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toynewb

Coffea Arabica Losing Leaves

Toynewb
11 years ago

Hi I'm new to this forum and I have just gotten my first plants! I'm excited to get going, but it seems like I'm hitting some issues.

One of them is a coffea arabica plant that's in a 12" pot and is about 4 feet tall. Since I got it about 2-3 weeks ago, I've been noticing the leaves are falling at a pace that seems to be quicker than normal (and speeding up). I think I picked up 10-12 leaves in the last 2-3 days. I attached a picture of the leaves with the stem at the top of the picture and the tips at the bottom. Some have brown tips, but are still pretty green. Others are browning all throughout and then falling off. Some of the leaves that have fallen seem to be pretty green otherwise. These leaves seem to be mostly at the mid-level and lower parts of the tree. The leaves in the picture are just some of the ones that are falling. I know moving it to my house from the nursery will aggravate the tree a little.

I have it in the corner of my condo (inside) next to a sliding glass door. It was getting a few hours of direct sun light, but since then I have pulled up my honeycomb shades to block the direct light (See the picture). I've been feeding it tepid tap water, but the woman at armstrong told me to get it some bottle water instead since Los Angeles tap water is not very good. She also gave me some liquid Miracle-Gro fertilizer to add to the bottled water I give to the plant. However, I'm a little afraid of shocking the plant some more with inducing fertilizer. I just started to spray the plant yesterday in hopes that may help with humidity. Is it too close to the window making it too cold? Temps out here have been 30s F and 70s F, but the inside of my condo has probably been high 50s (at worst is my guess).

Any ideas? Use the liquid fertilizer, bottled water, and move it away from the sliding door? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Comments (30)

  • Toynewb
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the advice Toni! Sorry about getting back to late. Been a crazy week.

    So a good amount of the foliage fell from the lower branches. I haven't seen any spider mites, but not entirely sure how to check for them. I don't see any more webs. I just saw that one leaf. I guess at the nursery the plant was indoors and getting lots of filtered light all day long. for now I pulled the blinds all the way to allow for as much sun as the plant can get from the southern facing sliding door windows it's next to.

    I have been trying to mist the plant once to twice a day. I also put a plastic saucer on the bottom and filled it with river rocks and some water to help with humidity. I put some moss over the top of the soil in the planter to help with humidity as well. The plant does have new leaves growing from the top, but i guess the main problem was from the bottom. I've just never seen a plant drop so many leaves from the bottom so quick, but the top seems ok. Weird to me. I haven't tried to add fertilizer just yet...

    in terms of watering, my plant is 5 feet tall with the planter so I can't really run it in the sink. plus I didn't think it was so good to move the plant too often.

    the bottom is slightly bear and I hope it doesn't lose that much more. I guess it's a positive that there are new leaves growing at the top, but the bottom just looks funny now. haha.

    thanks for the help, if there are any other suggestions you have for me let me know. i didn't realize I picked such a hard plant.

  • Toynewb
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    i think the plant has stabilized some... the bottom half is getting more bare as time passes and leaves fall, but the top is ok it appears.

    how often should you add fertilizer to these plants and what kinds of fertilizer (other than the miracle grow liquid stuff)? the planty smell of the tree in my home is great. =)

  • Toynewb
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    So my tree is still losing a decent number of leaves from the bottom and it's getting kinda bare now. I think another half of the leaves on the bottom will fall (some are browning/graying) it'll be pretty bear on the bottom.

    Here is a picture of the leaves that are dying from the bottom of the tree. Anyone know what may cause this??? Do I have bugs? Spider mites? I don't see any insects. None of the top half of the leaves look like this either and are doing just fine.

  • Toynewb
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    here are some other leaves that have fallen.

    some leaves that have dropped are almost completely green.

  • Toynewb
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Lastly, here's a pic of the beautiful tree. The bottom once was nice and full like the top, but as you can see lots of branches are almost completely bare now.

    any thoughts? i know hopefulauthor said that they lose lots of leaves only to have them grow back, but i'm still concerned. especially with what some of the leaves look like in the above pictures.

  • birdsnblooms
    11 years ago

    Hi Tony.. Sorry, I haven't been here for some time.

    Except for one area on your tree, your Coffee looks fine. Its leaves are healthy, shiny, and vivid green.

