Why are the leaves falling off my bonsai tree?

[Lindavald]

Why are the leaves falling off my bonsai tree?

It is a Fukien Tea, well watered and kept in a shady place. It is an indoor plant, with no insect infestation. the leaves are all turning brown and dropping off, one of the branches has no leaves left at all. What should I do????!!!!

 

[RonsGarden]

Hmm?
You say 'well watered' which says to me you maybe overwatering. Constaint moisture may well have caused root rot and the tree is compensating by dropping leaves!
Is it in bright shade?
Some early morning sun will be appreciated then bright shade the rest of the day.
Pop it out of its pot and check the roots, if they are not firm and health they will break easily away when you move them when you inspect them.
To cover all the needs have a look at this article on culture and care for more helpful hints: http://care.bonsaioutlet.com/articles/26-bonsai-tree-care-information/205-fukien-tea-bonsai-care

 

[PRH]

If it were in my care,I would read the article several times that Ron shared the link too and even copy it if you so wished as well. Some bonsai trees do look very inviting to have,but due to alot of different temperature zones that are within this globe of ours,they are impossible to keep alive. ( check your zone well ) * I've had to do that 1 time 2 many with bonsai trees * does that stop me from having bonsai plants?? yea,right...!!!
Lay low on the water for awhile,alittle light ( as the article states ),( the zone your in,of course ) and I would not worry about fertilizing right now,you want it get the plant to to recoup for awhile! ( read up on the article -- it was a good 1 )
Best of luck to ya and let us know what the results are of your success ok??

 

[Crabbergirl]

Welcome Linda!
I agree with Ron, you can "love your plant to death". There is a perfect balance between just right and too much of a good thing If you can isolate the issue you should be able to recover the plant.
Let us know what you find out.

 

[RonsGarden]

Some suggestions on repotting: you will need let the soil dry out first, then cut away all the dead roots then repot in a loose sterile potting mix designed for bonsi!
Move the plant to bright light until it recovers. You will see more leaf drop until the root system regrows. Water sparingly, and only when the soil surface starts to dry. Water just enough to moisten the soil then let it dry out again.
Once new growth begins slowly move it to an even brighter spot with morning sun!
You may need to remove any dead stems to clean it up if now new growth buds out of the bare stem, or stems.
Yup! More plants die from too much TLC then those which are put on a regular watering regime allowing the soil to first dry out! For example: one good watering once a week is usually more then enough! During the watrmer months this may be changed to twice a week depending upon how quickly the soil dries out!

 

[Nanonberg]

I had the same problem with a gardenia bonsai from Proflowers as a Mothers Day gift from my out of state son who calls frequently to see if it is blooming, hence my motivation to save it. I read a five year old post on Answerit that recommended submerging the tree in a bucket of water once a week until the air bubbles stop. I have done that once a week for three weeks as well as watering normally every other day. No more yellow leaves and tiny replacement leaves are forming. The little guy looks happy now in his spot with three hours of direct sun. Wish I could thank that poster personally.

 

[hillview]

It could be due to over watering.Depending upon the type of the tree they may require varying amounts of water.Just water the tree once in the morning and then moisten the soil and mist the leaves.If you add too much water it can cause the root to rot which can cause the leaves to fall off.Ensure that the pot in which you plant the tree in offers suitable drainage for the tree.