Anyways, on to my question. I'll give you the background info first:

I have a Serissa foetida that I bought at a Japanese street festival. Of course, as Serissas do, it got grouchy and dumped almost all of its leaves a few days after I got it home. After researching this plant a bit more thoroughly, I decided not to panic.

Having no idea what the plant was potted it, I repotted it, and saw that the roots had been pruned already (pruned WAY back), so I thinned the trees branches, too, so it could focus more nutrients on fewer areas.

So now it's been a couple weeks and I've kept it under a growth lamp about 12 hours a day in a room where it already gets indirect natural light. I water it only when the soil is slightly damp, but getting to the dry side, and I mist the leaves every day.

I'm guessing this has been working because the single pair of leaves still on the tree is growing, and are starting to form a new little branch.

My question, then, is in general how long does it take for new buds to form? The leaves it has are growing, but there are no new buds.

Also, I've heard that you shouldn't fertilize the tree while it has no leaves, but it's due to be fertilized next week (3 weeks after the repotting in new soil), and I'm not sure if I should go ahead with it, or wait until the rest of the tree starts growing leaves. Should I wait?

Thanks in advance, sorry if that's a lot to read!

Best approach is to give it some TLC; Keep misting but discontinue the grow lights. Sunshine or "grow lights" on a sick plant is like asking someone with the flu to run a marathon. If you have a protected place outside and the daytime temps in your area are 65 or above take your plant outside for some freah air and ambient light. Bring it back in at night. Keep up the routine until it does bud out again, or.......

Under no circumstances fertilize it until it starts to grow again.

bob

Bob