Hornbeam leaves turning brown, just Weather or Worry?!

[The_Groke]

Hello all,

I received a european hornbeam last autumn/fall, seemed in good health. Repotted about 6 weeks ago here in the uk, in a good bonsai soil,
added Oceana root boost. All was well. Buds and leaves have burst vigoursly and i have in the most part just left it to grow. I'd rather it was strong and ramified a little more before i style, probably next summer. Anyways, as you can see, past 2 weeks or so, leaves in places are tuning brown. Now, it has been VERY wet here in the uk, and is only really starting to warm up. Anyone help me with the issue? The lovely spring weather or could it be fungal?

All other trees, inclusing a beech on the bench next to it, seem fine.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BrightsideB]

that’s a bummer. Hope it pulls through. Doesn’t look good though. Looks like there isn’t adequate water driving though the tree to keep up with transpiration. That’s just my idea not 100% sure.

 

[The_Groke]

Thanks. So do i. Had high hopes!
Its in a very well draining soil mix, in a new slightly deeper pot that the tray it was in previously and i was careful to not over trim the roots.
I will hope for some actual sun in the uk in the next couple of weeks and remove the most damaged looking leaves.
Its certainly not all of them, but the growth isnt as vigourous as i'd hope it would be.

 

[RODERLO]

Thanks. So do i. Had high hopes!
Its in a very well draining soil mix, in a new slightly deeper pot that the tray it was in previously and i was careful to not over trim the roots.
I will hope for some actual sun in the uk in the next couple of weeks and remove the most damaged looking leaves.
Its certainly not all of them, but the growth isnt as vigourous as i'd hope it would be.

Two things:

1)
You mentioned it had been a very wet period in the UK recently.
Have you been watering your trees at all during this period?
I'm just checking, because rainfall can be deceiving in the sense that you think your trees are getting enough water, because the soil always seems moist enough.
In reality it can actually be that it's just the top layer that's wet, whilst the core of the rootball is still dry.
It takes very heavy rainfall to achieve the same effect a thorough manual watering gives.

2)
You also mentioned it is in well draining soil and that you did not prune the roots too much.
Is there still alot of compacted old soil in the rootball? If so, the new well draining soil could have created a water bypass.
Water is then unable to permeate into the core of the rootball.

 

[The_Groke]

Two things:

1)
You mentioned it had been a very wet period in the UK recently.
Have you been watering your trees at all during this period?
I'm just checking, because rainfall can be deceiving in the sense that you think your trees are getting enough water, because the soil always seems moist enough.
In reality it can actually be that it's just the top layer that's wet, whilst the core of the rootball is still dry.
It takes very heavy rainfall to achieve the same effect a thorough manual watering gives.

2)
You also mentioned it is in well draining soil and that you did not prune the roots too much.
Is there still alot of compacted old soil in the rootball? If so, the new well draining soil could have created a water bypass.
Water is then unable to permeate into the core of the rootball.

Well maybe i simply HAVE been under watering. This is by far my biggest pot/tree. All my others are pre-bonsai and work-in-progress. So perhaps i've simply under estimated its water need. I mean its been a typical UK wet spell, but not insane. As for the root ball, it was in a very shallow plastic tray for may the last 3-4 years? so quite happy, flat and in good soil already. I was careful to tease everything out, chop the super long ones and clear out debris.

I'll get watering more diligently and see where i am in 2 weeks now things have turned warmer and (relatively for the UK) sunnier.

I DONT want to be fertilizing yet right? I have some Oceana Boost (organic) and Naruko 5-5-5 in the wings for later in the season....

 

[RODERLO]

Well maybe i simply HAVE been under watering. This is by far my biggest pot/tree. All my others are pre-bonsai and work-in-progress. So perhaps i've simply under estimated its water need. I mean its been a typical UK wet spell, but not insane. As for the root ball, it was in a very shallow plastic tray for may the last 3-4 years? so quite happy, flat and in good soil already. I was careful to tease everything out, chop the super long ones and clear out debris.

I'll get watering more diligently and see where i am in 2 weeks now things have turned warmer and (relatively for the UK) sunnier.

I DONT want to be fertilizing yet right? I have some Oceana Boost (organic) and Naruko 5-5-5 in the wings for later in the season....

Yes I suspect your issues are with underwatering rather than overwatering.
My large hornbeam is a really thirsty bugger as well. Was quite surprised about that at first too.

Also, hornbeams do not like to be bare rooted and/or have the mass of soil directly under their trunk removed, because this part contains essential microbes.

And no indeed don’t fertilise weak trees, especially not parched trees.
Fert competes with the trees water uptake because it makes the soil more salty, thereby drawing water away and out of the roots.

 

[The_Groke]

Yes I suspect your issues are with underwatering rather than overwatering.
My large hornbeam is a really thirsty bugger as well. Was quite surprised about that at first too.

Also, hornbeams do not like to be bare rooted and/or have the mass of soil directly under their trunk removed, because this part contains essential microbes.

And no indeed don’t fertilise weak trees, especially not parched trees.
Fert competes with the trees water uptake because it makes the soil more salty, thereby drawing water away and out of the roots.

There was very little soil under the root mass, the flimsy plastic tray was VERY shallow, like 5cm. I figured id go with a slightly deeper pot about 8cm for it to really establish over the next couple of seasons. But i'll go crazy and actually water the thing too?!

Excellent, thanks everyone this is very helpful and the exact reason i have been a long time lurker on this lovely site. Comments much appreciated.