How To Revive A Dying Bonsai Tree - 4 Solutions That Work

The first step is to identify what type of tree you have. The tree determines the type of care, amount of light, water requirements, temperature range and other conditions that it requires in its natural environment. The exact caring techniques that you would need to follow will vary according to the type of tree you are growing.

The leading cause of death in bonsai trees is dehydration. The plants become dehydrated either because they are not watered enough or watered incorrectly.

Some signs to look for in order to tell if you are watering incorrectly :

Under-watering - If you look carefully at the trunk, you can see tiny creases because the plant is shriveling up.

Over-watered - the roots rot and the trunk is soft

Other signs include:
- loss of vigor, looking tired and no longer vibrant and healthy
- also when the foliage turns yellow
- or the smaller branches shrink and die away.

1. Trim the roots of your bonsai: You can cut the black roots away, this will help.( if over watered) When roots are rotten they promote bacteria growth that can kill plants, so if you cut the old and rotten roots away, this will help the plant to recover more quickly. Be careful when you are cutting not to damage the healthy roots as this will slow down the recovery process.

2. Re-Potting: Early spring is a great time to do this and the gardener will need some good quality potting compost with a mix of sand or grit that will help the drainage. Re potting a bonsai tree will hopefully put a new lease of life into your tree with new soil and drainage and help it on it's way to reviving.

3. Sunlight - It is best that bonsai trees be placed outdoors because of the temperature and the fact that they need to be exposed to at least 3 -6 hours of sunlight each day. However, if you have to have them indoors, then you should place your bonsai in an area that receives plenty of sunlight (by a window) Make sure that the room is neither too warm nor too cold (room temperature works well if the tree is given a good source of light but this can vary species to species)

Also, make sure that the room is reasonably humid so the soil doesn't dry out too quickly. If you find that your bonsai tree still begins to wilt and needs revival, then the best move is it place it outside, and this should hopefully help you in how to revive a dying bonsai tree.