    Do you rotate? If not, please do. 1/4 turn, once a week is sufficient. All sides of your tree need equal amounts of light.

    Oh, I'd remove moss. Moss keeps soil wet for prolonged periods, and an invitation to certain insects.

    Plants should not be fertilized when sick, but I do not believe your Coffee ill. I think leaf drop is mainly due to moving from nursery to home.

    Did the clerk give you dossage instructions for MG?

    Tony, I have to go to the store, so hurriedly browsed through your posts. Perhaps you explained. What is the item to the right of your tree?

    Obviously, your tree is too large to set in the sink...what about the shower?
    The brief time Coffee will be in shower and allowed to dry will not harm your plant. It's not being moved permanently. lol.
    Morning is the best time to shower plants.

    Air circulation is mandatory. The room my Coffee Tree is wintered, is semi-dry and stuffy. I allowed soil to dry to the point severall leaves dropped..Duh! :)
    It's also not happy in the stuffy room. When I turn on the ceiling fan in the LR, I place Coffee in the same room, 'for a time.'

    Keep spraying. Toni

  • Toynewb
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for your input again! Answering all your questions...

    first all i guess i'm concerned because even sometimes the leaves that drop off are completely green, shiny, and look fine, but still fall off, which makes me wonder. Plus there's that leaf scarring in the first picture from feb 13 that makes me worry too. i'm starting to notice the brown tips on the leaves moving up the plant too, which is why i'm slightly worried in the long run. but again I still have brand new growth, so maybe i'm just paranoid.

    I did not rotate, but I will rotate it now. it only makes sense to do so, i don't know why i didn't think about it before.

    I put the moss in because I was told it actually helps with keeping humidity around the plant.

    I still have not used fertilizer yet and have not repotted it from when I got it from the nursery. It's still in the same pot with the same soil. the clerk didn't give me any real instructions for the MG. They just handed it to me and said try it out with some water.

    when you say set it in the shower... what exactly do you mean? Am I supposed to hose down the plant in the shower? I won't be using my shower head because i'm pretty sure it would blast off the leaves, but is your recommendation to completely soak the plant from leave to branch to root and all the soil and let it sit there?

    just some newbie (may be dumb) questions, but why would you let the soil dry to the point where leaves dropped? i don't have any real air circulation going. that is an air filter next to the plant, but it's not plugged in. i might try to get some more going then.

    thanks again for all the help!

  • dan4279
    11 years ago

    I don't really have an answer to why your tree is losing leaves, but can share my experience which is similar to yours.

    I have a coffee tree that has lost a good amount of leaves that turned brown first and looked kind of like yours. In the past I have grown this tree outdoors in the summer and under lights in my basement in the winter. (See link below) Because I moved and the tree has gotten very large I put it in my sunroom this winter. It's still pushing out some slow new growth, but the bottom leaves fall off periodically. I've chalked it up to less than ideal winter conditions (low light/humidity) and am hoping it will come back to life in the spring/summer. I'm thinking the continued new growth is a good sign. I also plan on repotting it. Not sure if being root bound is a factor, but it's been in the same pot for a few years. I may cut it back some as well, but I'll probably post looking for advice on how to do that when the time comes because I have no idea how to go about it. One other note, my tree bloomed and produced beans this year for the first time. I don't know if that has anything to do with my leaf loss.

    I don't know if that's helpful or not, but either way good luck with your tree.

    Dan

    Here is a link that might be useful: Picture of my tree a couple years ago in this thread

