Bad storm

Blimpsandmtn

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
28
Location
Dallas
USDA Zone
8a
Hey all!
Yesterday there was a really bad storm,60-75 mph winds and lots of rain (tornado warning area)
The water in the soil quickly puddled but disappeared but my little sapling didn't like it and the akebono cherry tree leaves are drooping, after doing the bark scratch test it's still very green and moist, no discoloration on the leaves other than drooping, what should I do?20190618_140725.jpg
 

Jzack605

Chumono
Messages
751
Reaction score
545
Location
Western Long Island, NY
USDA Zone
7B
Leave it be is all you can do.

You're first reaction shouldn't be to remove the bark on such a young tree, especially one under stress. Trees have grown for thousands of years through storms much worse as saplings and survived.
 
Last edited:

Blimpsandmtn

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
28
Location
Dallas
USDA Zone
8a
Hey all! Thank you so so much for your help!
However, this is an unusually wet June, it's pretty scary actually. It rained again and it plans to rain all week. It rained last night and the situation has become dire20190619_110400.jpg20190619_110352.jpg what can I do?
 

Jzack605

Chumono
Messages
751
Reaction score
545
Location
Western Long Island, NY
USDA Zone
7B
Nothing. The brown/black is necrotic and won’t come back anyway. There is no way to change the weather. I’m not sure it’s such a good idea to transplant a stressed plant into a pot.

You can pull the mulch away if you really want to. There’s no sense in trying to retain moisture if there’s this much rain.

Otherwise hope for the best. Let it go through the natural processes of recovery.
 

Blimpsandmtn

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
28
Location
Dallas
USDA Zone
8a
Nothing. The brown/black is necrotic and won’t come back anyway. There is no way to change the weather. I’m not sure it’s such a good idea to transplant a stressed plant into a pot.

You can pull the mulch away if you really want to. There’s no sense in trying to retain moisture if there’s this much rain.

Otherwise hope for the best. Let it go through the natural processes of recovery.
Dang, it hurts to hear that, but it's the truth I needed. Thank you, and I'll just leave it be and hope that it knows what to do.
 

Jzack605

Chumono
Messages
751
Reaction score
545
Location
Western Long Island, NY
USDA Zone
7B
Dang, it hurts to hear that, but it's the truth I needed. Thank you, and I'll just leave it be and hope that it knows what to do.
Just remember this isn’t the first seedling to weather a severe storm and it won’t be the last. Every single tree in nature has gone through this process and survived. Often times it’s this weathering that gives natural grown trees that unique look we look for in bonsai, yamadori specifically.
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
What's the back backstory?

I don't think it was related to the storm.

I do think/know those bricks create an oven-type ordeal, and with no shade....I'd die as that tree.

Sorce
 

Blimpsandmtn

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
28
Location
Dallas
USDA Zone
8a
What's the back backstory?

I don't think it was related to the storm.

I do think/know those bricks create an oven-type ordeal, and with no shade....I'd die as that tree.

Sorce
What do you mean backstory?
It's a new sapling, recently planted about 1 week ago. This behavior from the tree hasn't happened since the storm. The bricks are about a foot from the tree acting as a borderline. And the tree does get shade as the day ends due to the magnolia further out
 

Silentrunning

Chumono
Messages
676
Reaction score
1,036
Location
Warrenton North Carolina
USDA Zone
7a
Dig it up with as much surrounding soil intact and put it in a burlap bag or pillow case and put it in the garage to dry. With the weather outlook I’m sure that if it isn’t dead it will be soon.
 

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,420
Reaction score
27,856
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
It's a new sapling, recently planted about 1 week ago.

Without sounding like a jerk... that's the back story. It is much more likely that your sapling is responding to stress related to being planted then stress related to rain - even if there was some puddling. Did you disturb the roots when you planted it? Your tree is looking like it might be suffering from sun scorch associated with root shock. The root shock is probably associated with the recent transplanting - more so than the rain.

@sorce as a Chicago native knows there are plenty of trees that can survive extended periods of flooding. The whole area around Chicago is one flat plain, and every spring it isn't a question of whether the Des Plaines river is going to flood... but how deep it will be :)

By the way, when I write posts like this I want to make sure that you understand I am trying to be totally honest based on my experience. I am not trying to belittle you or score ego points. Any tree you have killed... I have probably killed ten times faster :) Good news is that I don't think your tree is dead. But I would recommend not to touch it or do anything to stress it further. Let Mother Nature work. Unless your tree is sitting in saturated soil for two weeks... it isn't going to die from water.
 
