Montezuma Cypress gone cripsy

[AaronThomas]

So about 6 weeks ago I pick up montezuma cypress from the local nursery and repotted in a larger container... It has been doing swimmingly ever since. Growing like a week and pushing new roots. We had our first 108 degree day yesterday and and this morning all the needles have gone dry and crispy. Going to be hot again today. Any ideas of what when wrong and or suggestions? Everything I have read states it a heat tolerant tree.
Hmmmm.
Thanks!

 

[markyscott]

So about 6 weeks ago I pick up montezuma cypress from the local nursery and repotted in a larger container... It has been doing swimmingly ever since. Growing like a week and pushing new roots. We had our first 108 degree day yesterday and and this morning all the needles have gone dry and crispy. Going to be hot again today. Any ideas of what when wrong and or suggestions? Everything I have read states it a heat tolerant tree.
Hmmmm.
Thanks!

Did the soil dry out?

 

[AaronThomas]

Did the soil dry out?

No not at all... I keep it moist at all times. Is in a relatively deep mixing tub with drainage holes drilled in the bottom.
I checked the soil temp and it was not even warm for sitting in the sun.

 

[AaronThomas]

Here's a pic. Needles didn't turn brown straight to green and crunchy.

 

[Dav4]

Heat and wind will do that to new growth

 

[AaronThomas]

Heat and wind will do that to new growth

Damn... we had both yesterday.

 

[AaronThomas]

@Dav4 Anything to be worried about?

 

[Dav4]

If it's healthy, no, but I'd do something about the wind if you can.

 

[AaronThomas]

I haven't seen anything to lead me to believe the tree is not healthy… I pulled a bit in the soil away about a week ago and was surprised at the amount of new roots it was pushing which would lead me to believe the tree is quite healthy.
Yesterday was a particularly hot and windy day… No wind today but still hot. Unfortunately not much I can do about moving the tree due to its weight and size.

 

[bonhe]

Sign of severe dehydration due to imbalance between root and leaf systems! If I was you, I would move the pot to the shady place and give it ample humidity. If I didn't do that, it would eventually die on me!
Bonhe

 

[AaronThomas]

Sign of severe dehydration due to imbalance between root and leaf systems!

What would cause that?

 

[rockm]

If there are new roots, I'd agree about the wind burn. needs to get into shade immediately. Imbalance between roots and leaves is usually do to fast top growth outgrowing the root system's ability to keep up with moisture requirements of the new growth. Happens in the spring sometime, even here in the east.. Droopy foliage come mid-May usually means that. Moving the tree into the shade and out of the sun and wind is mandatory.

If you can't move the tree--shade it with something--umbrella, etc.

 

[AaronThomas]

shade immediately

Okay... thanks for the info! Ill get some folks over to help!

 

[rockm]

So about 6 weeks ago I pick up montezuma cypress from the local nursery and repotted in a larger container... It has been doing swimmingly ever since. Growing like a week and pushing new roots. We had our first 108 degree day yesterday and and this morning all the needles have gone dry and crispy. Going to be hot again today. Any ideas of what when wrong and or suggestions? Everything I have read states it a heat tolerant tree.
Hmmmm.
Thanks!

There's heat tolerant and there's "in a container heat tolerant" One hundred and eight degrees air temp means your root zone temp in an above ground container is going to be well above 100, if not 108. This could be higher with direct sun exposure on the pot (even a deep cement mixing pot). That could be killing off new roots. If the plant is submerged in water, that water is over 100 degrees too, almost boiling your roots. Additionally, if you're not letting the water run through the hose for a few minutes to get rid of the hot residual water in the hose, you're dumping extremely hot water on your tree.

Montezuma cypress IS heat tolerant, but in-ground. In a pot, it (and any other tree) is less so. 115 degrees can be the threshold for thermal death of tree roots.

From the article link below:

"Associated with rapid water loss and temperature increases in the leaves, is a delay or time lag in
water absorption by the roots. Leaves can lose water much faster than the roots can absorb water. The
difference between water loss from the tree and water gain through root absorption, can initiate many
problems."

If it were mine, I'd get it out of that unmanageable container an into something more sensible. If you can't move it by yourself and you live in an extreme climate like desert, it's a problem
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/publications/PDF_files/for99-024.pdf

 

[AaronThomas]

@rockm
Currently the MC is in a well draining soil of lava and orchid bark. Plenty of drainage holes in the bottom so soil stays moist. Extra protection in the form of a wooden box was created (mostly for esthetics) but definitely keep the heat off the sides of the black tub. And I always allow the literally scalding water to empty out of the hose first....Its amazing how hot it gets! LOL

Wondering if this is something I can expect to happen every year or is this just a reaction to being removed from the nursery pot into a larger container?
Should the tree remain in a shady spot for the remainder of the season?

 

[rockm]

I'd definitely get it out of that container, into the shade and out of the wind, permanently. The current location and situation looks to be a killer. Dry winds are extremely bad for bonsai, combine that with heat and you've got the potential for very bad things.

FWIW, planting it in a huge container is counterproductive. It won't grow any faster and might even slow in a container that's too large.

 

[AaronThomas]

Wow..... I've seen similar size cypresses grown in the same mixing tub. Thought I was doing a good thing.
Unfortunately living in the desert… There's not much escape from the heat this time of year.
Lol looks like I may have some more cypresswood for next winter!

 

[rockm]

Usually, when repotting a tree into a bigger container, a step up, not a leap up is best. Were those containers with cypresses you saw in your area? If so, I'd ask their owners how they deal with desert conditions and their trees.

FWIW, there are alot of thing at play here. Root colonization of such a big pot is a concern, but also big pots have more mass than smaller ones. That means an oversize pot can take longer to heat up, but also it also take longer to cool down. That can be a bad thing in the desert when nighttime temps lag only into the high 70s, low eighties and even nineties. Trees like cooler nighttime temps to complete their photosynthetic cycles. A big pot stays hotter for longer.

Also Black is not a good color for pots in such an extreme situation long term. Even out of the sun, black absorbs heat and heat is not just from sunlight. It's radiated and reflected from every hard scape in the area, like your house, the patio, the fence, etc.

 

[bonhe]

What would cause that?

Thank you for answering this question for me, Rockm.
Just add on few things. You repotted it 6 weeks ago, and you already let it stay in the full sun. It is one of a reason why the imbalance of the leaf and root system happened in this tree:
1. The leaf system. My area is very hot and dry in the summer, but I think it is still better than yours. All of my new repotted trees will be stayed in the shady, humid place at least 6 weeks in the winter (the spring will let it be longer). The low humidity created by the wind and heat is a critical point for dehydration, especially for the new transplants.
2. The root system. You said Currently the MC is in a well draining soil of lava and orchid bark . I don't think lava will be a good choice for this type of tree. The leaves of MC relatively have large surface with less cutin comparing to other conifers. Due to this fact, the speed of the evaporation is fairly high through the leaves. Its roots should be in the environment which can supply the water for the tree in the fast mode. I have been using more organic with top soil and little pumice for MC and it works well. It is almost liked tamarix! Talk about the pot, if I was you, I would put bark mulch on the top and use white clothing to wrap around the whole pot to insulate the soil from the heat outside.
Good luck to you.
Bonhe
p/s: please remember not fertilizing the tree at this time.

 

[rockm]

Good point on the soil. I was going to say the same thing, but already have the "negative Nancy" rep. around here. Thought it would be piling on.

FWIW, I grow BC in basically 70 percent top soil/soil conditioner and 30 percent swimming pool filter sand. Stays wet to damp. Not a problem for either BC or MC.