Azealia Bonsai Dying

[Zjmw]

I have had this azealia for 10 months now. It beautifully flowered and stayed in wonderful shape until about a month ago the leaves started to brown and fall off. Now all he new growth coming in turns brown immediately and it seems the Tree is slowly dying. I have not changed my caring of it. I live in Miami Florida and the Tree lives on my outside balcony in the shade. I tried antifungal spray and still the leaves are falling off. Not sure of what to do. I have a juniper and a Brazilian rain tree and they are both doing wonderfully. This azealia I would really like to save

 

[just.wing.it]

I'd guess that it's too wet.
Also, I think some azaleas need winter temps....
Are azaleas common in landscaping in your area?

 

[Zjmw]

I do water it everyday. Do you think I should hold off for a few days? Azealias aren't the most common here as it is a bit hot for them, but the plant has done really well up until now and the climate has only gotten colder as we approach December

 

[just.wing.it]

Looking between those surface roots, it appears to be planted in a very water retentive substrate....azaleas don't like being too wet.
That would be my main thought with it.

However, the climate zone issue could also be a compounding problem.

 

[Zjmw]

Looking between those surface roots, it appears to be planted in a very water retentive substrate....azaleas don't like being too wet.
That would be my main thought with it.

However, the climate zone issue could also be a compounding problem.

Yes it is a regular soil, I planned on repotting it into Kanuma after its next flowering but now I fear it won't even make it to another flowering.. maybe I should repot now? Or would that cause way too much stress

 

[just.wing.it]

Yes it is a regular soil, I planned on repotting it into Kanuma after its next flowering but now I fear it won't even make it to another flowering.. maybe I should repot now? Or would that cause way too much stress

I think you're correct about too much stress for this time of year...
Maybe try to let the soil dry out more between waterings. It could bounce back in the spring time.

I try to wait to water until the top .5 - 1 inch is visibly dry. Also, I like to get familiar with how heavy the pot feels in my hand when dry versus when wet.
It'll be noticeably heavy after a watering....and I lift them up daily to feel how much water has been used. Once it feels nice and lightweight, I soak it again.

Another method to monitor moisture is with a wooden chopstick stuck in the soil.
The stick will soak up some water when moist. Just wait till the stick is dry, then flood it.

 

[rockm]

Get it out of that humidity tray. Doesn't need it. Could be a part of the problem--the bottom of the pot has settled into the gravel in the tray from the looks of the photo. That could be wicking water back up into the pot making it soggy.

 

[Zjmw]

Get it out of that humidity tray. Doesn't need it. Could be a part of the problem--the bottom of the pot has settled into the gravel in the tray from the looks of the photo. That could be wicking water back up into the pot making it soggy.

Ok I will do that thanks

 

[Zjmw]

Ok thanks so much. I felt I wasn't watching it enough so perhaps I was overcompensating. I'll scale back and hopefully the new growth that is coming won't won't brown immediately this time..

I think you're correct about too much stress for this time of year...
Maybe try to let the soil dry out more between waterings. It could bounce back in the spring time.

I try to wait to water until the top .5 - 1 inch is visibly dry. Also, I like to get familiar with how heavy the pot feels in my hand when dry versus when wet.
It'll be noticeably heavy after a watering....and I lift them up daily to feel how much water has been used. Once it feels nice and lightweight, I soak it again.

Another method to monitor moisture is with a wooden chopstick stuck in the soil.
The stick will soak up some water when moist. Just wait till the stick is dry, then flood it.

 

[Katie0317]

Is there green still on the trunk when you gently scape it with a sharp knife?

Also, azaleas like quite a bit of light. You're in a bright shiny city so I wouldn't think giving it more light would be difficult. I'd give it more light so it can dry out and I'd wait until the dirt is almost completely dry before watering again.

But I'd also check the trunk to see if it's still alive...You should see green when you scrape it.

 

[Zjmw]

Is there green still on the trunk when you gently scape it with a sharp knife?

Also, azaleas like quite a bit of light. You're in a bright shiny city so I wouldn't think giving it more light would be difficult. I'd give it more light so it can dry out and I'd wait until the dirt is almost completely dry before watering again.

But I'd also check the trunk to see if it's still alive...You should see green when you scrape it.

The trunk is not green unfortunately now that I checked. Which means it is dead right? The branches are still green. Ill attach photos. I had it on my balcony which is facing eastward. It gets about 5 hours of good sum and then is In the shade the rest of the day.

 

[Zjmw]

The trunk is not green unfortunately now that I checked. Which means it is dead right? The branches are still green. Ill attach photos. I had it on my balcony which is facing eastward. It gets about 5 hours of good sum and then is In the shade the rest of the day.

 

[Katie0317]

That dirt is SOAKED. I would just go with 'alive' right now and do an emergency repot. You're in Miami and it's so hot there that you can get away with it. Buy some good quality potting soil and add some perlite to the soil. Do it today. Add about one third perlite to the soil. This will help the soil from staying so wet. So it you use two cups of soil add one cup of perlite to it and mix it with your hands before putting the tree back in.

There's just no way that soil is going to dry out.

I would not give up on it yet.

 

[Katie0317]

I meant to add that the plant is drowning. It needs air to live. With so much water in the soil it can't get air.

 

[Zjmw]

That dirt is SOAKED. I would just go with 'alive' right now and do an emergency repot. You're in Miami and it's so hot there that you can get away with it. Buy some good quality potting soil and add some perlite to the soil. Do it today. Add about one third perlite to the soil. This will help the soil from staying so wet. So it you use two cups of soil add one cup of perlite to it and mix it with your hands before putting the tree back in.

There's just no way that soil is going to dry out.

I would not give up on it yet.

What soil would you recommend?? I have kanuma on hand but I will buy anything. Do you think this is what has been causing all the leaves and new growth to die? It just can't breath because I am drowning it?? I will do this today

 

[Zjmw]

ALso I meant to add do you think I should get a larger pot for it now or use the same pot??

What soil would you recommend?? I have kanuma on hand but I will buy anything. Do you think this is what has been causing all the leaves and new growth to die? It just can't breath because I am drowning it?? I will do this today

 

[Zjmw]

That dirt is SOAKED. I would just go with 'alive' right now and do an emergency repot. You're in Miami and it's so hot there that you can get away with it. Buy some good quality potting soil and add some perlite to the soil. Do it today. Add about one third perlite to the soil. This will help the soil from staying so wet. So it you use two cups of soil add one cup of perlite to it and mix it with your hands before putting the tree back in.

There's just no way that soil is going to dry out.

I would not give up on it yet.

ALso I meant to add do you think I should get a larger pot for it now or use the same pot??

 

[Katie0317]

The azalea is currently in dirt right? If so just use the same pot and replace it with potting soil and perlite.

 

[Zjmw]

The azalea is currently in dirt right? If so just use the same pot and replace it with potting soil and perlite.

Yes it is with a mix of kanuma. Ok I will do this. Thank you

 

[Katie0317]

All I saw was the dirt so if it was in almost all kanuma then use kanuma. Use whatever you were using before and bear in mind that the tree may already be dead but I don't give up easily so I'd give it a try. Just remember that if this one doesn't make it that it was the watering. Water when it's dry or moist, not on a schedule. Use your hands to check and feel it or the chopstick method.

I hope this one lives but if not don't feel awful. Take it as a lesson and use that information going forward. It's a live and learn process. Good luck and keep people posted and let us know how things go.