nord
Seedling
Giving it a good saturation once a week. Should I be watering more? My moisture meter, as I indicated, says "wet" near the trunk and "moist" around the outside where the soil contacts the pot. Sure this is lack of water?
After a replant my Giant Sequoia is turning brown, why? Please help!
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Bonds Guy
Mame
I would guess the outer soil isn’t getting wet even when you water it. When organic potting soil dries, it becomes hydrophobic and is difficult to “re-wet” via top-down watering.
To fix this, I found placing the whole pot in a shallow pan or bucket (if it can fit) filled with enough water so that the bottom of the pot is submerged 3-4 inches deep will force the soil to soak up the water.
You’ll know it’s working if you check back in 1hr and see the water level is lower and the pot is heavier.
To avoid this in the future just make sure the soil doesn’t fully dry out. You can gauge if the soil needs water by lifting the pot. A heavy pot is saturated whereas a dry pot is lighter. After doing it some time, you can tell when to water just by looking at the top soil.
To fix this, I found placing the whole pot in a shallow pan or bucket (if it can fit) filled with enough water so that the bottom of the pot is submerged 3-4 inches deep will force the soil to soak up the water.
You’ll know it’s working if you check back in 1hr and see the water level is lower and the pot is heavier.
To avoid this in the future just make sure the soil doesn’t fully dry out. You can gauge if the soil needs water by lifting the pot. A heavy pot is saturated whereas a dry pot is lighter. After doing it some time, you can tell when to water just by looking at the top soil.
nord
Seedling
These are pics of the tree today. You can see the new growth on the top starting to turn brown and new growth below on the trunk. And I exposed the soil on the original soil bulb and you can see it is dark and moist.
Too much watering or not enough? I put all the symptoms into AI and it said slip potting was a mistake and the original soil bulb is holding too much water compared to the surrounding soil which drains and dries faster.
It said this is causing the tree to suffocate from a wet inner bulb and drier surrounding soil and possibly root rot as a result.
It recommended removing the entire tree, washing the original soil bulb off, cutting off any black or dead roots and then replanting entirely in the new soil.
Then once it is replanted, water it with a gallon of water mixed with 5 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide to get oxygen into the remaining roots.
Then don't water again until I can stick my finger 4-6 inches into the soil and see that it is no longer wet.
Thoughts?
Too much watering or not enough? I put all the symptoms into AI and it said slip potting was a mistake and the original soil bulb is holding too much water compared to the surrounding soil which drains and dries faster.
It said this is causing the tree to suffocate from a wet inner bulb and drier surrounding soil and possibly root rot as a result.
It recommended removing the entire tree, washing the original soil bulb off, cutting off any black or dead roots and then replanting entirely in the new soil.
Then once it is replanted, water it with a gallon of water mixed with 5 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide to get oxygen into the remaining roots.
Then don't water again until I can stick my finger 4-6 inches into the soil and see that it is no longer wet.
Thoughts?
From the pictures, it appears the pot was getting root bound, a root pruning needs to be done, usually about 50% with most if not all of that at the bottom being removed, maybe leaving a couple stringers. The rest of the old soil should also be removed for a proper pruning. It also looks quite dry, this is partially due to the root bound, but by your post above, it appears you may not be watering enough, even up here is Surrey, we water every day if its not raining.
Good soil system requires good drainage and good size holes in the pot, such that a soaking will see most of the water drain through the bottom leaving the contents of the pot moist, which of course requires a much more regular watering routine. On a hot day, the dry air will evaporate a fair amount of moisture out the soil, so its important to replenish that moisture the next day.
Good soil system requires good drainage and good size holes in the pot, such that a soaking will see most of the water drain through the bottom leaving the contents of the pot moist, which of course requires a much more regular watering routine. On a hot day, the dry air will evaporate a fair amount of moisture out the soil, so its important to replenish that moisture the next day.
nord
Seedling
I think I have just not been watering enough. I think the mistake I made is I have been giving the tree the same amount of water I gave it when it was in the smaller pot, which is 6 cups once a week. I was afraid of over watering. I live in San Diego and it has been very hot this summer, constant 90+ degrees. But with this greater soil mass people have been telling me much more water, much more frequently is needed. I remember when the tree was in the smaller pot, during the winter it would rain almost every day for weeks on end and the tree never suffered from it. It actually looked like it loved it.
Here is a pic from a year ago after a good rain:
Desert O'Piñon
Omono
The AI response sounds like more or less the same veteran advice you've been given already, save the root pruning. Hopefully someone with more experience in the southern California desert will be able to give you insight whether root pruning is safe at this late stage of the growing season. If I were in your situation, I'd be more likely to leave it alone until February or very early March, and just very closely monitor soil moisture. Then, when the buds start to swell, I would gently lift the rootball from the pot to see what I'm working with. At that point, I would have a better understanding of what to do next. But considering my minimal experience, I could be way off.
In the meantime, I would water frequently around the outside of the pot, making an effort to keep moisture up in the drier outer soil, encouraging the roots to gravitate toward the sides of the pot. You're in a tricky spot with this tree. I hope it pulls through, but if it doesn't, don't give up. You can always start over.
In the meantime, I would water frequently around the outside of the pot, making an effort to keep moisture up in the drier outer soil, encouraging the roots to gravitate toward the sides of the pot. You're in a tricky spot with this tree. I hope it pulls through, but if it doesn't, don't give up. You can always start over.
nord
Seedling
Thanks. I will water more frequently. And I thought of the same thing, making sure the outer perimeter gets more water to encourage the roots to expand out into the new soil. But again I know very little about these things. Hope one of the pros weighs in.
Desert O'Piñon
Omono
Your knowledge will increase dramatically the more you study old threads here. There is a lot of information here, just search "Sequoia" and you're likely to find what you need to know.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
I doubt repotting is a good idea or needed tbh.
If you loko at all the growth sprouting from the trunk, this tree clearly wants to grow. Browning of branches is often a sign of temporary droughts so not fully watering the rootball. The soil you used is not really helpfull as it is dense with high organics, making watering more tricky. I prefer more open substrate where I know I cannot overwater, so when it is warm and dry, i water, no matter hoe humid the roots are.
If you loko at all the growth sprouting from the trunk, this tree clearly wants to grow. Browning of branches is often a sign of temporary droughts so not fully watering the rootball. The soil you used is not really helpfull as it is dense with high organics, making watering more tricky. I prefer more open substrate where I know I cannot overwater, so when it is warm and dry, i water, no matter hoe humid the roots are.
Again, once a week is woefully inadequate especially if the temperatures are 90+ degrees. You need to water every day. Do you have holes in the bottom of your pot for drainage? If so, you should not be worried about over watering.
nord
Seedling
The pot drains well. It is one of those big plastic pots with drain holes on the bottom. Yesterday I gave it a full gallon and once it drained out well, I gave it another gallon just for good measure. Now I will water more frequently. How stupid of me to not water enough. Again I was afraid of over watering. Hopefully this is all it takes to recover.
