Weeping Willow

[rhawes]

I have a 3-5 yr old weeping willow and every year at the same time it drops a ton of leaves and now it is barely growing I am thinking of just choping it down and putting it in some other soil I am currently using aoki any suggestions it is almost 2 ft tall and 3/4 inch trunk it is kinda skinny but I have no idea why it is doing this. I bought it from brussels bonsai this is the second plant I have bought from them with trouble needless to say I am not a happy bonsaier!!!!

 

[fredman]

All I know about them is they need to be kept moist. Even a short period of dryness will put them into shock and that will definitely let them shed their leaves.

 

[rhawes]

I am just soooo frustrated with this willow I guess now would be a bad time to repot I love willows any other help would be appreciated or suggestions the aoki seems to look wet but when I check with toothpick comes out dry?

 

[fredman]

Nah don't be frustrated towards it mate. You are it's caregiver. You need to see to it's needs. You need to learn all you can to see to it properly. They grow in high moist conditions so they need lots of water. Not sure if you can repot now...on the other hand it's a willow and they are easy to propagate...it's up to you mate. For now put sphagnum on top and keep it wet.
If I had a willow, I would mix chopped sphagnum in with my mix.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Repot in a soil that won't dry out, like top soil @ $3 a 1 cf bag from any big box. Bonsai media is not appropriate for Willows. Make it deluxe with some Pine bark fines. Don't give much N to avoid legginess. Lots of sun and water will do just fine. Be ready to trim every day.

 

[fredman]

Repot in a soil that won't dry out, like top soil @ $3 a 1 cf bag from any big box. Bonsai media is not appropriate for Willows. Make it deluxe with some Pine bark fines. Don't give much N to avoid legginess. Lots of sun and water will do just fine. Be ready to trim every day.

I agree. A good potting soil with added bark will be better for it

 

[fredman]

A very good soil I use to plant up my trees in big pots will also work well.
5 parts 1/4" bark
1 part 1/4" pumice
1 part peat moss

 

[Mikecheck123]

Curly willows are much better behaved for bonsai. They don't engage in this abusive relationship behavior where they self-harm just because you forgot to call.

And it's extremely easy to tell when they need watering (the tips start to droop). This one is in pure bonsai media, which means that I have to water it heavily twice a day. This, by the way, has been no problem thanks to the covid lockdown.

But next year I might use a different medium with more moisture retention. When it's hot, this tree sucks up more than a gallon of water a day.

 

[Forsoothe!]

The one little problem with anything called "potting soil" in American markets is there isn't much, if any, soil in the bag. You have to do something with all that cardboard that the green freaks recycle and you can get a ton of it in a "potting soil" bag.

 

[rhawes]

Thank You for the encouragement and info much appreciated!!!!