Blue cedar - limp and dry needles

[Frogman777]

Hi everyone

Hope you’re all doing well and keeping safe.

I was wondering if anyone could provide some insights into what’s happening to my blue cedar below?

The new growth has gone limp and dry, lots of browning. When scratched, the area under the bark on the majority of the tree is green except a few yellower branches.

Context - I am in Melbourne and it receives partially shaded afternoon sun and indirect light otherwise. It could be dehydrated as I’ve been away for some time, leaving them with a house sitter, but my other blue cedars are doing fine.

Any clues?

Let me know if I can answer any more questions to better assist.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Shibui]

Almost certainly dehydration. Sometimes only one tree is affected because that particular pot missed out on water. Sometimes only one tree is affected because it is more root bound so less space for water in the pot. It may also have different potting mix or different sized pot/tree.
Hoping you can still save it. Dunk the whole pot in a tub of water immediately to properly wet the soil and roots. Cross fingers that you have caught it in time.

 

[Frogman777]

Almost certainly dehydration. Sometimes only one tree is affected because that particular pot missed out on water. Sometimes only one tree is affected because it is more root bound so less space for water in the pot. It may also have different potting mix or different sized pot/tree.
Hoping you can still save it. Dunk the whole pot in a tub of water immediately to properly wet the soil and roots. Cross fingers that you have caught it in time

Thanks heaps mate

Ive had this same droopy thing happen to two other cedars over the last few weeks and they ended up ultimately passing away…. I thought those ones were suffering from overwatering.

 

[Shibui]

I thought those ones were suffering from overwatering.

Overwatering is a possibility. Both under and overwatering cause dehydration. The first because there's not enough water in the soil, the second because the roots die and the tree can't take up water even when the soil is wet. In both cases, above ground symptoms are the same. I've picked under watering because it's mid summer and underwatering is much more common and happens in hours or days. Also your pots are on benches. It's easier to overwater pots sitting on the ground. Much more difficult when the pots are elevated with good air flow.
Overwatering takes weeks or months to become obvious and, with modern bonsai potting mix we really have to try hard to over water. You cannot kill a plant from overwatering for a week or even 2 weeks. Takes much, much longer to kill all the roots.
Check the roots and potting mix to find the cause. If you tip the plant out and soil is partly dry it's obviously under watered. If the soil is wet and no white root tips, possibly a rotting smell you're looking at overwatering.