Help with Natal Plum

[Devo313]

My Natal Plum is very light green, was a nice dark green when i got it. Whats going on??? I know it got some light burn hence the red leaves when it first came in the tent. It pushed new growth like crazy.

In a grow tent getting 15 hrs of light, Spiderfarmer SF4000 @60% 23” above canopy. Temp 25 degrees day/18-20 night, humidity 67%. In apl substrate, watered every few days. Fed weekly at diluted rate.

 

[Carol 83]

My Natal Plum also gets 15 hours a day under a grow light and receives sun from a southern exposure. It's leaves are still very dark green. Maybe try a little Mir-acid, although mine has never shown any signs of chlorosis.

 

[ABCarve]

Mine grows quite well @ 64F day and 52F night and relative humidity of 30%, no supplemental light. Southeast exposure. They do well in the southwest US that has very low RH. I’d ditch the tent. The tree probably needs a winter rest and you’re trying to make it grow. Not sure what to add for correcting the situation.

 

[MGTT]

I agree with the above. During Winter, mine is in a smallish south facing window. It gets about 6-8hours direct sun, with another 4-6hours of ambient light. Temp is a const 70F. One thing I do focus on is giving a little more time between waterings. I let it go dry, and then leave it a day (or three) before rewatering. For me, this made a significant improvement in growth and color over winter (and, no fertilizer during indoor months/winter). But, don’t let it go a week dry! I found that out the hard way, lots of dieback.

 

[Devo313]

Ok thanks, the guy i got it from had it out of a tent but indoors and it was doing great.

 

[Devo313]

Could it be light deficiency? Hence the leggy growth. Its a powerful light and got burnt at first….cant see it switching to not enough light.

 

[MGTT]

Fwiw, in my conditions the growth does get leggy during winter, but I trim it in spring and the growth gets tight. (I do little/no trimming in winter)

 

[MGTT]

Natal plum seems to be a tough species. My experience is the less I ‘babied’ it, the better it responded.

 

[Devo313]

Being the tent is setup to replicate summer, should i be watering everyday??

 

[Carol 83]

Being the tent is setup to replicate summer, should i be watering everyday??

I wouldn't, they don't like to be soaking wet.

 

[ABCarve]

Have you checked your water Ph? It’s hard to overwater a plant in APL. Your problem is the color of the foliage unless it’s the natural color of the variety.

Mine gets watered every day and doesn’t grow ant all until beginning of March.

 

[Devo313]

Have you checked your water Ph? It’s hard to overwater a plant in APL. Your problem is the color of the foliage unless it’s the natural color of the variety.

Mine gets watered every day and doesn’t grow ant all until beginning of March.

Yes it only gets rain water and i keep it slightly acidic for the Natal. Low 6’s.

 

[MGTT]

Looking at your pictures again, is there any chance it was exposed to cold temps ? The ‘red’ coloring on some of the leaves are similar to what I see when the tree gets cold. Also, I wouldn’t expect those leaves to recover. You’ll have to wait for new growth and see if those leaves are green.

 

[Devo313]

Looking at your pictures again, is there any chance it was exposed to cold temps ? The ‘red’ coloring on some of the leaves are similar to what I see when the tree gets cold. Also, I wouldn’t expect those leaves to recover. You’ll have to wait for new growth and see if those leaves are green.

Not really. It went right into the tent. I think ita from not introducing it slowly enough into my grow tent combined with too much water.

Its now out of the tent full time and seems to be reverting back to green.

 

[Katie0317]

Are you fertilizing the tree yet? It could be that it has a lack of iron or nitrogen.

Don't prune or repot until the tree looks healthy again. Good luck.

 

[Devo313]

Are you fertilizing the tree yet? It could be that it has a lack of iron or nitrogen.

Don't prune or repot until the tree looks healthy again. Good luck.

I tried an iron supplement and dropping the acidity a bit. Its out of the tent now and getting greener.