it at all.Attached you can find 3 rescent pictures of our tree. Please save our once beautiful tree from dying.Thank you so much for your time & patience.Looking forward to hear from you soon.Regards Arghavan
Hi, do you have your tree (Chinese Elm), indoors or outdoors? They do go through a rest period at this time, and go partially dormant indoors. With spider mites, you can spray the plant with water, if you have a "salad" sprayer on your kitchen sink, they work great. And in addition you can add a small fan, or get some air movement around the tree. The spider mites don't like moisture or air movement. Your tree will come back to life hopefully with a flush of new leaves.
Hello arghavan, your chinese elm needs a lot of sunlight. I believe you live in Iran. What are the weather conditions like? Does the temperature drop below freezing? Does it snow? I ask these questions because I believe you can place your tree outside in a some what shaded area and the tree will respond. I live in southern california and have approximately 24 elms of various sizes in training pots and they are out in full sun. I water them deeply, every other day. Whether they are indoors or outdoor elm's attract spider-mites. The most organic/ecological/economical way to control these types of insects is to hose down the plant. Spray the underside of the leaves first then spray the top. You do not need very high pressure to knock the insects off the leaves, just pressure high enough to remove any dust, dead leaves and debris. Another approach would be to spray the tree with a mild soap solution. Please notice the emphasis on the word soap. Do not use a detergent! The ingredients in detergents are very harsh and it will suck moisture out of the plant - from the leaves, bark and the excess run off will damage the roots. A mild soap solution - in American measurements would be 1/2 teaspoon to 1 quart water. I don't know how to convert to metric. Other methods include the use of insecticidal sprays - I cannot recommend one to you due to not knowing what is available to you in Tehran. I believe it may be winter in Tehran so the elm has gone to sleep. Do not panic, everything is fine. Water your tree every 2 - 3 days, perhaps 4 or 5 days, since the plant does not require as much. Just keep an eye on the soil moisture and water accordingly. If you have snow on the ground do not place your plant outdoor until after the last chance of snow fall. If the plant is indoor place the plant in a south facing window for maximum sunlight. That should help you out a bit. Presently I care for nearly 500 bonsai's in training and I prefer to utilize organic materials and methodology in my plant care routines. You may want to explore that avenue as well. All the best.
Chinese elms are deciduous if they don't get enough light and warmth through the winter so if you have got rid of all the spider mites then it's prbably quite normal for it to have lost all it's leaves. For now, make sure you don't over water it - it uses less water when it has no leaves and if you give it too much the roots will rot. In the spring, make sure you put it in a nice sunny position (probably warm enough to go outside in Tehran? make sure you do this gradually though). Normally, this should make the leaves come straight back. You can let your father know that in general, it's best to do pruning in the Spring - Chinese elms are very forgiving beginner species though so hopefully your will be ok.
