Help!! What's wrong with Frank?

[Lottie]

Okay hey guys, basically need some advice, I've had my Chinese elm, year and a half, had ups and downs but I'm not sure what's wrong with it this time. Frank (my elm) lives outside in the garden, Norfolk, UK. Temperature has dropped here a little due to Autumn coming (he didn't go dormant last year)...but I'm not sure that's why he acting like this? He looked lovely and lushes all summer, beautiful green leaves, now in a matter of days he's turned like this....any advice please? Thankyou.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Did you let it get too dry?

 

[Shibui]

Looks like it got too dry at some stage, even if you didn't know about it.
First aid for a dry tree is to soak the pot in a tub of water to make sure the root mass is properly wet. Just watering is not enough.
After that, continue watering as normal and hope that it is still alive. Chinese elm are really tough and usually come back from being dry like this. You are at the end of your growing season. Sometimes trees decide to stay dormant until spring so keep looking after it until next July in the hope that it is still good.

 

[Woocash]

Since I got mine, i’ve been soaking it until the soil has absorbed water and changed colour. Most of the time it takes a couple of minutes but I forgot one day when the clay had dried out on top and it took at least an hour to rehydrate properly. Bit of an eye opener for me. Just shows what can happen if the substrate dries out too much as you might water it but not enough gets absorbed. Good luck!

 

[Sansui]

Possibly a nitrogen overdose, compliments of an animal in the garden?

 

[RabidSquirrel]

Do Chinese elm change color with the waning sun? I've noticed some trees do that instead of waiting for frost to bite...

 

[Shibui]

Normal autumn colour for Chinese elm is yellow. Brown is more usual when leaves have been too dry.

 

[leatherback]

Not sure what to tell you but.. the colour of the leaves indicate a very fast drying out. The ridges on tge trunk make me think the whole tree dried out.

I cannot tell for sure, but I do not think there is a lot of life left..

Keep evenly moist out of the sun an see what the buds do

 

[bluesky]

Hello Lottie. Did it come back to life after dropping the leaves? I'm guessing yes...? Chinese elm often produce new buds up to 3 weeks after dropping the leaves. Unless it was left dry in the sun for several days.

 

[rockm]

You have a cat? or a cat in your garden outside? Sudden brown leaves can indicate sudden soil changes, as in a cat peeing in the pot. Bonsai soil is attractive to them because it resembles cat litter. This is doubly so if the pot is located on the ground or on accessible surface to the ground where cats can get at it. the Ammonia, salts and sharp acidity of the urine can desiccate roots, leaving them unable to transport moisture to the upper part of the tree.

 

[Lottie]

Hello Lottie. Did it come back to life after dropping the leaves? I'm guessing yes...? Chinese elm often produce new buds up to 3 weeks after dropping the leaves. Unless it was left dry in the sun for several days.

Heya, thanks for the message. no it didn't, but it's not actually dropped the leaves, they are just all brown now, but they aren't getting weak and dropping off, they are securely still attached to the tree. So what do you think is wrong with it? I'm not sure it is because it got dry?

 

[Forsoothe!]

I agree it got too dry. And this time of year when the sunlight is waning and days are shorter, the eldest, inner leaves would be expected to drop anyway. So you put him to sleep a little prematurely. Best to heel him in the garden somewhere sunny, mulch up to about 2" over the nebari, and wait for spring to wake him up. Might as well do some pruning for shape now, too, and wiring is easiest when bare, -you can see inside the canopies clearly what looks good and what looks out of place. You can pick-and-choose branches and twigs that are well placed and wire them into nice clouds for next year. Leave the buds at the tips of branches you want to be longer, but remove the buds at the tips of branches the right length to encourage back-budding/denser growth. Remove the wire when you see the buds expanding next March or April. Frank will be more vigorous next year with his over-wintering outdoors. Start feeding him when you see the buds expanding and keep him compact by pinching buds that are going to grow beyond the cloud image in your mind's eye. Touch him every day in the growing season and look for something to pinch!

 

[rockm]

I wouldn't be as optimistic, but there's always hope. The dead greenish tinted leaves firmly attached means the tree experienced a sudden shock. That discoloration is due to corresponding dad roots. You may get new growth before winter starts --if the tree is still alive (scratch a larger branch with your fingernail. If there's green underneath the bark, there's a chance the tree will recover). Chinese elms do that. They're pretty resilient. BUT, and this is a big one, that means the coming winter will kill that new growth off, so leaving it outdoors in below freezing weather will probably finish it off. This tree has NOT gone dormant. If it is still alive, it will try to recover from the shock with growth.

I'd keep it in the pot. Watch the watering (soil shouldn't be soggy, but constantly moist) and bring it inside as the first frost approaches. I'd have it inside for the winter under a grow light and have it limp through until spring.

 

[bluesky]

What rockm said. If your tree is still alive you'll see the green cambium under the bark when you scratch off a bit.

And if it (he?) produces new buds now, give him TLC and as much light as you can, but definitely bring it, I mean him, indoors for winter. And not over a radiator!

 

[JoeH]

thread number 6 on poor old Frank ( no idea why people name plants, its not like they are going to come when called, well unless its Swamp Thing or Groot).