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Is my potted stone pine dying?
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Posted by mayflyaway OR (My Page) on Tue, Jan 22, 08 at 20:54
Hi,
I live in a studio apartment and didnt have room for a big christmas tree, so I got a potted italian stone pine that, supposedly, can live in a pot indefinitely (according to the tag). I adore my little tree as it keeps the neighbors from peeping in, it smells good, and it reminds me of home (it's the closest i can get to a forest at this time in my life). I'd like to keep it around until i move somewhere where it can be planted. However, I'm having some problems. The tree is losing all of its needles and shriveling up. it looks like it's dying. It's in very well draining soil and I wait until the soil is pretty dry before watering again, since they are mediteranean trees. I think it's dying for lack of sunlight, because I don't get any direct sunlight in my apartment in the depths of winter. However, on the few sunny days we get here in Oregon during the winter, I take it out into the hall and let it sit in the windowsill soaking up sun all day. The rest of the time it's home is my windowsill, so it gets plenty of indirect light. Is my tree dying? Should I wait until spring to repot, or repot now in hopes that I can save it? Should I fertilize it? Is there anything I can do??
Thanks!
mfa |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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| Can you post a photo? If it is losing needles, I suspect it might not be a Stone Pine; sounds more like a spruce. Dead needles on Stone Pines don't drop off, they turn brown but stay on. Resin |
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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Hi,
Thanks for the response! I wasnt sure how to post a photo in the forum so i uploaded a couple to google photos. You can view by clicking the link below. |
Here is a link that might be useful: click me to see the tree!
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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| It probably would have been better off staying outdoors mulched into a large pot (with drain holes) for winter - it's not meant to be a house plant, and if you don't have bonsai knowledge of growing conifers, you probably won't be able to manage now. Can you find another one to start with in spring, and grow it outside? |
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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| Oh...I live in an apartment downtown in a city, so nowhere to put it. If there's no way to save it, I guess that's that. :( |
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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I don't think it was your fault. I think the "Living Christmas trees" are considered doomed by the retailers shortly after they have had a chance to sell and bring in the $20 apiece or whatever they charge.
I also bought a $19.99 Italian Stone Pine from Wally World (it was just one "living Christmas tree" that I had, I had several). I watered that one daily, had it under a grow light and it gradually just turned brown and died. In about 4 months or so it was dead. I hate to be a bringer of bad news but I think that Christmas is the only Christmas they are meant to see.
I thought I was really rescueing, but things only got worse, it seemed like there was nothing I could do.
One glimmer there for me was nearly all of the "Living Christmas tree" Dwarf Alberta Spruces. They are hardy here is all I can think of, I even put them outside thru the following Winters, and now 2 of them are like sentinels for my driveway.
Your in Oregon though, there is a chance that Italian Stone Pine may pull out of it and adapt and be okay.
Will
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Here is a link that might be useful: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v243/w4i0a/My%20Living%20Christmas%20Trees%2004/
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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| mfa, you're one of many, many consumers who try to grow these conifers inside the home. They simply will not survive, unfortunately. Next year, perhaps you could 'adopt' a Norfolk Island Pine, a tropical conifer well suited for the role of houseplant. |
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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| Thanks for all the responses! I will definitely look into the other varieties in the future. |
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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| Unfortunately, most of the trees sold as "Living indoor Christmas trees" should be kept indoors for no longer than a week, possibly 10 days, if kept in a cool room. Almost all houses with central heating are too dry - and too warm - for trees that normally grow as outside trees to be happy and to grow. If you started one from seed and only kept it inside, it might be able to survive, but otherwise, it's only those conifers that come from the tropic/semi-tropic areas, like a Norfolk Island Pine, that can live indoors for very long, and that with some attention to humidity around them in winter. Even most bonsai conifers are kept out side, or in an unheated building, and brought inside only for display for a week or so. I'm sorry you can't keep your Stone pine, but wish you luck in your next choice! |
RE: Is my potted stone pine dying?
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- Posted by
EwaG (eg@--.com) on Sun, Jul 19, 09 at 6:33
| I bought a small potted christmas tree and it was doing great- then I placed it out on the windowsill (in the sun) and it did even better. Grew twice the size and was growing nice and strong os I decided to repot it because the pot it was in was disproportional and it required a bigger one, and it was starting to fade in june. I repotted it in a more sour soil as i'm told that's what you're supposed to do for coniferes (i asked at the garden shop) and it's been dying ever since; slowly but surely all the needles dried up and fell... could this be due to the incredible rain season that's been going on? How can that make sense since i'd been watering it almost every day wen it was really hot and sunny and all it did was grow bigger and bigger every day? I gave it some "fertilizer/healing" thing but it doesn't seem to have worked yet. The last of the needles and i do mean it when i say there's maybe a handful left, are hanging but i feel they'll fall too. Do you think it can bounce back? Should I jsut give it time or declare it dead? Maybe tweaking/trimming parts of it could help? HELP! |
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