Thank you for that information Lucy. I too have a fukien tea that seems to be somewhat unhappy (in need of Tea L C - bwahaa), and I think based on your advice, the problem has been lack of light exposure.

It is potted in sifted oildri (diatomaceous earth) with a few pellets of slow release osmocote on top. The pot is sitting on top of (but not in) a dish with water and broken-up bricks. I have a hygrometer that indicates the local humidity is around 65%, so I think that must be helpful. I also have a somewhat rudimentary "fertility" tester that indicates the potting mix to be "just right". The level of detail it can provide is laughable, but it's better than nothing I guess.

Anyhow, many of the leaves have slowly dropped since I got it (similar to poster's issue). Additional details would be the leaves seem to almost dry out. They will be fine and green and then start to get crispy, develop dark burn-looking spots that spread, and then the leaves sever themselves above their stems. I mist each day to help keep humidity up, and water not less than once every two-three days (the oildri does an ok job of indicating the need for water).

My main problem with growing an indoor bonsai is I have almost no good windows with sun exposure (oddly enough). Perhaps this lack of light is my problem (and the original poster's as well)? Thanks again.

Hi, well certainly the lack of light is going to make a big difference, but your plant is suffering from other things as well. If it were just a light issue, it would look basically o.k., but with long straggly stems and big leaves, but they wouldn't necessarily dry and fall off. I would get into a better mix than the oil dri (that's been discussed elsewhere, and while it might be a not-bad component for other types of trees, your FT might need something more traditional. Also I'm not sure slow release Osmocote is the best way to go - it might be too strong - it's best to remove it and switch to a balanced house plant fertilizer on a basis of every 10 days, cutting way back in winter, which you'd do for almost any plant. What is a fertility tester please? Never, ever heard of one and would be very suspicious of any device that decided for me and the plant that the soil was "just right"... just right for which plant, under what conditions, in what season, etc. etc. I suggest you read the other thread in this forum about FT trees as there's more information there too about lighting, and along with what's here, you may be able to get your tree on the right road.

Hi, I'm very sorry - I was thinking of another forum re the "other thread" I told you to look at here, but in any case, you're going to need to either use supplementary lighting (i.e. a fluorescent fixture with full spectrum bulbs hung no more than 6 inches above the tree for 16 hours a day) or hope your tree adjusts to whatever light you do have once it's feeling better minus the Osmo. and fertility tester.

I also just recently purchased a carmona ( Fukien tea tree). The vendor has it planted in what looks like a general soil mix. I have read alot about al's gritty mix and was planning on using it for this specific plant but you mentioned that (it may need a more traditional soil.) Are you refering to this species of plant in general and if so could you please explain before I repot into the turface, grit, bark mix.

I also plan on using the dynamite CRF fertilizer. seems like it has alot more beneficial things compared to the osmocote.

Thank you for your help, everyone here is great.

Fukien teas are sensitive to chemicals, and it's really best to only use a mild balanced house plant fertilizer - nothing 'dynamite', and that goes for pesticides as well. I'm thinking the Osmocote may be the main villain in the other post, so don't follow that idea. More traditional soil meant that as it's tropical, a straight dose of mostly e.g. turface would be too dry, so a little more organic stuff in the mix is better, but that's still relative compared to mostly potting soil full of peat. In other words up the percentage of bark a little, maybe throw in a little Perlite or tweak the grit compared to what you'd use for other trees. That's all, I wasn't suggesting using a potful of peat or anything.

Thanks for the information. I will look for a liquid fertilizer that I can use that would probably work like you are saying.

I will also use more pine bark in the mix compared to the grit also. thanks alot you have been very helpful.

yes, thank you for the info Lucy.

In regards to the "fertility" tester - I know it's pretty ridiculous that it could tell me the absolute truth, but I figured it could be slightly better than nothing. The device is a simple ph tester that also has a "fertility" mode that I suppose takes some measure of the npk values and the ratios thereof. The device is actually discussed here: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg0310034117290.html

- a forum on gardenweb I didn't know existed until just now, actually! Just thought it might be helpful to provide that clarification. Thanks again - Ill let you know if the little guy comes out of his stooper.

What would be considered a mild fertilizer suitable for this bonsai? I have some "better gro orchid plus" 20-14-13 (which can also be used on many other plant as the lable states)and a few other various fertilizers i've used in the past on many plants. could I just use these at 1/2 dilution instead of the full recommended amount?

