Okay this is what we got from the OP & what is observable.
Conditions: it is outside (in the shade) roughly 95% of the time. We’ve had some bad wind storms this summer, so it is occasionally moved indoors (to a room with 75% humidity and temps no lower than 75).
Watering/Fertilizer: it gets watered usually once a day, sometimes twice depending on the heat. I fertilize with 20-20-20 for all of my trees every Friday. I haven’t used anything else on it
Changes in Regime: nothing that I can think of. I was out of town for a day, so I had my roommate water my trees, but other than that, nothing
Repotting: it was repotted last the spring before I bought it, and I’ve owned it for roughly 14 months
It is usually outside, but gets moved in when there are bad wind storms come through (or when I need to take pictures of it lol). If it did dry out, do you think it is likely to survive?
It’s been in the 90s here for about 2 ish weeks, so the watering twice has been in that time frame. I’ll check the bottom of the pot for kanuma dryness before I water again. Thank you for your advice (and honesty). 50/50 chance is better than nothing I suppose!
Since reading this, I’ve started to be way more observant about my watering. I check the bottom instead of the top for kanuma color change, and have moved from watering every day to about every 3 days! So, I have a feeling that was my main issue. The tree isn’t getting any worse (as in he’s still pliable on every branch), so hopefully this is helping. Should I be fertilizing with anything specific, or nixing the fertilizer until he (hopefully) gets his footing back? Thank you so much for your advice and help!
Initially, do I see "soil" right up at the base of that trunk? If so that is one problem that must be fixed next
Spring if this tree survived. You cannot make beef stew and split pea in the same pot at the same time. Your
Watering will always be "off" some because of it. Organic soils or inorganic or a consistent blend throughout
NOT two chunks of both in the same pot.
You've had high winds with temps in the 90's--NOTHING dries out plant materials any faster stressing them
to no end. Think. That is why they make BLOW dryers. When the wind gets up, protect your trees from it.
Fence, wall, a tarp on a clothes line, whatever it takes, but protect them.
Those other lines going to the edge of the pot. That is soluble salts buildup on that clay. 20-20-20 Weekly?
Even in a nursery setting I only use fertilizer on azaleas once a month after they are established and 1/4 strength
until then every other week. Naturally these plants grow in the organic matter that builds up in depressions and washes,
(some are even epythites and aroids) when growing in temperate forests, or rain forests, settings respectively.
This gives them their excellent drainage & LONG
SLOW feeding from the decomposing organic material. These plants
have VERY fine hair like roots that will drown or BURN off if "looked" at wrong.
NOW: this is what I think happened.
You over-fed and the soluble salts built up damaging your roots and then your inexperience with this particular media
compounded the problem and drown some of the weakened roots off. Then came the winds [with the heat] and the
plant didn't stand a chance because it had no roots. It may bud out some but will require the utmost of care to attempt
it re-rooting from what is left. Good Luck with that.
