My Bonsai Is Dry And Brittle

If packed into a container that is too small to house the root system properly your tiny fellows can become root bound.
My bonsai is dry and brittle. Just like the name suggests root bound bonsai trees will possess a root system that is literally packed in the wrong sized pot. Whether it is has been neglected or infected a dying bonsai requires immediate attention if you intend on saving it. Changing consistency of foliage going from soft and pliable to hard and brittle is another red flag of trouble. Bonsai trees are planted in small pots so they don t have much reserves in terms of nutrients and water.
If you forget to water your bonsai until the soil dries out completely the tree s roots dry out and die. Wilt droop and brittle branches are true signs of an ailing bonsai. Alternatively like the conifers under watering a deciduous tree will caused the leaves to dry up and eventually fall off completely. Within days you will see the leaves of your tree wither and fall off or in case you have an evergreen its foliage will slowly turn yellow.
Not every bonsai can be saved from a dying state but with some care and attention your bonsai may have a chance. To ascertain whether your bonsai is still alive make a small cut on the trunk or branches in a couple of places. If the leaves on your bonsai tree remain green but are dry and crispy then your bonsai has either dried out at some stage or it is in such a hot position that water cannot be transferred from the roots to the leaves quickly enough. A dry and brittle bonsai tree is likely not getting watered often enough.
Brittleness can also appear on branches. Brittle branches foliage. It might be the case that the dry brittle leaves of your bonsai are not related to under watering. This is known as leaf burn.