I should have said "balanced", e.g. 15-15-15, so it's not heavier on nitrogen, or potassium, etc. A fertilizer for orchids would be geared towards flower production, but while FT's do flower, it's not necessarily why they're grown as bonsai, the flowers are more of an incidental benefit than they would be in orchids. You can dilute fertilizer, but there isn't a lot of 'point', better to just use it possibly a bit less often than you would for another stronger plant, but that's up to you.

Thank you for all your help, you have been extremely helpful.

so I will use the full strength of the balanced fertilizer just extend the time between fertilizing.

thank you. I will get the other two ingredients to finish off al's gritty mix and will be able to put my fukien in a better aerated soil.

I know what its in is doing ok but i would think that this mix will make it do so much better in the long run.
The vendor told me he put it in what its in early january(although im not sure why since this is suppose to happen in the spring i thought).

Knowing this would you advice waiting till next spring to replant? the soil still feels wet to the touch on top and ive had it for a week!

If it still feels wet, then it's definitely in peat and who knows what else! Seasons become a bit 'relative' when it comes to indoor trees, though it's probably still better not to do major work in late summer or fall, but from the sound of it your tree could probably use some help anyway and it is sort of spring.

Thanks, I will pamper my fukien this weekend with the gritty mix and start the fertilizing to make it even happier.

Ill keep you posted on how it adjusts. I have heard that a repot can prompt loss of foliage but it will return so im not to worried. It can only improve compared to what its in right!

Amanda

I got upt his morning and noticed three or four yellow leaves on my ft!!! could this be due to the nasty soil? i just got all the gritty materials today hopefully putting it in the new soil will stop what ever is happening. i did find some osmocote plus with all the macro and micro nutrients and i was assured by al that using any crf is not a bad thing but to use it accurately! know what size your pot is and apply per directions.

I am forgetful when it comes to weekly or so fertilizers.so i am confident they work if used correctly.

Yellow leaves = too much water.

I am glad I got it out of that soggy soil. Hopefully it will be ok. With al's gritty mix I should be able to water once a day and not worry about those issues. I watered it and all the water drained out completely( thats so nice to see!).

How long does it normally take for a plant to "settle" into its new environment so to speak?

im not sure if anyone here would know the answer to this question but several of my bark piece settled on top, is that going to affect the overal performance of the mix?

Unless they're blocking water, or if the mix was not packed carefully with e.g. a chopstick as you filled the pot (leaving gaps) then I can't see why it should matter to anything.

As soon is I read "I water all the time" I knew yellow leaves had to be one of the symptoms. I live in Europe, so I don't know much about the climate conditions in your area. But i do know that carmona's are particularly difficult to keep and a right way of watering is absolutely critical to the tree's health.

The roots of the tree need three important ingredients in order for the tree to keep healthy:
1. water to provide the tree with sufficient moist.
2. fertilizer to provide the tree with sufficient nutrients.
And the last but most important one is AIR!!!! lot's and lot's of AIR is needed to provide the roots with oxigen and keep them healthy and to keep them from rotting. In order to provide these roots with sufficient air, off course a good loose and heavily draining potting-mix is needed to let the air flowing around freely. But even if a good draining potting-mix is used overwatering can still be a major problem, even when giving very little amounts. This is how:
When you water your tree very often with a small splash of water. the ground will be moist all the time, blocking the airflow inside the pot. All the airpockets inside the ground will eventually be filled with old air which contains no oxigen.
It is way better to water your tree at a point where the ground is ALMOST drying out and then give it a BIG SPLASH OF WATER. This way all the airpockets inside the pot will be filled with water. once the excess water is drained out, new air full of oxigen is drawn in again. Allow the ground to ALMOST dry out again and repeat the process.
Give special notes to ALMOST and never let the soil to dry out completely!

ps. Sorry for my bad English! not my native language ;-P

Actually, while you're right in general about it being much better to water well when you do it, and not do it until it is necessary, it is also important to consider the individual species you have, and if you were to allow Fukien tea to "almost dry out" in between watering times, you would have a dead tree. I notice that you have suddenly arrived on some bonsai forums just this week, commenting on everything, and most of your advice is welcome and very good, but maybe slow down just a tiny bit before just giving out general information, and consider the particular situation.

