HELP WITH TWEEDI POWDERPUFF

[indoorbonsai]

REDDISH GROWTH ONLY

I repotted this powderpuff last fall and it dried and dropped its leaves from the repotting stress. I’ve been careful with watering to prevent root rot. I see some fine white roots growing. But all new growth-stalks, stems,leaflets are all reddish. And they wouldn’t grow further and turn green. It’s been like this for almost 2 months.
What is going on? Disease? Pest? Because it still is winter here in zone 5.

And how do I remedy it? Thanks!

 

[Carol 83]

Adding your location in the world to your profile would get you the best advice. @Clicio has powderpuffs, maybe he can be of assistance.

 

[indoorbonsai]

Adding your location in the world to your profile would get you the best advice. @Clicio has powderpuffs, maybe he can be of assistance.

Thanks! I just joined today.

 

[sorce]

What is going on?

Unless yesterday, when you created that username, was opposite day......
I reckon....

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[LunaticTree]

REDDISH GROWTH ONLY

I repotted this powderpuff last fall and it dried and dropped its leaves from the repotting stress. I’ve been careful with watering to prevent root rot. I see some fine white roots growing. But all new growth-stalks, stems,leaflets are all reddish. And they wouldn’t grow further and turn green. It’s been like this for almost 2 months.
What is going on? Disease? Pest? Because it still is winter here in zone 5.

And how do I remedy it? Thanks!View attachment 424875View attachment 424876

cut in the bark to see if it is fresh green. If the green looks dull or dried out, it is dead.

 

[indoorbonsai]

Adding your location in the world to your profile would get you the best advice. @Clicio has powderpuffs, maybe he can be of assistance.

Thanks! I just joined

cut in the bark to see if it is fresh green. If the green looks dull or dried out, it is dead.

yes it’s is vibrant green inside

 

[indoorbonsai]

Unless yesterday, when you created that username, was opposite day......
I reckon....

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

Thanks! Glad to belong!

 

[sorce]

Thanks! Glad to belong!

Good Morning!

So what's the deal, no outdoors at all?

Too much Honking?

The Reptilians are green on the inside too, but nobody goes checking them!

Seriously though, it's never a good idea to look for green.
It's kinda like finding your pet ill and heading straight for the kitchen to grab the butcher knife, not exactly our first move!

Sorce

 

[LunaticTree]

Seriously though, it's never a good idea to look for green.
It's kinda like finding your pet ill and heading straight for the kitchen to grab the butcher knife, not exactly our first move!

Sorce

Checking for green is basic procedure to see if your plant is still alive or not. After all, your Pet will breath and show you it is alive. A plant cant do that.
As for the Plant itselfe it looks like it got frostbitten or something similar. So checking for green is important here as it will show you if its worth cutting back or not.

 

[indoorbonsai]

I have found the problem, overly wet rootball. This is because when I repotted it into a better pot, I saw that the rootball was intact planted in organic fine potting soil and was surrounded in large particles of lava rock, pumice and bark. It was my first time seeing a bonsai potted this way and the previous owner is a pro. I thought it was the right way.
The tree was also just recently repotted because the lava, pumice look very fresh and not much roots have grown into the new bonsai soil. So I decided to just practically move the whole original potting setup into a new pot using the original soil.

But this setup failed, the fine organic soil mixed into an accumulation of decomposing bark at the base of the pot.
I saw that it barely made new roots and they were also unhealthy, almost rotting with a slightly foul smell.

I got rid of the soil and bare rooted the tree, removing all organic soil that was muddy or powdery. Then I gave the whole tree a sulfur fungicide bath for half an hour while I was preparing new soil. I actually run out of pumice and lava. So I improvised with what I currently have, akadama, Kiryu and silica sand all in equal parts. I don’t know how this soil mix will behave in terms of water retention, breathability, drainage, etc, But the emergency repotting had to be done.

 

[indoorbonsai]

Here are some pics, 1st when I got the tree, 2nd closeup of its nebari and soil mix, 3rd Today repotted with very little roots and last the improvised soil mix of equal parts of akadama, kiryu and silica sand

 

[penumbra]

Good luck. I have a powder puff that had a little root rot in the soil it was grown in in Florida, but of course inside in Virginia is a different thing altogether. I pruned and washed the roots in diluted peroxide and re- potted into a well draining mix. It flowered and grew well this winter. I have mine in a grow tent with a powerful lighting setup.
When weather warms up enough (over 40, better 50F) put it outside. Also, watch out for mealy bugs if they are a problem in your area.
I think adding the sand was a big mistake though.