  • Mike_loves_gardening
    10 years ago

    I have the same problem. Sometimes they turn yellow first. I don't know yet if them turning black, or staying green, or turning yellow are 3 different causes though. I'm thinking they are 3 separate issues. Still researching that I know for sure I have no insects or mites. But I think a big cause may be very low humidity in the house. Outdoors they get the benefit of natural humidity, especially at night and in the mornings. I'm not sure though that they like being misted. Yes, they do regrow leaves, and send out new branches. Mine had sprouted big new healthy bright green leaves, sent out it's first branches, and was beautiful. Then I started misting a couple times a day to try to make sure it had enough humidity. Then immediately I got the blackening then dying and dropping of leaves. I stopped misting, and I no longer have black leaves. But I got more leaf drop recently. I think it's because of short wintertime daylight. I don't have grow lights, but I think if I did it would help a lot in the wintertime, to provide the amount and duration of light they need. I use Miracle-Groî Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food at the recommended indoor strength, 1/2 tspn per gallon of water about once every 6 to 7 weeks in the fall and winter, and once a month in the spring and summer. Spring is coming, so I hope the longer daylight hours will help. I'm keeping a close eye on things to make note of any changes as the days get longer. I just wish I had a good indoor humidifier. I'm thinking of putting it in the bathroom each time I take a shower, and leaving it there until the room dries out each day, so it can benefit from the humidity in there.

  • birdsnblooms
    10 years ago

    I can't believe this thread is almost 1-yr old.

    If Toynewb is still around, I'd be interested hearing how your Coffee plant/tree is doing.

    Mike loves...Normally, yellow leaves mean over-watering.
    Coffee trees require less water during gray winter days/months.
    Does soil stay continuously wet/moist or do you allow it to dry between watering?

    Notice daylight hours are lengthening? Thank goodness. More light means new growth.

    My coffee goes dormant in winter, so no fertilizer. I'll wait another month then give it half-strength.

    Placing your coffee in the shower is a great idea..Afterwards, close the door and allow your plant to soak up humidity.

    Does your bathroom have a window?

    My old humidifier just kicked the bucket. I purchased two, with reusable filters. They work okay, but I prefer consoles. Problem with consoles is filter expense. 19 and up. lol. Can't win.
    Or you can invest in a filter-less humidifier..Walgreen's sells 1.5-2-gallon, filter-less types. The small, filter-less type would work well in a bathroom, but circulating air is important, too. Too much humidity without proper ventilation causes mold.

    Good luck, Toni

  • jean001a
    10 years ago

    In SoCal, the tree should be outdoors -- and in full sun -- unless freeze/frost is predicted.

    Can be grown in the ground, too. Again full sun.

    When you move it outdoors, take care to harden it off by gradually exposing it to more and more light.

    Jean,
    who gardened in Long Beach, CA, for 30-some years and was successful with a coffee tree in the ground outdoors.

    This post was edited by jean001a on Sat, Feb 1, 14 at 13:18

  • finley
    10 years ago

    I would also love to hear how Toynewb's plant is doing because I have been getting the precise same symptoms on my 5 year old plant over the past several weeks. The only differences are...

    - Mine is much worse. Far more scraggly looking at the base and mid levels.
    - It's late Summer here and we've had beautiful weather. Mid to high 20sC and humidity 60-70%.
    - It's definitely not root bound as it was repotted in early Spring.

    I wonder if it's too shady for it? Usually I put it outdoors in Summer but this year I left it in its indoor Winter spot, which gets sun in Winter but little in Summer. It does have air movement.

    It's been getting fish emulsion and seaweed fertilizer, plus a few other regular things which have done it no harm before.

    I notice that the leaves which drop are the ones whose petioles turn yellow.

  • jcr89
    9 years ago

    My coffee tree is not anywhere near as big or pretty as any of yours... Yet! It's only a year old.
    But I just posted to another thread and since mine seems to be thriving maybe how I take care of mine can help somebody... Or maybe mine is just young and will encounter those same problems someday- hope not!
    Here is the link if it helps :)
    http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropical/msg0509191222006.html

  • kobirex
    9 years ago

    Hey guys. I have a coffee tree that has thrived over the past 3 year but since moving to canberra and being outside in winter (it's usually Ina greenhouse but grew out if it) it has deteriorated very quickly. It only really happened the past few weeks. It has now lost nearly all of its leaves and I'm scared it won't make it!

    We have a bigger greenhouse I can move it to once the crazy weather dies down but not sure what else I can do to look after it.

    We have given it a good water and feed and moved it inside.

    Any idea what else we could do?

    This post was edited by kobirex on Fri, Aug 1, 14 at 3:22

  • mdklassen1953
    7 years ago

    My coffee plant is loaded with coffee beans but now is starting to drop it's leaves. The plant is at least 10 years old and is 9 feet tall. It's been in the house from day one. Could the pot be too small?

