Any Experienced Dwarf Myrtle Myrtus communis 'Compacta' Growers?

milehigh_7

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Be gentle as I am feeling particularly stupid right now.

This beautiful little plant appears to be nearly the perfect bonsai. Glossy, tiny dark green leaves, very pretty white flowers and dark blue berries. It contrasts nicely with exfoliating reddish bark. Once established, they are tough as nails.

My problem is the initial repot. Pretty much every time I repot, they shrivel up and die. Try as I may, I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I have tried the might google with no luck. I killed three beauties already this year and I am disgusted. They can't be that hard, can they? I am clearly missing something important. HELP PLEASE!!!
 
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there must be some nuance to it since I've seen here a lot of Myrtle abuse ahaha but perhaps the dwarf cultivar isn't very strong on its roots. Have you tried taking cuttings of it to see how it roots?
 

Ironbeaver

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I'd like to know the secret too. I've had some with good potential die after repotting.
 

milehigh_7

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there must be some nuance to it since I've seen here a lot of Myrtle abuse ahaha but perhaps the dwarf cultivar isn't very strong on its roots. Have you tried taking cuttings of it to see how it roots?

No but I am about to resort to layering them out of the original pots/plantings. Which might be better in the long run anyhow.
 

0soyoung

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What time(s) of year did you repot? I would venture spring, 'as buds swell' - right?

One possible conclusion is that the only thing you did wrong @milehigh_7, was to attempt repotting at a time when it had little capability for root regrowth/recovery. I had a little variegated myrtle that I killed repotting in spring 2017. I had previously transplanted it from a plastic pot of nursery soil into a pot of Turface in August/September.2016. This may mean that sometime between the summer solstice and the fall equinox may be better (of course, this could just be confirmation bias since I am an advocate for summer repotting).
 

milehigh_7

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What time(s) of year did you repot? I would venture spring, 'as buds swell' - right?

One possible conclusion is that the only thing you did wrong @milehigh_7, was to attempt repotting at a time when it had little capability for root regrowth/recovery. I had a little variegated myrtle that I killed repotting in spring 2017. I had previously transplanted it from a plastic pot of nursery soil into a pot of Turface in August/September.2016. This may mean that sometime between the summer solstice and the fall equinox may be better (of course, this could just be confirmation bias since I am an advocate for summer repotting).

Yep, I've always done early spring... I'm willing to try anything. I love the little things!
 

petegreg

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No but I am about to resort to layering them out of the original pots/plantings. Which might be better in the long run anyhow.
Definitely. I lost few of them in past. Now all my funny plants come from one myrtle from arboretum. It is still growing in dirt. The new plants were air-layered in late spring, I use the same substrate they will be grown in after separation and have had no issues since.
 

GrimLore

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Be gentle as I am feeling particularly stupid right now.

My instincts and being a Myrtle grower of many varieties tell me this -

1) Little air movement at the base - they have a tendency to "damp off" movement is important
2) A lot more sun then one would think is ok - 2 hours max full Eastern sun in these parts - most likely less there
3) They need a LOT less loving and fertilizer then other plants, treat hem as a Northern exposure shrub, even with light fertilizer.

The "trick" at least to me is good air movement coupled with low maintenance and sun... Much like any Azalea here.

Hope that helps :) But honest I see no reason it should not.

Grimmy
 

milehigh_7

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My instincts and being a Myrtle grower of many varieties tell me this -

1) Little air movement at the base - they have a tendency to "damp off" movement is important
2) A lot more sun then one would think is ok - 2 hours max full Eastern sun in these parts - most likely less there
3) They need a LOT less loving and fertilizer then other plants, treat hem as a Northern exposure shrub, even with light fertilizer.

The "trick" at least to me is good air movement coupled with low maintenance and sun... Much like any Azalea here.

Hope that helps :) But honest I see no reason it should not.

Grimmy

I can grow them it's the successful transplant I can't seem to master. :(
 

Starfox

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Being Myrtaceae my first thoughts would be wait for warmer weather, like late spring/early summer or the other end of summer unless there is specific info stating otherwise.
I don't have this species however I wont be doing any repotting until May and July for my other Myrtaceae sp.
 

milehigh_7

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I think I will layer a couple and try some maybe in a week or so and then do the rest around leat Aug/Sept and maybe we can learn something.
 
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