chinese elm leaf drop

3069James

hi all I got this chinese elm this fall I gave it a dormancy period till december then brought it in it grew great for awhile then it lost most of its leaves then it came back and grew new leaves now it is doing it again I let it dry about .5 of an inch before I water it gets 17 hrs of light a day temp flucuates from 75 to night to day85 humidity is around 70 to 85% what am I doing wrong please help

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badlad52

How much light is it getting? It's being kept VERY warm, so will require higher light (basically the warmer a tree is kept, the more light it will require). Probably 60-65 degrees, and a S. facing window are your best bet, unless you have some of the HO mercury or sodium lamps...

3069James

it's getting 4 40 watt flourecent bulbs 2 red 2 blue

badlad52

Hmmm... I guess I can't say for sure, but that's probably not enough. Do you have the option of cooling it down some?

3069James

yesI do but the humidity will drop to about 50% lowest temp would be about 70 farenhight

susieq

Hello James,
If I read your profile right you are in North West Ohio? And you let your elm be dormant until December ? And now you have it inside the house? I am not sure but I am guessing that your elm would be better off being left dormant through your winter.....kept in an unheated garage or out building near enough to a window to get some day light during the daytime hours. It would be much easier to keep your elm happy and awake during the normal season for this....from spring until fall. It should be dormant right now. My only concern would be if it is in a bonsai pot, to protect the roots from freezing hence keeping it in an unheated but protected area like the garage.

It would also require very little water at this time. Don't try to fight the normal seasonal cycles.....with grow lights and all that stuff. This isn't a tropical tree, it is a deciduous tree and it should be napping right now....that is my best guess.
Good luck with your tree.
susieq

badlad52

These trees are actually subtropical. They will not drop their leaves unless it gets cold enough, and some people think they are more ideal than fiscus for keeping indoors. Just not too warm! Really, the cooler the better, and if you want to allow the tree to go dormant, allow it to wake up slowly and naturally...

3069James

hi Susieq The reason I did it this way is because the person I bought it from said they give thier elms short dormancy periods so I thought I would do the same believe me if it survives till it can go outside that's where it will stay from now on

3069James

well this tree has spider mites this does turn the leaves yellow brownish with some green I treated it the other day the new growth looks healthy I will do a follow up treatment next wed that will be 7 days between treatments