HELP! Satsuki Azalea Dying

[BugsBonsai]

In the past 3 weeks, my Shin-Nikko has deteriorated rapidly! The first 3 pictures are current, the last picture (with the flowers) is from roughly a month ago. I’m not sure what exactly is happening with it. It’s potted in kanuma, the root ball seems healthy (I checked last week), and theres no apparent damage to any of the leaves (a few have burn spots, but I’ve only seen about 5 with them). The branches are still pliable, so i have a little bit of hope. He is my first bonsai and is from Japan, so I am really hoping to save him. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[fredman]

Man it's heartbreaking to see. I lost a few satsukis..still don't know why. Only thing I can think of is they had a dry spell. That can be fatal to them. I don't have anything either than to ask...did you repot it and put it into the kanuma, or has it been in there for a while?

 

[BugsBonsai]

Man it's heartbreaking to see. I lost a few satsukis..still don't know why. Only thing I can think of is they had a dry spell. That can be fatal to them. I don't have anything either than to ask...did you repot it and put it into the kanuma, or has it been in there for a while?

He’s been in kanuma since I got him last year I’m hoping he decides to bounce back, but I have a feeling I won’t be that lucky

 

[Housguy]

Curious, does it live indoors? If so, might be why you are having problems.

 

[Harunobu]

Can you post a HD closeup of the leaves? Also, we don't have a lot of info. You have had this tree for a year, not repotted, and now it looks like this. I mean, you had it for quite a while, and it was doing well. But now it looks damaged. What changed? I get that for you this is also hard to answer, but the way the plant looks in a picture can also not give the complete answer.

My suspicion so far is that it dried out. I would also have asked if it has been indoor all this time. I suspect that you took it inside to take the pictures. But it being inside with low humidity and the way it looks now is a story that makes sense.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Oh Nooo! I’m so sorry!

Your Satsuki is in the ICU

First be sure it is in about 1/2 filtered shade 1/2 full shade right off. Ensure you water only when you see the top of the kanuma whitens a bit..

Also put the pot on an angle, say 15 degrees ish with a stone underneath to ensure it doesn’t have wet feet.

In echo the previous posts. I do have a couple suspicions, ..the most common issue for azaleas is root rot/overwatering for these symptoms....

But we need more information. Please answer.

What environmental conditions has this this Bonsai been in?

Siting? Water regime? Fertilization? Other additives?

What’s changed, either the with the environment or your horticultural regime.

Last potted?

Finally long have you had it?

Sadly
DSD sends

 

[BugsBonsai]

Oh Nooo! I’m so sorry!

Your Satsuki is in the ICU

First be sure it is in about 1/2 filtered shade 1/2 full shade right off. Ensure you water only when you see the top of the kanuma whitens a bit..

Also put the pot on an angle, say 15 degrees ish with a stone underneath to ensure it doesn’t have wet feet.

In echo the previous posts. I do have a couple suspicions, ..the most common issue for azaleas is root rot/overwatering for these symptoms....

But we need more information. Please answer.

What environmental conditions has this this Bonsai been in?

Siting? Water regime? Fertilization? Other additives?

What’s changed, either the with the environment or your horticultural regime.

Last potted?

Finally long have you had it?

Sadly
DSD sends

Conditions: it is outside (in the shade) roughly 95% of the time. We’ve had some bad wind storms this summer, so it is occasionally moved indoors (to a room with 75% humidity and temps no lower than 75).

Watering/Fertilizer: it gets watered usually once a day, sometimes twice depending on the heat. I fertilize with 20-20-20 for all of my trees every Friday. I haven’t used anything else on it

Changes in Regime: nothing that I can think of. I was out of town for a day, so I had my roommate water my trees, but other than that, nothing

Repotting: it was repotted last the spring before I bought it, and I’ve owned it for roughly 14 months

 

[BugsBonsai]

Can you post a HD closeup of the leaves? Also, we don't have a lot of info. You have had this tree for a year, not repotted, and now it looks like this. I mean, you had it for quite a while, and it was doing well. But now it looks damaged. What changed? I get that for you this is also hard to answer, but the way the plant looks in a picture can also not give the complete answer.

My suspicion so far is that it dried out. I would also have asked if it has been indoor all this time. I suspect that you took it inside to take the pictures. But it being inside with low humidity and the way it looks now is a story that makes sense.

I will try to get better pictures of the leaves in the morning. It is usually outside, but gets moved in when there are bad wind storms come through (or when I need to take pictures of it lol). If it did dry out, do you think it is likely to survive? Is there anything in particular that I should try to help nurse it along? Thank you for taking the time to reply!

 

[sorce]

We've seen sons, daughters, neighbors, friends, moms, dads, grays, goats, grandmas and pas, uncles, aunts, creepy uncles, second cousins, and roommates not water correctly, if at all.

I read you had them water, but not they Did water.

If not that the dry spell, my next guess is the confusion of being brought in and out.

Third, that metal tag. Ugly kills.

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

You are in Michigan. I've never had to water twice a day until maybe when the 90F heat hit. Possible the 2 times a day was too much?

I lift the pot, look at the Kanuma visible through the drainage hole. If the kanuma there begins to get light in color, then it's time to water.

It's possible it was too wet. Alternative is to dig in an inch or so to decide if the kanuma is wet. The surface dryness can be misleading.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Once a Satsuki has deteriorated this far, chances of saving it are less than 50:50. Do try to save it, I'm just stating the reality. You have my sympathies, I've lost a few expensive trees over the years.

