Question
can you offer any advice regarding the possible cause and remedy for the following. A number of other enthusiasts and myself have all suffered the problem of sudden leaf fall on chinese elm. A normally healthy tree, fed and watered and showing new growth will suddenly develop large scale leaf browning and the leaves dry up and fall off. i realise that this specimen will loose its leaves as a natural part of its life cycle but the problem does not seem to be seasonal or anything rational. two specimens kept under the same conditions for example will often show one to suffer and the other to be unaffected. i hope you can help, and also suggest the best way to treat the trees after leaf fall like this to help recovery.
Thank you in advance
Alan


Answer
Plants will respond to changes in the environment in different ways. Even though they are kept under the same conditons, each one will react differently.
If you keep your plants indoors, and for extra humidity you have them growing on a tray with water and pebbles, you could be contaminating them with bacteria.
Excessive humidity at the roots could cause that.
The plants are ok, as long as the leaves fall off.
If they stick to the branches, you could have a more serious problem.
Make sure that the water on the tray is not touching the bottom of the pot.
Once this is done, the plant will recover by itself.
Good Luck!