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valvedsteel

fukien tea wilting

valvedsteel
12 years ago

Hi friends,

I've had an 8 year old fukien for the past 6 months, staying indoors by a window in my Orlando apartment. All has been great until I came down to my home in Miami for summer break. The outside is much hotter so we keep the AC on 75 on average. Just a few days ago I noticed the leaves were very easy to remove yet still green. Now the last few leaves are wilted and browning.

Maybe I used too much Fertilizer (jacks 20-20-20)? Not enough water? What could it have been? Is there anything I can do??

Comments (2)

  • head_cutter
    12 years ago

    If this is the one you posted a picture of there are probably 2 problems (not knowing about the window proximity). Of course they could live outside, in Florida, year round anyway.
    It's in a small shallow pot which doesn't hold much moisture and living in 75 degree air-con. You moved it and made changes to it's environment which they don't like at all.
    The air-con dries everything out which is the opposite of what it needs...humidity. Yes, giving it more water will help a lot. No doubt someone in here will suggest a humidity tray, that won't do much good with the air-con unless you can have one the size of a Toyota which ain't too practical in a home.

    I wouldn't over water it but keep the soil moist, it's a tropical so it will probably bounce back after a while. You just made too many changes for it to handle all at once.

    As an example; my trees live on my back patio/courtyard here. Most of the year is around 100 degrees+ but with 100% humidity -- they get watered hard once a day and the area hosed down a few times a day. The rest of the year (3-4 months) it rains 24/7. Most of the time the FT's are happy but still pitch a fit once in a while and will drop leaves, it's normal, they are beautiful trees but also a royal pain at times.

    Bob

  • head_cutter
    12 years ago

    If this is the one you posted a picture of there are probably 2 problems (not knowing about the window proximity). Of course they could live outside, in Florida, year round anyway.
    It's in a small shallow pot which doesn't hold much moisture and living in 75 degree air-con. You moved it and made changes to it's environment which they don't like at all.
    The air-con dries everything out which is the opposite of what it needs...humidity. Yes, giving it more water will help a lot. No doubt someone in here will suggest a humidity tray, that won't do much good with the air-con unless you can have one the size of a Toyota which ain't too practical in a home.

    I wouldn't over water it but keep the soil moist, it's a tropical so it will probably bounce back after a while. You just made too many changes for it to handle all at once.

    As an example; my trees live on my back patio/courtyard here. Most of the year is around 100 degrees+ but with 100% humidity -- they get watered hard once a day and the area hosed down a few times a day. The rest of the year (3-4 months) it rains 24/7. Most of the time the FT's are happy but still pitch a fit once in a while and will drop leaves, it's normal, they are beautiful trees but also a royal pain at times.

    Bob

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