  • mdklassen1953
    7 years ago

  • Ronald Kaiser
    5 years ago

    Cant believe noone mentioned this over the years. Leaves dropping off of a coffee tree from the lower branches towards the trunk is normal. If youll notice, coffee tree stems become quite woody the older they get. The woodier a stem gets, the less likely it is to support leaves. If your plant is otherwise healthy, your tree will eventually send off some new shoots/branches. just watch out for pests and desiccation

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Maybe I can explain why no one mentioned what you've suggested as a reason for the spoiled foliage and leaf abscission (shedding). Being reactionary organisms, every plant response is a normal response; however, many responses can be altered or avoided altogether by judicious manipulation of the stimuli/ cultural influences to which the plant reacts. Because of the varied positions of the spoiled foliage on the plant, we can eliminate as causal the only unavoidable reason for leaf abscission, which would be natural senescence (aging). Leaves 'wear out' and when they become net users of energy, as opposed to net producers, the plant's chemical messengers inform plant central it would be better if the offending leaf was no longer on life support, and the leaf is shed. Since the spoiled leaves are scattered all over the plant, some old and some new foliage, and natural senescence on a scale as large as we witness in the images would have a measure of order that is completely absent, we can eliminate natural senescence as the cause. This would mean that at these young plants' tender age, the spoiled/shed leaves were avoidable, not inevitable, because something other than natural senescence was the cause. In situ, the cause is most often shading, but container growing has a set of adversities that, if not nullified, will cause shedding of older foliage. Over-watering, under-watering, over-fertilizing, under-fertilizing, root congestion, reduction in light levels, sudden chill, etc.

    Limiting the discussion now to broadleaf trees, at the tip top (apex) of the stem/ trunk/ branches is an apical meristem (AM) with cells that are totipotent, meaning they can differentiate into any organ. At the outer edge of the AM, cells lose that totipotency and some become dedicated/specialized as leaf primordia, which differentiate and mature into the various leaf parts. The key here is, they can only be leaves and will never be branches; however, as the primordia develops, a small patch of meristematic tissue develops in the leaf axil (crotch formed by the leaf stem and branch or stem). The core of meristematic tissue gives rise to an axillary bud, which is the source of true branches. This bud can remain dormant indefinitely, but it will always be there, above old (leaf) bundle scars or existing branches, even for 100 years ready to be stimulated to growth ....... no matter how woody (lignified) the stem becomes.

    So, in older trees we expect to see bare trunks primarily because the trunks are shaded and because leaves specifically don't arise de novo (anew) except in the immediate vicinity of the apical meristem. If we need to see evidence of the existence of the dormant axillary buds on the trunk, all that's needed is a saw, a tree of any age beyond seedling stage, the willingness to cut down a tree and allow the trunk to stand, unmolested, and the smidgen of patience it takes for the remnant of the tree (trunk) to erupt with branches, from existing axillary buds, as well as from epicormic buds that form adventitiously or from axillary trace buds. Axillary trace buds are a line-up of latent buds behind the dormant axillary bud at the front of the pack. Should the primary axillary bud be damaged or otherwise be rendered nonviable, the trace buds are itching to come to the forefront as stand-ins for the primary axillary bud. In many trees, we often see activation of the primary axillary bud AND one or more of the trace buds at the same time or within a very short period. Witness:


    Here, I'm pushing a leaf out of the way to show a primary axillary bud and a a trace bud that grew into branches after the stem was truncated (for the second time).

    Another view showing both bud that became branches:

    If you look carefully, you can see that the proximal node also has axillary branches from primary and trace axillary buds. This occurs with fair regularity if a very healthy tree is chopped back in summer, which is why I continually mention that working with a plant's natural rhythms instead of against them begets a much more enthusiastic response from the plant and an extra measure of personal satisfaction for the grower.

    Al

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    5 years ago

    Dang, Al........I love the way you explain things!! Thorough yet concise and always, ALWAYS offering food for thought. I learn something new from you with virtually every post!! Please, keep on keeping on :-)

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    5 years ago

    Thanks, Pam. Such a nice compliment from someone who provides as much great advice as you is a treasure. I hope your holiday's were blessed with things that warm your heart, and the new year brings nothing but days you'll relish as they unfold.