 

[Clicio]

As soon as it gets warmer, put it outside.

 

[indoorbonsai]

Good luck. I have a powder puff that had a little root rot in the soil it was grown in in Florida, but of course inside in Virginia is a different thing altogether. I pruned and washed the roots in diluted peroxide and re- potted into a well draining mix. It flowered and grew well this winter. I have mine in a grow tent with a powerful lighting setup.
When weather warms up enough (over 40, better 50F) put it outside. Also, watch out for mealy bugs if they are a problem in your area.
I think adding the sand was a big mistake though.

Why do you think that the sand was a mistake?

 

[indoorbonsai]

As soon as it gets warmer, put it outside.

Yes for sure. For now, back where it was, under strong grow lights.

 

[indoorbonsai]

As soon as it gets warmer, put it outside.

Yes for sure. For now, back where it was, under strong grow lights

Why do you think that the sand was a mistake?

Why do you think that the sand was a mistake?

I used this big grain coarse silica sand, not the fine sand

https://www.amazon.ca/Wohohoho-Decorative-Succulent-Terrarium-Carnivorous/dp/B08CSNVYTC/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?crid=2JU5TZ5G3TDH4&keywords=coarse+silica+sand&qid=1647522734&sprefix=coarse+sii%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-13

 

[penumbra]

The "sand"you used will be fine. I have never seen such a coarse silica called sand before. Looks nice too.
Shame its so expensive.

 

[sorce]

A plant cant do that

Sure they can, it's just more subtle, hence, we skip the "checking for breathing" and go straight for the knife.

A wound ain't good for a healthy tree.

Besides green doesn't indicate it's not on a certain path to death anyway, or tell you how to fix it, so we've learned nothing and prompted ourselves to waste time.

It just ensures the problem is worse.

I reckon a tree really worth growing, health or design wise, would never find itself scratched open.

It's simply our curiosity getting the better of our patience.

We ought be more curious about how we ended up in that shituation in the first place.

Sorce

 

[LunaticTree]

I have found the problem, overly wet rootball. This is because when I repotted it into a better pot, I saw that the rootball was intact planted in organic fine potting soil and was surrounded in large particles of lava rock, pumice and bark. It was my first time seeing a bonsai potted this way and the previous owner is a pro. I thought it was the right way.
The tree was also just recently repotted because the lava, pumice look very fresh and not much roots have grown into the new bonsai soil. So I decided to just practically move the whole original potting setup into a new pot using the original soil.

But this setup failed, the fine organic soil mixed into an accumulation of decomposing bark at the base of the pot.
I saw that it barely made new roots and they were also unhealthy, almost rotting with a slightly foul smell.

I got rid of the soil and bare rooted the tree, removing all organic soil that was muddy or powdery. Then I gave the whole tree a sulfur fungicide bath for half an hour while I was preparing new soil. I actually run out of pumice and lava. So I improvised with what I currently have, akadama, Kiryu and silica sand all in equal parts. I don’t know how this soil mix will behave in terms of water retention, breathability, drainage, etc, But the emergency repotting had to be done.

I know there is some kind of red fungus that can grow on the bark and roots, tho I cant tell you which one,but it seems oyu already figured out why it turned red in the first place?

 

[LunaticTree]

Sure they can, it's just more subtle, hence, we skip the "checking for breathing" and go straight for the knife.

A wound ain't good for a healthy tree.

Besides green doesn't indicate it's not on a certain path to death anyway, or tell you how to fix it, so we've learned nothing and prompted ourselves to waste time.

It just ensures the problem is worse.

I reckon a tree really worth growing, health or design wise, would never find itself scratched open.

It's simply our curiosity getting the better of our patience.

We ought be more curious about how we ended up in that shituation in the first place.

Sorce

Are you mentaly stable? Beause you sure dont sound like it. Checking green doesnt mean grabing a Knife, thats what you said. I said check for green, not how. Simply way of doing it using your nail and simply scratching away the outer layer to the cambium and boom, you see if its green or not and it doesnt hurt the Tree in the least. Tho it seems you are an Expert and think Trees will scream at you because you caused them Pain without their Permission.