Oh, I should probably say that I keep my ligustrum indoors. It's in a well-light position away from direct sunlight.

Thanks a million!

Aleka

Aleka - where do you live? It matters in relation to where you keep it, but for now, relax = it's a deciduous plant, like a maple tree, or any tree with leaves rather than needles, and it will lose leaves in winter like any of the others. I do suggest though that you keep it in the coolest room you have now, but sunlight is important - until more than less leaves have fallen, then it's not needed, but then you should also water less often - a dormant tree (which is the stage yours is going through) only needs to be kept slightly moist throughout, but not wet or soggy at all.

Aleka - I just noticed that you said you were pruning branches - big mistake! You're stressing the tree like crazy, when it's trying to rest up for spring - you're asking it (by pruning) to grow more leaves when it's tired. I guess it's too late now, and it might be ok anyhow, but just relax a little and let it be what it's trying to be, and don't try to force things all at once. It may do nothing at all til May in the way of new growth, so just water less often (but don't let it dry out) and give the remaining leaves good light all day.

Dear Lucy,

Thank you for your prompt reply. I live in Greece and I keep my ligustrum bonzai indoors. My appartment is extremely hot (as central heating is on on a 24-hour basis). It's too hot even for me. I try to leave a window open for my bonzai and spray it regularly to cool it. However, no matter what I do it keeps losing its leaves.

I got this tree as a present and fell in love it instantly. I mean I was so proud it kept growing so quickly that I kept talking to everybody about it. It was so beautiful and now it is bald.

Do you think it's a good idea to prune the empty branches? This is what I have been doing so far and I noticed that a few new baby leaves have just started to spring.

Also, when I repotted it (about a month ago) I did not use the right soil for a bonzai but a good quality compost for indoor plants. I did the same with the liquid fertilizer I used. The only reason why I kept using them is that the more I used them the better the tree looked, it grew more and more so I thought it would be ok to keep on using them.

Oh, thank you for replying to my query. I am really desperate and worried that my tree might be dying.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
Aleka

Dear Lucy,

I promise, no more pruning. I should tell you that I was only cutting the soft tips off and not the branches (you know the tender green branches). I hope I have not damaged it or anything!!
So you think that my tree is going to sleep for winter and I should just leave it alone until May?
Okay I will do so.
Thank you very much for all your help and I apologise if I sounded too stressed. I just love the little thing and don't want to see it losing all its leaves.

Regards,
Aleka

Aleka:

I have to admit to ignorance of the climatic conditions that you experience in your location. I have no idea how cold it gets where you are. You say that your central heating is such that you are uncomfortable; I am sure that your tree is stressed due to high heat and low humidity. I too grow Ligustrum, although possibly not the same variety. A book I own lists L. lucidum, (Glossy privet) and L. japonicum rotundifolium, (Wax-leaf privet) as appropriate as indoor bonsai, preferring a cool location during the winter months but able to adapt to a warmer conditions.

Depending on your climate, you may want to consider moving it outdoors. If this is not advisable due to temperature, you do not have an appropriate location or simply prefer not to, I would suggest a few changes in your cultural practices.

A humidity tray will help alleviate the dry conditions that I assume you have in your home. This consists of a shallow tray with pebbles or coarse gravel on the bottom. Water is kept below the top of the gravel so as not to allow osmosis through the soil.

You said in another post that you repotted with a general purpose potting soil. I would consider repotting it in a proper bonsai mix, but not now since you have done so recently and the plant is under stress. This type of soil may be holding too much water; too wet a situation can cause root damage. The soil may appear dry on top but be waterlogged below. Make sure that the soil approaches dryness before watering thoroughly; then repeat this cycle being sure to keep the water level in the humidity tray below the gravel. A plant that is stressed and not actively growing will need much less water than it did previously so be careful.

For similarly reasons withhold fertilizer until your plant makes a full recovery, this may not be for some time. It may be that it in your zeal to assure its health you have over-fertilised; this can also cause leaves to dry out. As far as pinching growing shoots I do this all summer long as they grow so I donÂt think you caused any real damage removing just the new shoots. But again I would allow the plant to recover its vitality before you pinch more.

Norm

Dear Norm,

the climate in my country is very dry to begin with but it is also quite cold during the winter. The thing is that I have had this tree for approximately 7 months now most of which was during winter time with the heating turning the place into an oven. So, I think that it's strange that all this is happening now. Is it possible that the tree is going to sleep for winter?
As for taking it outdoors, my balcony is facing north and the winds are pretty fierce so I don't think that my little ligustrum will like it there.
I also noticed that some of the leaves are wrinkled and blackish but not dry or anything, still soft and all. However, I must say that there is evidence of new growth, particularly in the lower parts of the trunk -which I suppose is a little comforting.
I mean if the tree was going to die wouldn't it have turned yellow or something?
For now, I have opened the window and place it on the seal. The weather is pretty fair today so I thought it would be okay for it to sit there for a while and catch a bit of fresh air and lots of sun.
Norm, thank you for your help and for your detailed reply. I think it's very kind that you are trying to help me and all.

Regards,
Aleka

Aleka, wrinkled and blackish means either it got much too cold, which doesn't sound likely, or it means the soil is much too wet, which I think is more likely. Let it dry out more between waterings.

Dear Lucy,

Thank you very much for all your help. I really do appreciate it.

Regards,

Aleka

It sounds to me like there are two things going on here. Indoors is not the proper place to be growing a temperate plant, though Privet(lugustrum) are probably more adaptable than most. What you are describing sounds like a fungus or it is possible it has been getting too much water and you are rotting the roots. In a temperate climate they are deciduous and lose their leaves in the fall. It is possible it is just going dormant and responding to the seasons.

Vance Wood.

I have a bonsai evergreen plant. My son placed it in a sunny spot (on the floor in front of a screened door). I didn't see it there and slamed the door shut. It seems that I broke the seal on top of the soil. Will this make my bonsai plant die? What should I do?

Thanks,

Terrie

For starters - start a new thread of your own - this one's WAY out of date and not about your issue. Secondly, if by 'the seal' you mean that layer of pebbles glued to the top of the pot, it should have come off the day you brought it home (use something to get under it and pry off a bit, then the rest will peel off in chunks easily. It was only there to keep the soil intact for transportation and will grow mold and who knows what underneath if the soil isn't allowed to dry between waterings, plus you can't judge when it needs more or less. You need to know what species of tree it is or you can't take proper care, so either describe it (the leaf shape, rather than trunk curve that was trained in) or post a picture on the gallery of the Bonsai forum, leaving a note on the forum to alert us.