    Al

  • V Richard
    4 years ago

    @kobirex

    its been quite a few years, hopefully you get this comment!

    Ive just bought a coffee tree seedling and I also live in Canberra, I’m wondering how yours has grown throughout the summers and winters here, any Canberra specific advise you could share?


  • Daniel Sullivan
    4 years ago





    This is the current state of my 4 year old coffee tree. When I repotted it in November of this past year it was covered in leaves. It's been pretty much continuously losing leaves since then. I though it initially had a phosphorus deficiency that I tried to correct. Now I think it has a boron deficiency. You may not be able to tell, but the tips of a lot of the new and old leaves are black and dying. Any thoughts?

  • Daniel Sullivan
    4 years ago


    Here is another pic. It's also doing that rosette type growing pattern I've read about.

  • mari kosin
    4 years ago

    I'm really happy to find this . I bought my coffee plants from Longwood Gardens about 2 years ago. And I also seem to have a big problem with Leaf Drop. I'm in New Jersey and I tried putting one outside last summer and it did not seem to like being outside at all. So I keep them inside and it Westward facing window because that's all I have. But I also have artificial lights. Here is an example of what I'm left with. Ironically I do have one plant that seems to be significantly better than the others. The bottom leaves dry up and fall off. I just tried repotting one of them to see if that would help. I don't think I let the soil get too dry.





  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    4 years ago

    Dan/Mari - For the record, Dan, I think your issue, at least the primary issue, is related to over-watering and/or a high level of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil solution. It usually turns out to be limiting as opposed to beneficial when hobby growers try to diagnose a nutritional problem (that probably isn't a nutritional issue to begin with), then set about correcting that issue. The reasons are several, but we can see where trouble begins when we consider the fact that there is a considerable degree of difference in how symptoms present, depending on many factors - cultural influences, vitality level, genetics, where the plant is in its growth cycle ..... . Also, how a deficiency/toxicity of any given nutrient presents varies widely by species.

    So, you diagnosed a phosphorous deficiency. I'm guessing you treated it by using a fertilizer with a high P content or a product commonly used on plants to increase phosphorous levels. Because N is the most-used nutrient, other nutrients are often discussed as a function of N. I said that so I can say that your plant uses about 6X as much N as P, and about 3/5 as much K as N. While there might be an extremely rare occasion where a high-P fertilizer might be a + for a containerized plant, it almost always ends up being a limitation. I'll explain why in detail if you like, but for now, I'll get to the meat of what happens when you over-supply a nutrient.

    All nutrients can be antagonistic to other nutrients, i.e. an excess of nutrient A can cause an 'antagonistic deficiency of nutrient B, or B,C, and E. Phosphorous is known (see a Mulders chart) to be antagonistic with copper, calcium, potassium, zinc, but especially iron. The most common indication of iron deficiencies is interveinal chlorosis, which presents clearly in the most recent image you posted.

    I realize it's been a while since you last posted, so I won't continue other to say, if your plant is in a medium you can water to beyond the point of saturation, so you're flushing the soil when you water, fertilizing is monkey easy. You can learn how to efficiently fertilize in a way that ensures you'll never have to deal with a deficiency and develop a flexible plan you can use for all your plants.

    ********************************************************************************

    Mari - There are many things that can cause loss of/chlorosis in older leaves. Mites, over-watering, under-watering, a high level of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil solution, root congestion, nutritional issues ...... Your plant would also love to be outdoors whenever temps allow. maybe we can figure out a way to make that happen once you get the posting an image thing figured out.

    Al

  • mari kosin
    4 years ago

    Outside .

  • Kirsty Brown
    3 years ago

    My coffee tree is only about a year old and looks like it's on deaths door. Yes, there is water in the bottom of the pot, but it doesn't last there long, so I'm hoping that it's upping the humidity rather than giving the plant soggy feet. I think the pot is big enough, and it's in the lounge, with the heat pump on at the moment at 23 deg C. It's next to a palm that is doing very well, and I guess it gets sufficient light, with lights being on for several hours at night. I can move it to a window, but it faces west and can be pretty hot during the day, even in winter (I'm in Taupo, NZ). I'm thinking I'll keep watering every few days, but otherwise leave it alone for now. Should I prune it? If so, how?




