Pomegranate Chlorosis From Excess Mycorrhizae?

hemmy

Omono
Messages
1,391
Reaction score
1,722
Location
NE KS (formerly SoCal 10a)
USDA Zone
6a
Has anyone had problems with excessive mycorrhizae and nitrogen or other nutrient deficiencies?

The pics show 2 twisted Pomegranates obtained from a Jim Barrett sale a few years ago. These leafed out indoors under light and have been acclimated outdoors in full shade for 2 weeks. The darker green one was repotted several weeks ago for slow percolation. The lighter green one got too dry indoors and wilted slightly but has recovered. However, since leaf out it has had lighter green foliage looking nitrogen deficient or chlorotic. When it got too dry, I noticed that it was aggressively colonized with mycorrhizae. The mix is fine orchid bark and pumice. I’ve soaked it twice now to rehydrate the hydrophobic areas.

Both were also repotted last year and moved up to the next size container to continue to thicken. Reduced the rootballs and large thick circling roots. They’ve always been very similar colors and get identical Fall color. I assume they were cuttings from same mother plant.

I’m going to foliar feed and test the pH of the substrate leachate. But would remove some soil and work in fresh soil?

Thanks!
6C327A22-7D0F-44B8-86BE-907DB2C2D28F.jpeg587B6AA1-7E97-4797-B9EE-C65FAD13C400.jpeg562CD407-4FB7-4ADA-9F58-3AC8C52485C3.jpegA0DA3C14-836E-4E2C-AED6-B17AD752695A.jpeg
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,263
Reaction score
22,434
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
Has anyone had problems with excessive mycorrhizae and nitrogen or other nutrient deficiencies?

The pics show 2 twisted Pomegranates obtained from a Jim Barrett sale a few years ago. These leafed out indoors under light and have been acclimated outdoors in full shade for 2 weeks. The darker green one was repotted several weeks ago for slow percolation. The lighter green one got too dry indoors and wilted slightly but has recovered. However, since leaf out it has had lighter green foliage looking nitrogen deficient or chlorotic. When it got too dry, I noticed that it was aggressively colonized with mycorrhizae. The mix is fine orchid bark and pumice. I’ve soaked it twice now to rehydrate the hydrophobic areas.

Both were also repotted last year and moved up to the next size container to continue to thicken. Reduced the rootballs and large thick circling roots. They’ve always been very similar colors and get identical Fall color. I assume they were cuttings from same mother plant.

I’m going to foliar feed and test the pH of the substrate leachate. But would remove some soil and work in fresh soil?

Thanks!
View attachment 483641View attachment 483642View attachment 483643View attachment 483644
More of a watering issue that anything related to myc. Drying out is probably the reason for the shift.
 

Maiden69

Masterpiece
Messages
2,340
Reaction score
3,612
Location
Boerne, TX
USDA Zone
8b
Excess water can cause the same as well, high pH (7.0>), and iron deficiency... very hard to pinpoint by just looking at pictures. wait for the pH test to come in, in the meantime keep an eye on it, pine bark takes a while to hydrate... one reason I don't like it. I had an issue with my liquidambar drying out before I moved it to bonsai soil and Brent advise me to let it soak for 10-15 min just in case the bark dried too much because of the summer in Texas. That did the trick, after that I watered twice a day to ensure it wouldn't dry again.
 

thenewguy

Seedling
Messages
7
Reaction score
2
Location
Alberta, Canada
USDA Zone
4A
Interested to see the update to this and how the tree is doing @hemmy. Did it end up being pH issue? I believe an iron deficiency will generally start on newer growth and move to the more mature leaf as is advances, whereas a magnesium def would start on the mature leaf and work to the younger stuff, both look very similar, marginal chlorosis with green veins. (at least in cannabis it is, I grew commercially for years and I am just picking up bonsai as a hobby so take this with a grain of salt), iron becomes more unavailable at a higher pH, so the pH and iron really do go hand in hand.

Do Pomegranate like acidic soil? Sorry just reading around and trying to learn some stuff in the process, I love the fruiting and deciduous trees.
 

hemmy

Omono
Messages
1,391
Reaction score
1,722
Location
NE KS (formerly SoCal 10a)
USDA Zone
6a
Did it end up being pH issue?
Embarrassingly, I put them out and haven’t done anything else except some balanced miracle gro. I’d say it’s a little greener but still lighter than the newly repotted one. I think it did dry out too much which lead to mineral precip buildup with the harder tap water. It will get some foliar feed and fish/kelp in the next week or so. I’m just waiting for when we close our windows and turn on the AC! Thanks for the reminder though, I’ll check the soil leachate pH this week.

Do Pomegranate like acidic soil?
The internet says 5.5 to 7.2, moderately acidic to slightly alkaline.

IMG_4380.jpegIMG_4381.jpeg
 
Top Bottom