Hi,

Last summer (July 2013) I had a holiday in Yosemite and purchased a baby giant seqouia and have been trying to grow it on my window sill.

It's south facing (so lots of light) but some of the leaves are brown and although I've read this post (and responses), i'm not sure whether there is anything I can do to help it (or if it even needs help)...

- should I prune the brown leaves?
- I don't water it very much. Is this correct?
- Should I put it in a bigger pot (see dimensions on the photo).

I've attached a photo so you can (hopefully), see what it looks like and it's condition, size and pot size. I put the stones only on the top (to stop soil splashing up), it's normal compost underneath and the pot has holes in the bottom for drainage. Any help or tips would be really useful.

Oh, also it's worth mentioning that I live in Southern England, UK, so definitely not California weather!

Thanks

Joseph

You can go ahead and prune off the dead leaves/branchlets.

As long as the soil is moist, you don't need to water it more than that.

Not sure about pot size, but they can grow fast once planted outdoors. It should do fine outdoors in England.

This post was edited by famartin on Thu, Apr 10, 14 at 10:29

Joseph, if I recall correctly, there are huge specimens of both Giant Sequoia *and* Coast Redwood in the UK.

Joseph,

I have many giant sequoia that I grew from seedlings. They love water, don't let the roots dry out, the soil should be moist but not saturated. If you plan on leaving them alone to go on a trip for a few weeks, it's better to flood them with water than let them dry out while your gone. The area in California is unique where they grow wild, they have lots of underground water seeping down from the mountains from snow melt, this occurs even through the dry season, so they have a constant supply of water.

comin 2 years too late on this but I'd like to add my 2 cents for any new growers. First time I tried growing these they died soon after. I think the season was wrong and they don't like too much light as babies.
This year I sowed them in late February wich is around 14ºC where I live (northern hemisphere) and in the shade.
Soon after they sprouted and the scondary leaves came, I moved them furher out from under the sowing shelf (they started gettin late aftermnoon sunlight) and added a LED growth lamp that's on 14h/day (those pink/blue bulbs).
Water i just keep it moist and once a week they get a 5-8-10 fertilizer in the water, same as all my potted plants these days (little nitrogen so they don't grow too fast and plenty potassium cos it boosts their imune system).
The soil I use is just common over-the-counter potting soil with corrected pH.

They're lookin great! now just lookin out for all them bug pests that are starting to show up as spring warms up... :/

Much confusion in this old post relative to the difference between a potted plant-in which that pot is the plant's entire universe-and how the same species acts in the ground. Almost surely over-watered in this case. And no, a larger pot will most assuredly not help! But i'm sure that tree's long gone by now.

Folks, a plant that is said to like moisture in it's in-ground habitat is a whole different beast in a pot. You simply cannot leave potted plants waterlogged like this poor tree has been. No chance of success that way, regardless where it grows in nature.

I have to disagree Tom, mainly because I have a half dozen of these in the pot, if it's well drained, water every day. Giants suck the water and will suck the pot dry, no water and they will croak super fast

Yes yes of course- if it drains and dries in one day, water it. But I noticed you aren't saying leave things waterlogged, you're saying water often-two different things. Heck do what you want, I don't care. I'm only offering several decades worth of experience and knowledge. Water your plants until they are a stinking mass of rot if it makes you happy. I'm surely not telling people to let their plants dry out when I say that the pot is the plant's whole universe! In fact, quite obviously, I'm saying the exact opposite.

If your plant-it matters not what species-is in a pot, you simply must manage the moisture in that pot. There is no substitute for this, no competing "theory".

Hi,

3 months ago I bought a sequoia giganteum and planted it in substrate in a well drained pot. Everything was going well, but after 2.5 months some tips of the lower branches got brown. I thought it could be overwatering so I reduced the water supply while the weather was getting hot (30ºC) and the lower branches have gone yellow and brown.

I wonder what's happening.

Perhaps some drought stress (it was pretty hot and the tree is not well rooted yet).

Or perhaps the substrate (not mixed with sand) holds too much water = it's too moist deep into the pot and the roots are suffering.

