Help Needed To Revitalize This Tree

[Cazzabubbles]

PS ... Might be an idea to soak your roots in diluted miracle grow or Seasol & then use it to water in the tree too
Soluble gives better control for the tree in recovery & it's easier to correct than over fertilized potting media

 

[Gabler]

I stand by my recommendation that you don't mess with the tree except to water it. Fertilizer is for healthy trees, not sick trees.

 

[IzzyG]

I’ve personally not dealt with a sick ERC before but here’s how I handle other collected conifers that has been weak going into winter.

1: Tilting the recovery box/container to make sure it’s drying out quick enough. I’d rather water more often because it’s drying too quickly vs the soil staying wet for too long.

2: Keeping the tree on a heating bed. Using a temp probe in the soil, I keep it between 75-80F throughout winter.

3: Misting the foliage every few hours. I don’t keep the foliage wet all the time but it does get misted every 3 hours or so depending on the weather.

4: For junipers, I keep it in full sun. For some, it’s dappled light.

 

[leatherback]

I stand by my recommendation that you don't mess with the tree except to water it. Fertilizer is for healthy trees, not sick trees.

exactly

 

[Ja_De]

In the meantime I recommend looking over this resource

Introductory Soil Physics

Nov 2, 2016

Introduction to the physical properties of soils and substrates.

• markyscott
• aeration air-filled porosity drainage drainage layer growing medium porosity soil soil mix substrate water-holding capacity
• Articles

the bark, pine mulch and sand you're using are all about as far from aquarium gravel in terms of properties and water retention as you could get,

It's funny cos in horticulture, sand is used to aid drainage but the tiny particles are much more water retentive than larger particle bonsai substrate components

Collected junipers are kept on the dry side

Also the chop which likely made this tree appealing in the first place could have been its death sentence even had everything else been perfect,

Vigorous growing tips are usually left to fuel root growth.

This tree lost a fair amount of its top growth and its roots, the odds were always against it. But all is not lost if you at least learned a thing or two from your experience and this thread!

Thanks for the reply and suggested resource material. Your point about small particle water retention is not hard to believe when I think about it. I'll certainly check it out. Most of my interests consist of artistic and scientific aspects. I never really delve into the science of any of them. I guess perhaps I should.

 

[Ja_De]

Thanks for your reply and it certainly qualifies as "any and all"... You suggest a remedy that lays beyond my experience. That the tree could've remained in place until Spring is no doubt what would've been best after the severe chop it sustained, yet certain death was inevitable if it remained in place.

My hope for a nice bonsai in time may not come to fruition but if it remained in place that outcome was guaranteed. I think I'll leave it be as has been suggested and see what happens.

 

[Ja_De]

Thanks for your reply and it certainly qualifies as "any and all"... You suggest a remedy that lays beyond my experience. That the tree could've remained in place until Spring is no doubt what would've been best after the severe chop it sustained, yet certain death was inevitable if it remained in place.

My hope for a nice bonsai in time may not come to fruition but if it remained in place that outcome was guaranteed. I think I'll leave it be as has been suggested and see what happens.