Repotting Casualties

mrbadfish

Seedling
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Hi guys, I’m about 2.5 years into this hobby, and fell in face first and haven’t looked back. I’m in 9b, SWFL. I like to think I’ve learned a lot in that small time, but I still consider myself a newbie. I have repotted several trees and of course lost a few when I had no idea what I was doing. However, I’ve learned a lot and learned to be patient especially over the last year and had a lot of successful reports. I recently lost a Chinese elm, a buttonwood, I have another buttonwood that is not not doing well, and two Bucida Spinosa that have not begun to leaf out yet, 3 and 4 weeks later. They are still green under the bark.

I know it’s hard to tell me what I may or may not have done wrong without having been there, but I feel like I wasn’t overly aggressive with any of them, as they’re both similar in that their roots don’t like to be pruned too much at once. I put all four of them into Wigert‘s course mix (lava, stalite/expanded slate and pine bark, 2:2:1 respectively. I’ve had good success with it on pretty much everything I’ve put in it. Everything went into the shade and was getting misted at least twice a day and watered slightly less. The buttonwoods both did great in the beginning and started to push new growth, then just wilted almost overnight. One is a goner and the other may be salvageable, but lost a large branch.

I mixed a little bio-tone in with the aggregate before repotting, as I’ve done with almost everything else in the past. I read this somewhere a while back and then the president of my club (who has over 30 years in bonsai) told me he does the same, without me even bringing it up.

Everything went into the shade, the buttonwoods went into filtered light after it was pushing new growth and the Bucida are still in the shade and have done nothing.

Please, will somebody give me some insight into what you think may be the problem? I’m really bummed about having lost and potentially losing some of my favorites…….
 

Katie0317

Chumono
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Did you buy these at Wigerts? If so I'd take them back just to ask them to have a look and see if they can tell you what the problem is. If not Wigerts then whoever you bought them from.

I doubt it was the potting mix since Wigerts isn't having a problem with it and I'm guessing their customers aren't either or there would be a whisper of it in Fl.

Do you think you may have been too aggressive in removing roots? You didn't say when you repotted. Do you think that may have been a factor?

Am not sure how anyone can help without seeing photos and even then they still may not be able to, but photos might be helpful. Someone sharp may see something.

Good luck!
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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Shade is for Hostas!

Welcome to Crazy!

The sun is the life.

People always talk about how shade makes long internodes for design but no one ever talks about how much more surface area all that lanky growth has to transpire. Then we go thinking since they're in the shade we don't have to water em too much, which kinda leaves us in a position same as we think we're escaping in the sun, cept without that life!

These trees grow long internodes and soft leaves in the shade because they are adaptable.

Just as adaptable to the sun, plus we get good small growth and.....

That continued thing you're searching for.

Sorce
 

Orion_metalhead

Masterpiece
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"Everything went into the shade and was getting misted at least twice a day and watered slightly less."

What exactly does this mean? Are you only misting the foliage? If youre not watering the plant at the soil daily in 9b, even in the shade with a light breeze youre evaporating a lot of water from the roots. I think you need tk water more.

Pictures of the trees will help. I think in your climate youd need to mist and water thoroughly every day religiously.
 

SWfloirda

Chumono
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Anything repotted in the summer using coarse mix i water thoroughly everyday. It drains freely so you can’t overwater. I’m not sure misting helps much. When you repotted the bucida did you defoliate? I’ve only repotted mine once but left all the foliage on it, never missed a beat.
 

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
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Anything repotted in the summer using coarse mix i water thoroughly everyday. It drains freely so you can’t overwater. I’m not sure misting helps much. When you repotted the bucida did you defoliate? I’ve only repotted mine once but left all the foliage on it, never missed a beat.

It all depends where you live. Perhaps not in SW Florida with high humidity. But if you live in Arizona or Southern California, I would highly recommend it.
 

mapleX

Yamadori
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Shade is for Hostas!

Welcome to Crazy!

The sun is the life.

People always talk about how shade makes long internodes for design but no one ever talks about how much more surface area all that lanky growth has to transpire. Then we go thinking since they're in the shade we don't have to water em too much, which kinda leaves us in a position same as we think we're escaping in the sun, cept without that life!



Sorce
No tree dies from being in the shade 3 weeks...

The cause of the deaths must be in other reasons

It would be necessary to know better how the works were carried out and to know how healthy the trees were before those works.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
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Buttonwood like HEAT, alot of it. Never had one, but have heard they can be touchy about root work and soil. Full sun recommended.

 
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