EasyBloom Forum

It looks like it might be a little elm tree with a 1.25 inch diameter trunk. the tree is about 1 ft. high All its leaves have dropped off two times in the last 2 months. Somebody said I may be watering too much. What do you think? Carolyn Whitney

Hey Carolyn...I think that somebody may be right. What's difficult about this particular situation is that in many plants the ill effects of watering too much and too little can manifest itself in the same way: leaf drop, drooping, etc...If you water it quite a lot, you can be causing there to be very little oxygen in the soil. This causes the roots to die off, which is what causes the leaf drop or wilting and so on. When the roots abruptly die off for whatever reason, the symptoms will resemble not getting enough water because the roots can no longer supply enough water to the aboveground parts of the plant.

Growing bonsai trees can be difficult because the trees' roots are stunted in their growth. This means that you will have to be careful to deliver just the right amount of water and other nutrients to the roots since the tree cannot go out and explore the soil on its own.

So, how often do you water your bonsai?

Now I'm starting to water a small amount, 1/2 cup, once a week. I'll see how that goes. I also put it outside on a porch on the east side.

Definitely let me know. I'm always perusing these forums and am always willing to help. Cheers...Dr. Robby