Salts In Water?

[Patrick OReilly]

I heard somewhere about salts in water, tap water, being bad for bonsai trees. I have a Natal Plum that I bought as pre-bonsai. It has a lot of white "dust" looking stuff on the leaves and it's getting worse. The tree seems to be ailing so I am wondering if this is a sign of something in my water that is effecting my plant. I have an under sink active charcoal filter system that I filter my plant water through. Could some of the salts be getting through the filter? I have city water.

 

[aml1014]

Welcome to the nuthouse!

Sounds like a case of powdery mildew to me, but a picture would help greatly.
I've got tons of minerals in my water where I live and my trees are unfased by it.

Aaron

 

[Patrick OReilly]

Thanks aml1014
I was wondering about a mold or mildew or something like that. Here is a picture. I looked on my other two plants, they are all indoor plants, and it seems to be spreading. I am looking this subject up now but in the mean time do you have a recommendation for how to take care of it?

 

[aml1014]

Thanks aml1014
I was wondering about a mold or mildew or something like that. Here is a picture. I looked on my other two plants, they are all indoor plants, and it seems to be spreading. I am looking this subject up now but in the mean time do you have a recommendation for how to take care of it?

I haven't had a mildew ever on my own trees, buy at the nursery I work at we use neem oil for many problems. Neem oil is an organic pesticide, miticide, and fungicide. I use neem on my trees about once every weeks to keep infestations of any kind at bay (just gotta make sure your not spraying your spider friends who protect your trees).
Another way of riding it is to remove all infected leaves, I don't have a natal plum so I'm unsure how it would take to defoliation if it's on the entire tree.

Aaron

 

[Patrick OReilly]

Neem oil, I've heard of that. Sounds like a good idea, I'll have to stop on the way home tomorrow and get some.
Thanks
I had thought of defoliating the tree but I will have to see if the tree can take it.

 

[crust]

I heard somewhere about salts in water, tap water, being bad for bonsai trees. I have a Natal Plum that I bought as pre-bonsai. It has a lot of white "dust" looking stuff on the leaves and it's getting worse. The tree seems to be ailing so I am wondering if this is a sign of something in my water that is effecting my plant. I have an under sink active charcoal filter system that I filter my plant water through. Could some of the salts be getting through the filter? I have city water.

Mineral salts may be what you are seeing. Not likely sodium but instead precipitated calcium. It can cause problems with plants especially when watered a lot and in long term soils--its accumulation can alkalize the soil, tie up nutrients and adhere to bark and pots. Have your water tested--the results will speak to how drastic your plan should be to deal with it. If your total dissolved salts is moderate one can just use a acidifying fertilizer regularly--if it is really high other more radical option may be called for. Oh and a charcoal filter does squat to help this--an RO system works though--Anyway get tested and check back.

 

[Tieball]

Looks like lime scale. Usually from hard water....well water. When the water dries it leaves that powdery white spotty film.

 

[Patrick OReilly]

If it's the water could I use bottle water until I get mine tested, I have a couple of cases here at home.

 

[Patrick OReilly]

I am probably going to get something for powdery mildew first because one of my plants I just bought on Wednesday and they had just watered it there so I haven't watered it here and it is starting to have the same stuff on its leaves.

 

[Tieball]

I am probably going to get something for powdery mildew first because one of my plants I just bought on Wednesday and they had just watered it there so I haven't watered it here and it is starting to have the same stuff on its leaves.

Maybe it is a mildew problem. I've have some problems like that periodically....usually with a lot of watering and very little wind/air movement. I attached a photo of two products I use. The small container is a powder you mix with water....that container goes a long ways....several seasons. Successful results with both. I prefer the powder now...lasts so much longer.

 

[Paradox]

My water is from the county but its the same as "city water". I water every day to every other day and I dont have issues from the water

Powdery mildew usually comes when there is high humidity and wet conditions for too long.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Should post your location on profile please. Appears to be deposits from H2O. Quit watering foliage with this and if must use use only distilled H2O.

 

[eferguson1974]

Wipe it with a rag damp with bottled water and see if its just hard water deposits. I have super hard water that will leave dusty stuff on the leaves. So Im tring to use rain while its wet season here in the jungle. Im hoping to get a big storage tank for the rain to use in dry season. Ive read about hard water blocking nutrients. And after all, rain is what the trees want I think.

 

[Patrick OReilly]

Upper Midwest is where I am located, the humidity is picking up for the spring/summer so I don't think that's a problem. I have had the plant since last fall and I didn't have a sprayer then, just poured water into the container. But I bought a sprayer a week or so ago and now I am seeing the white stuff. A little is on the new plant sitting right next to it on that side of the plant so I am thinking it is hard water. I bought some of this anyway because I saw a few little bugs flying around my plants, http://www.lowes.com/pd_44956-316-H...656:Garden_Safe&CAWELAID=&CAWELAID=1706973057.
I will try washing the leaves with bottle water to see if I can clean them up and get some distilled water.

 

[rockm]

Misting your trees is unnecessary, especially if they are outdoors. Water belongs on the roots. Spraying leaves, especially near evening, will promote fungus and mildew and other nasty stuff on leaves.

I have been growing bonsai for twenty years or so. stopped spraying them with sprayers about 19 years ago. Doesn't do any good, AT ALL, unless you're working with recently collected conifers with compromised root systems.

 

[AaronThomas]

Looks like a hard water issue to me as well..... We have horrible water here in Tucson. When its hot I will occasionally mist the leaves and when it dries the leaves will have white spots.
Picked up one of these bad boys and it cleared up the problem and quick.

 

[Patrick OReilly]

I bought a gallon of distilled water today and am using that for my plants. I also ordered a new filter for my whole house filter system that filters down to .5 microns. This filter may not be the answer but I'll give it a try, if nothing else it will make my drinking water better. I am also looking at other filtering options.

 

[Tieball]

Looks like a hard water issue to me as well..... We have horrible water here in Tucson. When its hot I will occasionally mist the leaves and when it dries the leaves will have white spots.
Picked up one of these bad boys and it cleared up the problem and quick.
View attachment 106002

Does this connect onto a common garden hose?

 

[AaronThomas]

Does this connect onto a common garden hose?

Yep.... between he sillcock and hose. @sorce

 

[crust]

Looks like a hard water issue to me as well..... We have horrible water here in Tucson. When its hot I will occasionally mist the leaves and when it dries the leaves will have white spots.
Picked up one of these bad boys and it cleared up the problem and quick.
View attachment 106002

I am skeptical of this device--I have checked on them in the past. My understanding is they don't remove the mineral salts--and if they do they do so by using a chemical to make them "suspended " and then they are not as likely to adhere to things similar to a rinse aid you use in your dish washer. Plus they are only good for so many gallons usually 1000 gallons. The manufacture does not claim it can reduce the total dissolved salts(TDS) in your water.