I'm confused. Can you help me please? Thanks

Jep

It's not overwatering, as long as well drained soil...Giant Sequoias love lots of water.

By the way, I'm not saying they like wet feet and rotting conditions, but if they are sucking the water dry out of the pot on a hot day...water them.

Get some Copper Fungicide...and spray it every 2 weeks in the summer months. In addition, try not to get the branches wet just before sundown.

botrytis fungus is probably the problem

Why did you pot it? If you intend it to be in your yard, that's where it should already be. It will thank you for it.

Thanks a lot Joeinmo, I'll try copper fungicide.

Famartin, my sequoia came from the nursery with a very small rootball (just a few cubic inches). I read in this case it's recommended to pot it for 1 year. Moreover it's not for my yard, but for a property in the mountains. With so few roots, no daily care possible, spring to summer time, it appeared to me it couldn't survive the summer drought outside.

Ok, that makes sense

Probably it was drought. Exposing the plant to the early morning sun only (then lots of indirect sun) and watering abundantly every 1-2 days has stopped the browning. You were right Joeinmo, sequoias love water. It looks in hot dry weather with a small rootball it's better to keep the soil damp to wet than wet to semi-wet.

I also sprayed the plant with copper fungicide. It looked a little greener after ther 1st spray.

Thanks a lot !

This is my Sequoia (the giganteum kind) and her name is Latoya. I got her in Seattle, WA about 2 months ago. She is still about the same size as when I got her because her tips keep turning brown and I clip them off. I have read all the forums. I don't overwater. I make sure her soil is always moist and that she has sun. I live in Texas and it's super hot right now (at least 101 every day) so we brought her in and put her under a UV lamp for half the day instead. I made the stupid decision to put her under this glass dome with the light on top hoping to recreate a moist, rainforesty vibe BUT as you can see from the pick, her lil brown tips got some mold on them. I cut them off too (also as you can see).

She has lava stones in the bottom of her pot and has miracle grow with peat moss soil. She also has one of those saucer things on bottom but has never had water leak into it. We mostly just sprayed her with a mist bottle every day and kept her soil looking like it is in the picture.

I have no idea what I can do to help so I'm reaching out for some advice. I welcome any ideas as I will probably be trying all of them to help my baby survive.

If you have any questions about what else we have been doing, I'm happy to answer and thank you in advance.

As you have read previously in this thread, your tree needs fast draining media if it's to reside in a pot. Search for 'Gritty mix' and/or '511' over in the container gardening forum, as recommended by gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) in the following thread:
[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/soil-mixture-for-giant-sequoia-dsvw-vd~3046300?n=10[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/soil-mixture-for-giant-sequoia-dsvw-vd~3046300?n=10)

Peat based potting soil is not what you want.

Ok thank you. I wondered if the soil was the issue. I know my question may have been somewhat redundant but I have literally never been able to grow anything in my life. It's all overwhelming and I don't really understand all the lingo, however simple it may sound to you guys. So thank you for breaking it down for me :)

no problem. It was wee hours of the mourning when I answered this so sorry if I sounded short or rude.

The Gritty mix and 5-1-1 mix are both considered 'soiless' mixtures so you need to figure in a feeding program in the way of fertilizer. 5-1-1 formula can be modified to use some peat based potting soil instead of pure peat which would supply some nutrients. I have zero experience with Giant Sequoia so someone else will have to answer you on feeding the plant. Also you'll need to water regularly with those fast draining mixes, possibly every day in hot weather. Keep your pots out of any direct sun and limit the hours of full sun on the plant until it gets going and starts to grow.

I see you got an answer in the [Conifer Forums:[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/soil-mixture-for-giant-sequoia-dsvw-vd~3046300?n=10)

Cactus mix sounds like a great one, if all you need is a couple of bags, that way you won't have to mess with all the other stuff.

The 5-1-1 is basically 5 parts pine bark, 1 part perlite and 1 part peat. Basically the same thing in the cactus mix.