 

[hinmo24t]

not sure about Michigan, but the northeast has had very very hot and humid spring and summer thus far. prob a drought...stiffling heat/humidity like this we usually associate with july and august but its been earlier. we have had about 3 days of rain in 2 mos.

good luck. saw a pretty azalea just 3.5' tall at a job site this morning.

i have one on my bucket list

Residents urged to conserve water amid drought in Mass. despite July’s rainfall

More than 2.3 million residents, around 35% of the state's total population, are living in areas considered in a drought.

www.masslive.com

 

[BugsBonsai]

You are in Michigan. I've never had to water twice a day until maybe when the 90F heat hit. Possible the 2 times a day was too much?

I lift the pot, look at the Kanuma visible through the drainage hole. If the kanuma there begins to get light in color, then it's time to water.

It's possible it was too wet. Alternative is to dig in an inch or so to decide if the kanuma is wet. The surface dryness can be misleading.

It’s been in the 90s here for about 2 ish weeks, so the watering twice has been in that time frame. I’ll check the bottom of the pot for kanuma dryness before I water again. Thank you for your advice (and honesty). 50/50 chance is better than nothing I suppose!

 

[chansen]

It’s been in the 90s here for about 2 ish weeks, so the watering twice has been in that time frame. I’ll check the bottom of the pot for kanuma dryness before I water again. Thank you for your advice (and honesty). 50/50 chance is better than nothing I suppose!

My climate is hot (95 -100) and dry in the summer, and I live at about 4500' in elevation so water evaporates quickly. I'm not watering my shin nikko more than once a day, and some days I don't water it at all (also, it's in about 50/50 kanuma and pumice). You're overwatering it. When trees get hot in the summer they often go into summer dormancy. Add in your lower elevation and higher humidity and the plant isn't moving water as quickly as you think. I bet you can go 2-3 days between watering. You need to feel the soil an inch or so down to know if it needs water.

I know mid-west storms can get bad (grew up there), but leave it outside as much as you can. Temporarily bringing it inside for half a day won't really matter, but I'd recommend leaving it outside and sheltered from the storm if possible. I only suggest that because most people will forget to take the tree back outside as soon as possible, and they languish inside for a few days.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Best wishes with this situation. I’ve found that It takes awhile to” read your kanuma’s moisture content. I have to think about the weather past and present as well as read the soil and look at the azaleas when watering and all mine have 20-30% chopped sphagnum in the soil...
My justification it’s multi layer and maybe be off base, but I’ve thought about this for quite awhile.

Here’s the rationale I’m presently holding for the use of spagnum with kanuma: It’s good for moisture holding, for pH acid environment anti fungal and nutrient holding qualities and part because it helps aerate the clay soil and finally because as an ecologist I just don’t like planting in soil without some biological component. I think it takes longer for whatever biota is going to establish to get established... and whatever gets established will be richer in complexity. Kind of an over the edge explanation, but it’s all mine.

Sorry for blathering on! Good luck with your Satsuki in the ICU

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[fredman]

Ha, saw a Peter Warren video about a big neglected satsuki. The bark is dying because of root rot. Seems to me there's a fine line with kanuma.
He wrapped it in sphagnum and a blanket to be left while prayed for.

 

[BugsBonsai]

Best wishes with this situation. I’ve found that It takes awhile to” read your kanuma’s moisture content. I have to think about the weather past and present as well as read the soil and look at the azaleas when watering and all mine have 20-30% chopped sphagnum in the soil...
My justification it’s multi layer and maybe be off base, but I’ve thought about this for quite awhile.

Here’s the rationale I’m presently holding for the use of spagnum with kanuma: It’s good for moisture holding, for pH acid environment anti fungal and nutrient holding qualities and part because it helps aerate the clay soil and finally because as an ecologist I just don’t like planting in soil without some biological component. I think it takes longer for whatever biota is going to establish to get established... and whatever gets established will be richer in complexity. Kind of an over the edge explanation, but it’s all mine.

Sorry for blathering on! Good luck with your Satsuki in the ICU

Cheers
DSD sends

I think I’ll try adding some sphagnum...I mean even if it doesn’t help save this one, maybe it can help my other three stay healthy. Thank you for the advice!

 

[BugsBonsai]

Ha, saw a Peter Warren video about a big neglected satsuki. The bark is dying because of root rot. Seems to me there's a fine line with kanuma.
He wrapped it in sphagnum and a blanket to be left while prayed for.
View attachment 314397

That’s a funny sight I will definitely be investing in some sphagnum though to see if it will help

 

[bunjin]

If you do decide to repot, I agree that adding an inorganic such as sphagnum or peat is advised. Checking the weight of the pot has always been my go to method of determining if the watering is correct, and for comparison check the weight just after watering. With 100% kanuma there is the possibility that there is a mud layer in the bottom of the pot blocking the drain holes if the mix was not screened well. If you have a spot with what the orchid people call "bright shade", that is where it should be until recovery. I do not think it dried out.

 

[chansen]

One more thought - adding an organic material will make it retain even more water, so you'll likely need to water even less. That doesn't mean you shouldn't add it, just be aware of the impact it will have so you can pay attention and adjust accordingly.

I found that I wasn't good at watering correctly when mine was in 100% kanuma (I was overwatering too - leaf tips would go dark brown, leaves would die, etc), which is why I cut it down with pumice. Kanuma is an acidic soil, so you should be ok there unless you have really hard water. If you do have really hard water, you could end up with weird nutrient issues - primarily too much calcium in the root zone that then locks up the magnesium, and you end up with chlorosis. I battled it for a couple years with my azalea and hit it with iron frequently and it never seemed to help. I later learned that azaleas are very efficient at using calcium, so for that plant there was too much calcium in the soil. I took off the calcium re-mineralizer on my RO filter (I have hard water) and that solved most of it. Now when I see signs of chlorosis coming on, I add a very small dose of epsom salt to add more magnesium and that takes care of it.

But for now, it seems you've been chronically over-watering the tree and you need to get it back into balance.