  • Daniel Sullivan
    3 years ago

    probably only needs to be watered about once a week. if you can see my plants's pics below. I think I actually salted mine to death by trying to correct mineral deficiencies. I gave my mom one of my plants 3 years ago. she forgets about it for weeks. fertilizes once a year. it barely gets any sun. and hasn't been repotted, but it's still alive. somewhere in between is probably best.

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    3 years ago

    You shouldn't prune anything green from a plant in steep decline. 'Green' is the color of the pigment chlorophyll which is essential to photosynthesis, which is the process by which plants make their food - carbohydrate/ sugar. Also, the first phase of the shedding process is resorption, during which the plant reclaims and recycles nutrients and other biocompounds already paid for in terms of energy outlay. The plant has the look of having being chronically over-watered or suffering from a high level of dissolved solids in the soil. Your pot does have a drain hole - yes? If you've fertilized with an organic fertilizer or one deriving its nitrogen from urea, the damage could potentially be ammonium toxicity.


    Ideally. you would depot the tree, inspect for root rot, and correct if required by cutting all rot back to sound tissue. If you find no root rot, make sure your watering is under control. The oft parroted advice to water when the top 2.5-5cm of soil is dry is a recipe for over-watering. Unless your pot is 10cm deep or less, it doesn't matter a whit whether the top 5cm of the soil is dry or not. There are few if any fine roots there anyway; and if there are, it's proof of over-watering. What's important is the moisture level at the bottom of the pot, and you can determine that by using a 'tell'.


    Using a 'tell'

    Over-watering saps vitality and is one of the most common plant assassins, so learning to avoid it is worth the small effort. Plants make and store their own energy source – photosynthate - (sugar/glucose). Functioning roots need energy to drive their metabolic processes, and in order to get it, they use oxygen to burn (oxidize) their food. From this, we can see that terrestrial plants need plenty of air (oxygen) in the soil to drive root function. Many off-the-shelf soils hold too much water and not enough air to support the kind of root health most growers would like to see; and, a healthy root system is a prerequisite to a healthy plant.

    Watering in small sips leads to avoid over-watering leads to a residual build-up of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil from tapwater and fertilizer solutions, which limits a plant's ability to absorb water – so watering in sips simply moves us to the other horn of a dilemma. It creates another problem that requires resolution. Better, would be to simply adopt a soil that drains well enough to allow watering to beyond the saturation point, so we're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids whenever we water; this, w/o the plant being forced to pay a tax in the form of reduced vitality, due to prolong periods of soil saturation. Sometimes, though, that's not a course we can immediately steer, which makes controlling how often we water a very important factor.

    In many cases, we can judge whether or not a planting needs watering by hefting the pot. This is especially true if the pot is made from light material, like plastic, but doesn't work (as) well when the pot is made from heavier material, like clay, or when the size/weight of the pot precludes grabbing it with one hand to judge its weight and gauge the need for water.

    Fingers stuck an inch or two into the soil work ok for shallow pots, but not for deep pots. Deep pots might have 3 or more inches of soil that feels totally dry, while the lower several inches of the soil is 100% saturated. Obviously, the lack of oxygen in the root zone situation can wreak havoc with root health and cause the loss of a very notable measure of your plant's potential. Inexpensive watering meters don't even measure moisture levels, they measure electrical conductivity. Clean the tip and insert it into a cup of distilled water and witness the fact it reads 'DRY'.

    One of the most reliable methods of checking a planting's need for water is using a 'tell'. You can use a bamboo skewer in a pinch, but a wooden dowel rod of about 5/16” (75-85mm) would work better. They usually come 48” (120cm) long and can usually be cut in half and serve as a pair. Sharpen all 4 ends in a pencil sharpener and slightly blunt the tip so it's about the diameter of the head on a straight pin. Push the wooden tell deep into the soil. Don't worry, it won't harm the root system. If the plant is quite root-bound, you might need to try several places until you find one where you can push it all the way to the pot's bottom. Leave it a few seconds, then withdraw it and inspect the tip for moisture. For most plantings, withhold water until the tell comes out dry or nearly so. If you see signs of wilting, adjust the interval between waterings so drought stress isn't a recurring issue.


    You didn't say much about what else you're doing for the plant, culturally?


    Al

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