I also just brought a sequoia seedling home to UK from sequoia national park. I’ve planted it in a pot for now but intend to plant out in my farm and woodland property (North Yorkshire, UK) once it’s grown somewhat. Instructions were to water and then let dry out before watering again. The previous owners of this property brought a similar tree back and planted

it out in the corner of one of the paddocks ten years ago and it’s doing well. They kept that one potted for a couple of years initaily. Does this look an ok size of pot for now?

PS it was a purchased nursery grown seedling and not one taken directly from the forest!

Hi Caroline!

I would love to be able to grow Sequoiadendron giganteum. Alas my far north location forbids it!

You'll need a forklift to move that pot when the time comes, is that made of clay? Looks to be a good size though so should be good for a while.

" Instructions were to water and then let dry out before watering again. "

Are those the instructions that came with the plant? I wonder because other sources say never to let the tree dry out completely (see #3 under caring for).

Caring for giant sequoia:

Yes it’s clay and that was the instructions that were on the plastic tube the seeding came in. I will probably keep it a little moist but not over wet. Fingers crossed it grows ok.

Thanks for the reply.

Most trees do like water and then almost dry before more water.

But anything in a pot is treated differently than one that's in the ground.

Potted trees that I've used native soil to pot have not done well at all.

I finally was introduced to the fast draining, bark rich mixes, like the 5-1-1 mentioned earlier in the thread and was amazed at how much better my small trees have grown.

Sometimes it means more frequent watering, but way more vigorous growth and better end results so any extra effort with these is well worth it imo.

You do not want a high peat content like most of the bagged potting mixtures contain. Or too many bark fines (dust). They hold too much water for too long and then suddenly dry out in one day, which makes keeping moisture levels consistent, a roller coaster of events.

Once the tree establishes in the pot, it will take more water than it will at the start, so a watchful eye is important until ones figures out the routine. Varying temperatures and wind will have a role in this too.

Thanks for posting! And let us know how things turn out later on down the road. :-)

Always nice to get an update on these things.

Hi people - I am FREAKING out over my baby. :)

It's a giant sequoia i've been raising for 9 years now, and for some reason, suddenly the primary new growth seen on the right on this photo is turning brown.

As you can see, on the left, there is new healthy growth. But the right side looked the same as the left (bright green and perky) up until about 2 weeks ago.....

Baffled and concerned,

Cameron

Maybe the tree's outgrown it's pot. Have you removed the tree from its container to check its roots?

no- and I was planning on doing that after talking to you guys. Also I should point out I totally soak it once a week, and use Dyna-Gro BON-008 8 oz Bonsai-Pro Liquid Plant Food each time i water it.

Thanks for your help Bill

From pruning I see on picture, looks like this is not first time this has happened?

I was just wondering if there are any posters on this site who may have posted above, or even maybe some who had not posted above, but, have had some success with The Sequioa Giganteum, or the Big Redwood, or maybe even maybe someone who has had success with the coast redwood?

I know that the Sequioa Giganteum, may have been the most notable thing in the world. But, really, it isn't the most important Redwood.

Besides the Sequoia Giganteum, or the Giant Sequioa, there is the Coast Redwood tree.

I just want to say that the Sequoia Giganteum, or the redwood tree that is responsable for the forests in the west where people can see trees that they can drive their cars through. Of course these trees were cut with saws and if not for people cutting them, nobody could drive their cars through them.

"Also I should point out I totally soak it once a week,"

Is there a reason you do this? Watering should be done if it needs watering, not necessarily a time schedule. Checking the soil by digging into it helps one to know the condition.

[What type of soil is in the pot? How big is the pot?]

If the soil is not well draining or not fast enough draining, it's like a broken record around here with why these trees are failing. Soggy, wet, slow draining potting soil has been the main culprit with all these failures. Go to a fast draining, bark based conifer mix like 5-1-1.

[Is the plant in full sun? How much sun each day?

Is the pot protected from the sun or can it get very hot by midday?

How long has the tree been in that particular pot? Was it healthy when transplanted?]

A transplanted tree needs time to establish roots, during this time, direct sun is detrimental and a pot that gets too hot can kill a tree. So best to keep it in bright shade for a few weeks after transplanting, until the roots can work normally supplying the tree with moisture.

