|
| This question is probably better answered by a gardenia expert than a bonsai expert, but since there was no gardenia category - here we go...
I have a dwarf gardenia that I am training for a bonsai. The leaves are starting to turn yellow and drop. They are turning yellow from the bottom up. In other words, the first to fall were near the base of the trunk, then the yellowing started to occur one level up and so on making its way to the ends of the branches where the flowering occurs. Any thoughts on causes? Here are the only clues - first, the flowering goes on unabated; The condition does not hamper its flowering. Second, there were some small scale insects that I removed manually (creepy black and white things that look like something out of the x-files) but these were near the ends of the branches, not lower in the plant where the die-back is occuring. Help, David |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
| Hi - need a lot more clues, like where is the plant growing, how much sun does it get for how long each day, how often do you water - based on what clues, what kind of soil mix is it in, and when did you last repot? |
|
- Posted by davidfromdetroit (My Page) on Thu, Jul 10, 08 at 14:04
| I live in Detroit and the plant sits alogside a brick wall that faces east. It gets sun from around 7:00 am through almost 2:00 pm. I purchased it about 14 days ago and immediately repotted it into a bonsai pot. I put it in a bonsai soil mix that drains well. I did, however, cut some portion of the roots off upon repotting as the original pot was rather taller than the one I transfered it into. About 7 to 10 days after repotting, I added some very diluted fertilizer. I used your basic miracle grow plant food not realizing then that gardenias prefer high acid fertilizer - something I now know. Do these clues help? |
|
| Well, you say it's draining well, but I'd love to know what's IN that mix... Otherwise, was it acclimated to the sun outside slowly, or all at once? And how often are you watering? How much? And (maybe dumb question, but...) how cold does it get overnight there? Don't forget it is tropical and a lot of people keep them indoors year round (tho' I'm not necessarily suggesting you do that there). |
|
- Posted by davidfromdetroit (My Page) on Thu, Jul 10, 08 at 23:02
| Well, The mix is purchased off the shelf and it is called Hoffman's Bonsai Soil. I did put the plant into the sunny position right away (no gradual acclamation) although the nursery I bought it from had it outside as well. I water it every other day roughly. In truth I am going by feel and I water it when the soil feels dry 1/2 inch deep. One thought I had was could the sun be heating the porcelain pot to the point that the roots are cooking? On one or two occasions the pot felt hot - then again I don't know how to work around this if the plant requires direct sun. As for evening temps they get down to around 65 lately. Mid 80s during the day. |
|
- Posted by greenman28 7/8 (My Page) on Thu, Jul 10, 08 at 23:41
| Elevate the pot, if it isn't already. An inch or two will help circulation. You could also put a white reflective surface around the pot. Also, about that soil. What are the ingredients on the bag, if it's still handy? Josh |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Bonsai Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.