something wrong with my new ligustrum

[TrsH]

hey

i"m pretty new to bonsai (3 months or so)

1 week ago i bought a ligustrum that was not really being taken good care of in the shop.
bought it for 15$

i thought i'ld take the tree home and try to get it back in shape and healthy.
so i started cutting it back into its original shape coz it was growing wild like crazy.

but things dont seem to go like i want them to!
i'm getting brown leaves here and there.

the ligustrum is standing outside (not too much wind and normal sun)
and never dried out (when in my possesion.)

also what could i do with it or how would you shape/cut it?

grtz david

 

[Bill S]

David temper this with I don't have experiance w/ these, but looks like some insect damage, and maybe a wetter than it likes rootball. Your other tree looks quite healthy, is the soil in the lig. as wet and dense as it looks. Looks like maybe not a very free draining soil.

 

[TrsH]

well i read about the ligustrum and they say when the soil dries out the ligustrum is as good as dead.

the tree on the right is in the same soil (from the shop and in wich i bought it) and that tree is doing very well and is very healthy.

dont know if its insect damage coz the leaves are still in one piece.
it rather looks like they have been burned by fire.

and they are very drie too the ones that are getting black.

i have some dead wood on the tree that i'm going to remove? (dont know if thats good)
or should i leave it there in hope that it will regain its health?

 

[treebeard55]

I can't tell for sure from the picture, so I'll ask: what species is the other tree? That's relevant because different species have different requirements and preferences when it comes to soil moisture. The fact that the other one is nice and healthy may just means it does better with a wetter soil than the ligustrum does.

Also, bonsai soil components break down over time, especially organics. One result is deteriorating drainage.

You're right, you never want to let the soil dry out completely, or you'll have nicely shaped firewood. But it needs to dry out part-way, so that oxygen can penetrate the soil and get to the roots. Finding that balance is part of learning to do bonsai, my man!

 

[bonhe]

I agree with Treebeard55. I can see you have 2 different trees there, and the one looks healthy seems to have shiny, thick small leaves, right? By that, I could say the problem is due to salt damage. Bonhe

 

[TrsH]

the other ones i have are ulmus and mirthe.

would it be ok this time of the year if i repot te ligustrum in DCM bonsai soil?
consists out of sand and lava and turf.
i repotted my ulmus and mitrhe into this soil 2 weeks ago and they seem to be doing go.
no leaves falling off and they still look very heatly.

 

[TrsH]

ok i repotted the tree now and cut off just a lil bit of its roots.
not much.

seems like the tree has gone trough allot.

it didnt have the roots it was supposed to have tiny small roots.
i cut it just a lil bit just a tiny bit to fit the pot decent.

gave it new soil and put it in water for like 20 minutes.

just hope it gets healthy now.