There are so many variables Cameron that could be causing this and unless you're willing to share some history about this plant, it is totally guess work on our part.

oh i am totally willing to share!! Ask any questions!

So keep in mind, this baby was happy for years and years, and only recently took this turn. My layman's guess is that I have been feeding it too much fertilizer, and it's growth spurt out ran it's space in the pot....?

Answers:

I give it a gallon of water once a week, because that is usually the time it needs for the soil to dry. I've been doing that for 8 years so I think it is happy with this routine. Recently (three months ago) i started feeding it that bonsai fertilzer regularly, which is why I suspect it may be the culprit.

I am going to switch to 5-1-1 soil asap. I assume I can find that at any nursery?

I can get pretty hot by midday - that could also be the culprit. I live in Malibu, so not super hot.... but it has been hot these days.

It's been in this very pot for years.

Yesterday I took it out of the pot, and thoroughly examined its roots. It was a very tightly clustered mess, filling the pot, though oddly, not reaching all the way down to the bottom of the pot (the bottom 1.5 inches was just soil.) No rot detected. I combed out the roots and soaked it and replanted it per this http://www.bonsaitreegardener.net/how-to/rescue-dying-bonsai-tree

I trimmed off the dead or dying branches. So it sounds like I should get it out of direct sun until it can re-establish itself?

It sounds like its outground it's pot. If you're going to keep the tree in the same pot permanently then you'll need to root prune it or the tree will continue to decline. If you're going to put in a larger pot then I would cut the circling roots on 4 sides with a knife. Then put it into a larger pot into the 5 1 1 mix.

Thanks for clearing that up, I didn't know it was a bonsai. A whole 'nother can of worms. :-)

Maybe be better to post this in the Bonsia Forum or Container Gardening forum.

But yes, direct sun needs to be controlled and with potted plants, the pot itself needs to be shielded as it will absorb heat and raise temperatures to unhealthy levels,

I'd be careful with those roots, from the information in my link above, a GS should never be bare rooted. See " Can I bare the roots of a giant sequoia for transplanting? " in Caring for giant sequoia:

Sorry I couldn't help you more but others may jump in with more real time experience on the subject. Good Luck!

Oh, the 5-1-1 is a DYI over in the container gardening forum. You can buy a bag of Bark nuggets or bark fines at certain gardening centers, even pet stores carry 'Repti-bark' then you just need 1 part perlite and 1 part peat moss with a little Dolomite lime.

I got some coarse, fairly pure Bark Mulch at a garden center and then screened it to a smaller size and that worked fine.

I've heard of using Cactus mix too but from what I've seen, it isn't as much bark as 511.

This the tree the former owners of our smallholding brought back to the UK from Sequoia National Park 7 - 10 years ago. Any advice on its care?

" Any advice on its care? "

Yes, If the soil is consistently moist and it gets plenty of sun, stand back!

Growth rings on those can be 1" thick every year, that's 2" diameter increase in growth. :-)

Thanks Bill. Hopefully it will keep on growing well and our new seedling will thrive the same.

I am in need of some information. I have a giant sequioa redwood sapling i am growing in a pot on my front porch. There are about 8 little branchlings that brown and i have also recently noticed little black worms that kinda look like baby earthworms in the soil. What are they and are they going to damage my tree?

You really should start your own thread including some pictures.

That said, almost all the browning problems asked about here on Sequoia giganteum, if that's what your tree is, results from using peat based potting soil. What you should be using is a bark based soil-less mix like 5-1-1. You can find information about this at the [Container Gardening Forum:[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/taplas-5-1-1-container-mix-in-more-detail-dsvw-vd~1378483?n=253) of this site.

The worms could be something breeding in you potting mix because they love the stagnant moisture that builds up over time from using peat based mixtures. Pictures would be helpful in identifying them to find out if they are harmful to your tree.

