Ml_work

I re-potted my Dawn Redwood (5 yr old when purchased) and Japanese Red Maple (5 yr old when purchased) this spring. This was my second year for both and they were very root bound. Both came back with good growth and have been doing very well. The redwood had gotten really big last year, it has not grown back to the same fullness yet but growing very good. I have moved it to the deck to the same place it lived all last year with full sun until about 3 PM, last year temps were 90f-100f at times. The JMaple is under the trees with filtered sun throughout the day. We had a day last week that hit 100f at one point. When I got home from work I saw the RedWood had some brown tips and leaves were hanging loose. The JMaple had most all the leaves curled up and brown. Both had been watered the night before. But they were dried out completley. I think when I re-potted it I removed some of the original root ball and dirt that held more water. Now the new soil (standard bonsai soil from Brussels) drains much faster and it dried with the higher temp. I put both trees in small dish over night to allow them to soak up some water. The Redwood seems to be doing OK. but the JMapel ..???...the soil is staying wet, like the tree has shut down or dieing...? Should I cut off the dead leaves from both tress or jut let them fall in time? Will the JMaple make it through this?

Thanks,
Michael

Glider

It's impossible to say with any certainty, but there are a range of possible outcomes:

Worst scenario: If the root ball dried out too much, the roots are dead and the tree will be incapable of recovery.

Best scenario: The roots survived with minimal permanent damage, in which case the dead/damaged leaves will fall and a second flush will start pushing out in 2 to 3 weeks, the same as if you had deliberately defoliated the tree.

There are a number of possibilities between these two extremes such as: Losing the apex and possibly some main branches below it, leaving only the strongest. Or losing all branches and new shoots push out of the trunk just above the nebari.

It's really impossible to say which is the most likely (certainly without seeing the tree, or at least a picture), but if you take the first two extreme possibilities as your guide, then at least you know that you will know for certain in 2 to 3 weeks. If nothing happens after a month, it's had it I'm afraid (although before binning it, check the colour of the cambium layer by scraping a little patch of bark away).

In the meantime, keep the soil damp (not wet) and put the tree in an area sheltered from any dry winds or direct sun, but give it good light, and hope for the best.

I hope it survives.

clwagner167

Michael,

First off, I am sorry to read that your tree's aren't doing well. Yes, you are having a very hot spring so far, hopefully when summer comes it won't be as bad. However, you are also receiving a lot of rain, you will have to watch your trees for root rot. If it continues as it has been, you will have to put your trees on or under a porch etc...

Your Dawn Redwood's natural habitat is the valley forests of central China. I would say that it is pretty safe to say that the temps there are not above the 80's, (or only rarely).

How long ago did you repot the Dawn? Did you gradually place it in the sun after the repot? That is important until the tree can reestablish itself. I had a Sequoia that did not like the hot temps for long and I had to keep it out of the sun in the afternoon. I saw that it received morning and late afternoon sun.

There was a member on one of our other sites that was bound and determined to grow Japanese Maples on the West coast of Florida about mid-state. The sun just kept buring them up, until he had to keep them shaded for most of the day. He let them recieve very early morning sunlight. With your temps being above average lately, you are going to have to do the same. Take a look at the care sheet I added it mentions sun care and the problem.


Japanese Maple


Dawn Redwood


Good Luck!


P.S. Sometimes during the summer you may have to water your trees more than once a day. Remember there never is a "schedule", water when needed.

__________________
~ Cheryl



Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Buddha

Please support "your" site and click on the ads.
_________________________________________

In memory of my dear friend....
"Prowler" Victor Gray 1943-2008

Michel

Hi,

Very true.

In general, I use a very fast draining soil mix, as
this keeps me from worrying during those periods
when it rains continuously for days and nights.
(As it is doing right now, for instance )

Other side of the coin is that in normal conditions,
and especially during hot spells, my trees need to
be watered very quickly and frequently, usually
once, but sometimes up to 3 times a day:

The first tour with the copper can takes place early
each morning before I'm off to work, and during those
hot summer days most of my trees gladly welcome
a refill by late afternoon/early evening after work.
And sometimes a 3rd watering tour is needed at sunset.

This system works best for me here, as we tend to have
a climate with sometimes quite long periods of rain, and
since I don't like to put trees under rain shelters.

PS:
Though all this may alter because of climate change;
Recently we're getting more and more frequently
confronted with violent bouts of hail storms here,
dropping balls up to tennis ball size (I'm not kidding ! ! ! ).
Imagine what that can do to a bonsai collection
without overhead protection ! ! !

We've had 3 storms like that over the last 2 months within
just a few kilometers, and two weeks ago, we ourselves got hit
by a yet another violent one, with several big beech trees blown
over and uprooted only a block away from where we live, but as
sheer luck would have it, no hail fell, just rain.

But there's no doubt that this is just a question of time,
and as the clock is ticking I feel I have to do something
very soon about that as well.

__________________
Greetz,
Michel

Ml_work

Thanks for all the information to all.
I did the re-pot at the first of March as both trees were just beginning to bud. We had a couple of cool/cold nights about the same time so I left them in the carport for a couple of weeks. Then moved both under the shade of the pine trees with good sun but filtered all day. (just for testing, last year I left this maple under the shade all year and put another one on the deck, I read the full sun would keep the leaves red. the leaves did not stay red but the direct sun did not seem to bother it. I move it to the shade mid summer.)
Both trees were doing very good and I moved the RedWood to the deck for the full sun. It had been there over a month before this happened, I don't feel it was the move to the deck.
Yesterday I cut the dead brown leaves from the Redwood, I have not removed any leaves from the Maple. the redwood is drying out each day and has good color to the existing leaves. I have it in a water tray with low level so it is not soaking up water, just moisture throughout the day. The JMaple is still wet, at the end of day..not sure if it will make it. I do not have any way to water during the day, I check before work but they are still wet from the night before.
Thanks,
Michael

clwagner167

Michel,

Wow, haven't had to deal with the hail yet, just the sudden violent rain storms. They are saying that we can expect to have storms becoming more frequent and more violent. We will just have to banten down the hatches!


Michael,

As far as your soil mix goes...you will have to find the mix through trial/error that will work well with your climate and your availability to water. Yes, you want it to be fast draining, but you still want it to retain some moisture.

You do not want your trees to stay wet all night and still be wet in the morning. This will promote root rot and other fungus/mold infections. Normally, the last watering of the day should be an hour before sundown. That way the pot will have a chance of drying out over night and be ready for it's morning watering.

You are going to have to decide some other alternative for your trees mentioned really quick, or you will lose them.

Keep us updated and good luck......

__________________
~ Cheryl



Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Buddha

Please support "your" site and click on the ads.
_________________________________________

In memory of my dear friend....
"Prowler" Victor Gray 1943-2008