Last edited:

Blimpsandmtn

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
28
Location
Dallas
USDA Zone
8a
Without sounding like a jerk... that's the back story. It is much more likely that your sapling is responding to stress related to being planted then stress related to rain - even if there was some puddling. Did you disturb the roots when you planted it? Your tree is looking like it might be suffering from sun scorch associated with root shock. The root shock is probably associated with the recent transplanting - more so than the rain.

@sorce as a Chicago native knows there are plenty of trees that can survive extended periods of flooding. The whole area around Chicago is one flat plain, and every spring it isn't a question of whether the Des Plaines river is going to flood... but how deep it will be :)

By the way, when I write posts like this I want to make sure that you understand I am trying to be totally honest based on my experience. I am not trying to belittle you or score ego points. Any tree you have killed... I have probably killed ten times faster :) Good news is that I don't think your tree is dead. But I would recommend not to touch it or do anything to stress it further. Let Mother Nature work. Unless your tree is sitting in saturated soil for two weeks... it isn't going to die from water.
Hi there, some minor root tempering was necessary as it was becoming pot bound upon arrival so I was told to cut an x shape at the bottom, I was told within the thread I will have to dig it up so now I'm somewhat confused in terms of direction. But for now I will get a small sheet or bright colored cloth and somehow provide shade if it'll help any
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,182
Reaction score
22,180
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
That looks like sun stress to me. Dallas sun is a beeotch this time of year. I'd try to get more shade on the plant--don't have to dig it up and move it, just find something like a cloth you can suspend over it or some other make-shift solution for shading it.
 

Orion_metalhead

Masterpiece
Messages
2,994
Reaction score
4,463
Location
Central NJ
USDA Zone
7a
Get some thick opaque plastic sheeting from HD or Lowes. The white kind. Throw a couple of 2ft high 2x4s in the ground around it. Leave one side open and form a tent-like canopy with the plastix leading away and towards a spot that slopes away from the plant. Put some rocks or whatnot to secure the plastic so it doesnt kite away.

This will accomplish a few things:

1. Act as protection from more rain by diverting some away from the plant and giving it time to dry out a little.
2. Dapple the intense sunlight you get in tx.
3. Act as a humidy chamber to promote growth while not expending energy during transpiration.

Maybe some of the veterans here could give opinions on my thoughts. I also think its more from shock than purely rain related.
 

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,420
Reaction score
27,856
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
I was told within the thread I will have to dig it up so now I'm somewhat confused in terms of direction.

I think @Silentrunning was responding with that advice without understanding that the tree had just been transplanted there a week ago. If it had been a perfectly healthy tree that had been planted there for two years and was doing fine, and suddenly it rained and the tree responded by going flacid, with dropping leaves, and the leaves started to burn, I would have also advised digging it up. Different advice based on the tree's recent history.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,182
Reaction score
22,180
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
I would be extremely careful using plastic translucent sheeting that lets light in, but hinders air exchange and encourages heat build up. In Texas, Enclosing the tree, even with an open side, with that kind of material on top will probably fry your tree in an afternoon. There's PLENTY of humidity in Dallas. You don't need to create a steam cooker for your tree pursuing it...Burlap, white cloth sheet (old t-shirts, etc.) would be MUCH better.
 

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,420
Reaction score
27,856
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
Burlap, white cloth sheet (old t-shirts, etc.) would be MUCH better.

I use burlap that I hose down a few times per day. It has worked well when I have had to do emergency transplanting of large landscape junipers in the middle of the summer (thanks utility co).
 

Blimpsandmtn

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
28
Location
Dallas
USDA Zone
8a
Hi all!
Last night unfortunately there was a hail storm which didn't help the tree but luckily didn't hit it too much to where damage was done. I've decided to use one of my old white shirts and use it as a overhead tarp for the tree in order to provide shade.
I would like to thank you all for taking the time to help me, and I hope the survival of the tree is secured and made possible.
Is there anything else I can do to further support it's recovery?
 
Top Bottom