Hi HU, I will just say that IF that sapling is not mostly all brown, and it has a good bit of nice green growth, meaning it isn't dying, ( I can't help much with the brown growth problem, only to say too much brown, and not much green means dying tree) BUT, if it is okay, a tree in a pot is gonna be a couple zones more tender than if in ground, so unless you will bring it indoors once it gets really cold, you will be helping it by just planting it in the ground. I had a Sequoia Giganteum planted in the ground in zone 6a, and it lived a couple years and grew very well, until I used Roundup near it, to kill the weeds. I didn't spray on the tree of course, but, I am thinking either the wind had happened to make some drift of it onto the tree, or it may be sensitive to Roundup, more than all the other trees I've used Roundup underneath, to kill weeds . I'm just guessing here. You will surely get better advice HU.

Hello all I have a 2yr old baby redwoods the started turning brown ove the last few months. I have cut back brown branches, but more keep coming. Does this baby look sick? He gets morning sun most days outside as i put him out when i leave for work. Then bring him in when i get home. I water him frequently but soils doesn't seem to ever dry up. I'm wondering if it's root rot?

Get some copper fungicide ...nope it's not root rot

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with this one?

I leave in Athens, i water it once a week and it gets sunlight for 2 hours in the morning

Too big of a pot and the soil has too much peat.

tj

and too much peat will keep it much wetter than most trees prefer ...

also.. its a conifer.. a tree ... they dont grow like annuals and perennials ... tamp back your expectations a bit ...

generally speaking ... you pot up as the plant grows roots to fill the smaller pot ... putting any kind of plant in too big a pot ... seems to make them never grow.. my theory being.. its trying to fill the pot with roots ... fwiw ...

you really should have tarted your own post

ken

It seems like the poster may have just watered the potted tree. IF they just water once a week, it shouldn't be looking THAT wet except for just after watering it. Even peat based potting mixes will not stay THAT wet looking for very long. I've been growing a good bit of potted semi tender trees, using my greenhouse in winter to keep them warm, and so, I have noticed that many peat bases soils can dry out alot after just a couple of days without being watered.

And, so, they will not always be holding onto too much moisture.

I've tried "Miracle Grow" potting soil for the first time this year, and, it dries out very fast in full sun. And, IF you use clay pots it's even worse that when you use plastic pots. Maybe IF your tree is in shade it can stay moist longer. If your home of "Athens" is in Georgia, you MUST have lottsa of hot days, BUT, I guess if that potted tree is doing good so far, I guess so far so good.

Btw, what kinds of non peat based potting soils are out there? I had been using Vigaro with a good bit of luck, BUT, what else is out there in big box stores?

I tried "Miracle grow" because I had THOUGHT it was "the best" because of it being sold everywhere, and it sure isn't cheap. I'll be sticking with "Vigaro" from now on. It's cheaper than MG too. It DOES have a LOT of "forest products" in it, and THAT is why I switched to MG. I had seen a Youtube video that had spoken badly about potting soils with lots of "forest products" in it, meaning wood fines, and other organic matter in it, BUT, it works quite well, I should have never tried the MG. It seems that the Vigaro had held onto moisture more than the peat based MG potting soil. that's just MY experience though.

BTW, I did NOT use a giant pot though, so, that will surely make a lot of difference.

Vigaro is cheaper too. About $8 a bag, BUT, the ounces or square feet, I have NO idea. And MG is about $12-$15 bucks a bag, ABOUT the same size. I get mine at Home Depot at that price of $8 a bag for the Vigaro, BUT, to each their own. The Vigaro would surely be TOO moisture holding for a tree in a pot THAT size.

I also have failed growing the Giant Sequoia I live in Maryland failed 4 times have 4 now and 2 are dying all bought this year , I think something is in the soil that kills them also with the rapid expansion of Garden stores over the past 20 years I notice a lot of Conifers dying even old ones. I think they are spreading diseases because a lot of people use conifers as decorative trees and spread what ever disease was in the garden centers

I wish I could help you, but I have NO clue why mine died for sure, POSSIBLE herbicide death. Do you have salty water near you? Salty air? Too much or too little water? Soil PH?

I don't know what else could be a cause. I haven't tried to grow another one.