Trident maple help

[M. Frary]

Not enough organic matter and too many air pockets inside.

I bet if you put it in a tub of water overnight it will bounce back.

Sprinkle some fine soil on the top and water in so it spreads into the pot.

Also remove the large inorganic. I've found you can cut pumice in half with scissors.

Or just water more often.

 

[VAFisher]

I used that mix last year and, like rockm said, I found that it didn't hold enough water for my situation. I had wilted trees on hot days by the time I got home from work. Putting a layer of sphagnum moss on top seemed to help. I emailed Bonsai Jack about it and he recommended cutting it with turface.

 

[DrGreenthumb]

If you already re potted id hold off on taking it out and messing with it further. Just get some good moss for the top, that's been growing on rocks or something similar to your substrate. And possibly a tray underneath for a humidity tray of sorts. Also when you water, soak everything around it, the bench, the walls if there are some, underneath.

Also id stick it some where with dappled sun for a bit so it could recover.

Take my advice with a grain of salt, though, I'm still a beginner haha

 

[Spdyracer]

I used that mix last year and, like rockm said, I found that it didn't hold enough water for my situation. I had wilted trees on hot days by the time I got home from work. Putting a layer of sphagnum moss on top seemed to help. I emailed Bonsai Jack about it and he recommended cutting it with turface.

Thanks everybody for the advice. I was really leaning towards it being over watered. VAFisher I took your advice and put sphagnum on top and I'll see what that does. Hopefully it is a matter of too many air pockets and this will help and the tree responds well.

 

[rockm]

Um, if you fear overwatering, sphagnum moss on the surface will only make the overwatering problem worse, as it helps the soil retain water.

That top covering will help if you're underwatereing.

 

[Spdyracer]

Um, if you fear overwatering, sphagnum moss on the surface will only make the overwatering problem worse, as it helps the soil retain water.

That top covering will help if you're underwatereing.

Yes I understand that but it seems everyone on here was leaning toward not getting enough water so I thought I would try the moss and keep an eye on it. If it gets better I'll leave it but if it starts getting worse I'll pull it off and watch how much water it's getting.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

This would be my advise. Since it is in very open soil. Try to overwater it for a week. (2 or 3 times a day). If it gets better (no new damage), you're on the good way. Otherwise, you're not. Part of original soil is still in there so it makes it more difficult. Part might be wet, part might be dry. Weighing the tree before and after watering gives an indication how much waterretention there is. I've never done it, but it might give you some insights.

 

[Spdyracer]

This would be my advise. Since it is in very open soil. Try to overwater it for a week. (2 or 3 times a day). If it gets better (no new damage), you're on the good way. Otherwise, you're not. Part of original soil is still in there so it makes it more difficult. Part might be wet, part might be dry. Weighing the tree before and after watering gives an indication how much waterretention there is. I've never done it, but it might give you some insights.

Thanks for the advice. I think it was brought up before but maybe I didn't explain it well. All the original soil is gone. It was very sandy potting soil which all cleaned off very easily. Only soil now is the new soil I potted it in.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Since you have build a new bench, it might be that this tree is close to the metal building behind it and this metal can radiate heat. When a tree is stressed, try to create a more humid environment. Place it close to the ground, as close to grass or low shrubs as possible and wet the ground when watering. Put it on the ground in the grass whenever possible.

 

[Spdyracer]

Since you have build a new bench, it might be that this tree is close to the metal building behind it and this metal can radiate heat. When a tree is stressed, try to create a more humid environment. Place it close to the ground, as close to grass or low shrubs as possible and wet the ground when watering. Put it on the ground in the grass whenever possible.

That's a good point you bring up. I did move the tree last night around to the other long bench. Where it was the metal behind it gets direct sun to it so it probably does get pretty hot. The other bench the metal stays in the shade for a good part of the day. I'll see what happens with the changes and follow up whe I see any change good or bad.