hinoki sekka issues

[ohkthxbye]

Hello, I have this hinoki sekka for about 2 month, I wonder why he is getting brown tips and some of the foliage became greyish and crisp? (I slip potted recently, because I saw that water couldn't get easily into the soil). Its in full sun.

 

[Kodama]

Hmmm.. could be alot of factors. What are your watering practices? Do you know the general humidity levels of your location? Hopefully not fungal related. If you have had this for only two months it could be adjusting to your local climate. I've also heard of some turning to a dull tone for winter naturally.

 

[ohkthxbye]

I water it like my juniper itoigawa : generously watering on the foliage and soil.
I live in Switzerland (zone 8b) so it’s not that much humid.

 

[Kodama]

Thinking if you slip potted that you might want to consider putting it in shade for a couple weeks and do not let it fully dry. Slip potting could still be a disruption depending on how it went. If the foliage is getting crisp that sounds like it might have dried too much. If water wasn't penetrating at the time it might now be showing that damage.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have three of these trees, and have found that they can get weak if their roots are crowded and the inner rootball is compacted with dead roots and broken down soil. Slip-potting does not really work in this instance, because you aren't fixing the underlying problem, and may simply be masking it - and making it even harder to get water and oxygen to the roots. If you can protect the tree during the winter (keeping it cold, but not freezing) I would probably do an "emergency" repot now. If you have to keep it the way it is through the winter (and if it will experience freezing temps), make sure you water very thoroughly so that the inner rootball is fully saturated before you stop. Otherwise, there is a risk that water will simply run around the compacted rootball and out the bottom of the pot - giving the illusion that the tree is watered, while it is actually suffering from lack of water.

 

[ohkthxbye]

I have three of these trees, and have found that they can get weak if their roots are crowded and the inner rootball is compacted with dead roots and broken down soil. Slip-potting does not really work in this instance, because you aren't fixing the underlying problem, and may simply be masking it - and making it even harder to get water and oxygen to the roots. If you can protect the tree during the winter (keeping it cold, but not freezing) I would probably do an "emergency" repot now. If you have to keep it the way it is through the winter (and if it will experience freezing temps), make sure you water very thoroughly so that the inner rootball is fully saturated before you stop. Otherwise, there is a risk that water will simply run around the compacted rootball and out the bottom of the pot - giving the illusion that the tree is watered, while it is actually suffering from lack of water.

Thank you for your answer guys ! I don't have greenhouse so I'll probably wait for spring to repot it. I'll follow your instruction about watering it thoroughly.
Another question, is it true that they grow slowly?