Ten days ago, a friend left a bonsai elm with me.

Instructions were to steep the pot in water for 5 minutes or so every day and keep it on the window pane in indirect light. The pot has a drainage hole at the bottom.

Only on the 2nd day, searching for details in the web, I realized that STEEP IN WATER meant just below the brim of the pot and also that water should have been poured in the basin 12 hrs before to reach room temperature and for chlorine to volatilize!!! From the 3rd day on I started watering every second day (considering also a sudden drop in temperatures). Now the elm is losing leaves and the soil surface is hard and dry even after watering whereas it was soft and mossy 10 days ago. Thanks for your help!