Dawn redwood turning brown

[SmallTree]

My dawn redwood forest bonsai is turning brown, is this normal in winter time ? Im from Scotland and its been heavy rain the past few weeks so ive not had to water it at all, just gave it some feed end of October and last feed for the year.
It cant be under watering because of the heavy rain fall most days and not sure if natural rainfall even if heavy could kill a bonsai ? Trunks look good and ill get some photos tomorrow in the light. Just wanted to ask in case this is normal for brown leafs in winter.

 

[leatherback]

considering it is a deciduous tree and you are in fall, I would say.. Pretty normal??

 

[penumbra]

Yes, it is normal. Mine turned golden brown weeks ago.

 

[stu929]

Mine is also turning brown. It happens. The fact my dog used it as a urinal didn't help but I know they turn.

 

[LittleDingus]

Pictures would help just in case, but turning brown and losing leaves in the fall...totally normal. Mine have been brown for a few weeks now. We just had some serious winds the past few days so now they are mostly bare. Here's a picture of one of mine:



Look along the branches and trunk...you should be able to see next year's buds.



You can probably cut back on watering some but do not let the soil get too dry. If you can put your trees someplace out of the wind, that will help too. If they are under snow, they should be fine. If not, cold wind can dry them out. I lost a large dawn redwood due to drying out too much from the cold winter winds

 

[LanceMac10]

...should be ok...

 

[Sean Walker]

Sounds like it’s time to sleep in the Redwood Forest!

 

[Haines' Trees]

Mine have shed pretty much all their leaves too.

Also FWIW, heavy rainfall absolutely CAN kill trees. Over watering probably kills more trees than under watering. Generally speaking however, pines are more susceptible to this.

 

[Shibui]

Over watering probably kills more trees than under watering. Generally speaking however, pines are more susceptible to this.

You are entitled to your opinion but I don't share it. It may just be that I'm from a drier climate but with modern potting mix dry kills way more trees than ever die from over watering.
My dawn redwood love water almost as much as bald cypress. I sincerely doubt that heavy rainfall will do them any harm.

 

[LittleDingus]

My redwoods often sit in an inch our two of water...especially in the heat. When the temps drop, and the leaves fall, it's better not to water so much. Cold and damp = not a good combination. BUT, too dry over winter will kill them.

 

[Egyptian phaoah]

Hi guys I am new in the forum and I have issues with my dawn redwood as well these are the pictures of some body can help.
I live in Cairo , Egypt next to the Pyramids of giza. I don’t know what zone I am in but temperature is quite hi here. Here are some pictures of the problem. Please help this is there 3rd of fourth growing season for them with me

 

[penumbra]

Seems like an inhospitable environment for redwood. I hope you find another reason for their apparent decline.

 

[LittleDingus]

Hi guys I am new in the forum and I have issues with my dawn redwood as well these are the pictures of some body can help.
I live in Cairo , Egypt next to the Pyramids of giza. I don’t know what zone I am in but temperature is quite hi here. Here are some pictures of the problem. Please help this is there 3rd of fourth growing season for them with me

My experience is they don't take hot dry winds very well. I have to water more when we start to get above 32C. I'll usually spray the foliage at every watering then too.

Their foliage is rather delicate and dries out fast. I can usually get them through heat ok if I'm attentive enough. Dry winds a harder and have killed mine in the past. I have one now that the first round of buds blasted in an unusually (for spring here) hot dry couple of days. It's fighting to rebud and will probably survive but it'll probably just limp along this year now.



It's brothers were a little more out of the wind but otherwise in very similar conditions. They are faring much better!



NOTE: no amount of water in the world can save a tree if it's losing water faster than it can suck it in! Temperature will increase water loss. Winds will increase water loss. The combination is often catastrophic.

 

[CJSS65]

My experience is they don't take hot dry winds very well. I have to water more when we start to get above 32C. I'll usually spray the foliage at every watering then too.

Their foliage is rather delicate and dries out fast. I can usually get them through heat ok if I'm attentive enough. Dry winds a harder and have killed mine in the past. I have one now that the first round of buds blasted in an unusually (for spring here) hot dry couple of days. It's fighting to rebud and will probably survive but it'll probably just limp along this year now.

View attachment 437612

It's brothers were a little more out of the wind but otherwise in very similar conditions. They are faring much better!

View attachment 437611

NOTE: no amount of water in the world can save a tree if it's losing water faster than it can suck it in! Temperature will increase water loss. Winds will increase water loss. The combination is often catastrophic.

Dang I wish I would have seen this post 5 days ago!! I just got my DR a couple weeks ago and then we’ve been having crazy winds with 80-90 degree heat. Now the leaves are all dried up / brittle and fall off if they are touched.
Does that mean my tree is already dead??

 

[penumbra]

Dang I wish I would have seen this post 5 days ago!! I just got my DR a couple weeks ago and then we’ve been having crazy winds with 80-90 degree heat. Now the leaves are all dried up / brittle and fall off if they are touched.
Does that mean my tree is already dead??

May well be dead. However, there may be life lurking in the trunk. Keep it really well watered and wait to see if anything sprouts.

 

[LittleDingus]

Dang I wish I would have seen this post 5 days ago!! I just got my DR a couple weeks ago and then we’ve been having crazy winds with 80-90 degree heat. Now the leaves are all dried up / brittle and fall off if they are touched.
Does that mean my tree is already dead??

Tough to say

I've had some dry up and turn crispy brown in the heart of summer and have good growth again before fall. I've had others dry up in heart of summer that didn't leaf out again until the following spring. I've had others not leaf out ever again.

You can sometimes tell if a tree is too far dessicated by how wrinkly the bark is. Not the same kind of wrinkles like bark growth...more like the skin is too loose type of wrinkles. Which it is because the wet cambium layer has dried and shrank. Often these kind of wrinkles have a vertical stripe look to them. They're hard to photograph.

 

[LittleDingus]

You can sometimes tell if a tree is too far dessicated by how wrinkly the bark is. Not the same kind of wrinkles like bark growth...more like the skin is too loose type of wrinkles. Which it is because the wet cambium layer has dried and shrank. Often these kind of wrinkles have a vertical stripe look to them. They're hard to photograph.

Not to beat a dead horse But I have a cork oak that I thought went belly up from drought last fall. Classic fried leaves that are held tight and tough to pull off. Turns out it was just nearly dead.

I was able to get these pictures though. Maybe this is more clear what I mean by "wrinkly bark" due to cambium desiccation.



These branches are, in my experience, beyond recovery. Even though the tree is alive and looks to be staging a strong recovery, these branches are goners. I've never seen a live bud on any species once the branches have this kind of wrinkling. Not to say it can't happen...but I've never seen it happen.