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Hello

I’m hoping someone might be able to help me.

My wife’s mum bought us a bonsai tree as a mving in present around a year ago. It’s been going ok, although we hadn’t been feeding it over summer and just giving it basic care around watering and keeping it in / out of sun as appropriate (we think).

Sadly my mother-in-law passed away recently, so the bonsai now really means a lot to my wife and I want to do what I can to keep it in the best health. Recently it’s leaves have started curling up a lot and it’s lost a lot of them. I’m unsure exactly which variety it is and how to take care of it and I was hoping someone could help me.

I’ve attached a couple of photos. I has red-ish maple shaped leaves. Does this mean it’s a Japanese Maple?

We typically keep in on our balcony, varying between a sunny spot and partial shade during summer. We had been watering it with tap water originally, and then moved to filtered water following advice from my mother-in-law. More recently, someone has suggested we use rain water. Is this the right thing to do?

I guess what it would be helpful to know is:
? How often should we be watering it, and what with?
? We’ve been feeding it weekly throughout October when I realised we needed to do this. Am I right in thinking we should stop feeding over winter? Why is this?
? What can we do to bring it back to health and re-grow leaves?
? Where should we put this during winter – inside or outside, shady or sunny, and if outside will it need to be covered with anything to protect from frost.

Any help you can give would be much appreciated I’d hate to see the tree dying on us and think this would be upsetting for my wife.

This is indeed a japanese maple.

In the northern hemisphere it is winter. It is normal for trees to drop their leaves at this time. Are you in the Northern Hemisphere?

If you think this is something else, check the branches and buds. Are the branches shiny-like, with plumb buds? or are they wrinkled with dissected buds?
The former, is normal healthy branches. The latteris something to worry about.

If branches turn pale whitish, be really concerned; These are dead.

I think I see a healthy bare plant ready for winter. But this is hard to tell from the picture.. Keep froom being soaked in water over winter from the rain. It needs to stay moist but never wet Shelter for frost, sun and wind, and keep between -5C and 5c and you should be fine.

Thank you leatherback for your prompt replay and advice.

I'll check out the branches when I get home tonight.

I'll keep it outside for now, but keep an eye out for frost and wind. Is winter sun (in London, so not that hot) usually ok for a plant like this?

Maples are hardy. They must be kept outside. It is not cold . and probably won't be, mine have always been outside and do fine

@leatherback
The branches do appear sort of shiny towards the ends. The small buds are plumpish, but do appear as two small buds on many of the branches - is this normal? The buds don't appear to be dried out.

I've attached a few close-up photos.

We do have one branch which is whiteish. Does this look like a problem and what would you recommend doing about this please?

Thanks for both of your help so far! I want to keep this alive and thriving!