Hi Lucy,
I'm sorry if I gave the impression of crushing this forum. Therefore I would like to introduce myself just a bit. I'm a bonsai enthusiast for a 13 years now living in Holland, Europe. I'm a member of the Dutch Bonsai forum (http://bonsaiforum.nl/) and a few others for a number of years. I actually was a member of this forum a few years ago, but I lost my account switching from a number of e-mail addresses over the past years. I'm also a member of the Noord-Holland bonsai club.

On the dutch bonsai forum a topic raised that many good bonsai forums have become anxiously silent these days, mainly because of the winter, but also in an overall way. I don't know about this forum, but I found it's a pity that these forums are dying out. As a response I decided to become a member of this forum again because there a view nice topics going on here. I will try and hold me in a bit.

Back on-topic, I found that many people buying their first bonsai(s) are anxiously sitting next to it with a bottle of water to water it the moment they see a slight variation in soil color appearing. "almost dry out" in their perspective mostly means a fairly moist soil in ours. I also stated that one should NEVER, EVER let the soil dry out completely as this would most definitely cause the tree to DIE! You're absolutely right about that!

Hahaha... you're very correct - it's SO hard to keep people from thinking water is the only answer - and I even have to watch myself too, it seems like such an easy 'fix'! Your English is great - a lot better than my Dutch (and I should have picked up more at the airport in Amsterdam years ago, but I was too busy buying chocolate!

Thank you everyone for your information. I have my ft in al's gritty mix. I only water the plant once a day in early morning. before I water I alway stick my finger into the soil( almost halfway into the pot) to make sure it doesnt feel moist. So far each time I do this the soil doesnt feel moist so it seems almost all the water is draining out of the pot by the end of the day. I hope, so far, that this is what the plant needs overall. Ever since I repotted into a new soil I have yet to see any additional yellow leaves and also a branch seems to be showing new growth out towards my window area (yay).

One thing I have noticed though is about 1/4 of the leaves or less have small black BUMPS. It doesnt appear as though the leaf itself is turning black just a growth of black bumps along the underside of the leaves. I have not seen it appear on the top of the leaves yet though. Ive been searching the internet to figure out what it may be but cant seem to figure it out. any information of a similar situation would be helpful. I applied a fungus insecticide with a paint brush to a few leaves to test the plants sensitivity. After three or so days I see no damage to the leaves but the bumps dont seem affected!

Thank you for your time and help.
Amanda

Hi Amanda,
As I mentioned before, i do not know much about specific climate conditions in your area. Here in holland it is strongly discouraged to buy carmona's for the fact that they just can't survive in our relatively harsh weather conditions. It is even harder to keep carmona's inside because of the poor lighting conditions (half)shadowed areas and burning hot conditions in areas directly behind a south-facing window. There are also a lot of other factors of the tree's natural habitat which just can't be mimicked indoors such as humidity, airflow and air quality, temperature changes (mainly to indicate dormant & growing seasons), and so on.

If the climate allows it, but ONLY if it allows it, you should place it outside. Otherwise I'm afraid that you would have to come back every month or so to ask for help on yet another pet or disease to deal with until, eventually there will be nothing left to deal with.

Ok. Many articles and information I have read says that this specific species has been keep indoors successfully. My home has three fish tanks in it ( creating humidity). ive also been told to keep it in indirect sunlight. The room where it is keep is connected to my back yard area where people are constantly going in and out bringing in some fresh air daily. I havent read anything on this plant needing a dormant period like many outdoor bonsai's require. If you know where to find all this information I would love to know where to see it.

Also, in referance to my initial question, if anyone has any helpful information on the black bumps or links to look at I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

Hi, I don't know where you got the idea for indirect light, but it's wrong for most tropicals and certainly for your tree, which needs high light 15 hours a day (most of us use full spectrum high wattage fluorescents hung 5 inches above the tree, on cheap little timers to achieve that. Being in Fla., you may get away with sunny windows of course. It won't need the same dormancy as native trees, and cannot take anything much below 55 or so Fahr., as it is tropical, but in early winter, as most plants do, may require watring a little less often (but that's relative to that tree). As far as the bumps go, I would ask at a local nursery because you may have picked up some kind of scale insect, or who knows what. Just be very careful about what you use (the milder the better) on the tree because it's very sensitive to chemicals.

Thank you Lucy.

would you be able to suggest anything for scales if they occur. I see several people recommend neem oil. some also say just a mixture of soap, oil, water and rubbing alcohol will suffice.