Zelkova serrata forests

[aneesto]

Please please please help - my zelkovas got affected by this starting in july/august. thought it was high heat and humidity due to zone 7a/b location and therefore fungus. But october has passed and the weather has cooled off and the browning has progressed. When browning started first i used Bonide pesticide thinking its fungus and i cut off the browning parts. that was 6 weeks ago. and since then this is how much (A LOT) browning continued to occur. This gotta be fungus and i just need to apply the bonide product every say 10 days several times? And do i remove all the leaves? Although these guys were near a chinese elm corkbark that got affected by gnats or something and lost some leaves.

They are outside in full sun on a windy balcony in a high rise building.

 

[JudyB]

Could be dry soil on a windy low humidity day, could be too wet soil, could be the start of the fall cycle of dormancy starting... Where are you located, that will help your answers be more accurate. If you're at the end of your growing cycle, I would not get too nuts about this as it's about dormant season. I would be proactive with daconil next spring if indeed this is a fungal issue.

 

[aneesto]

Could be dry soil on a windy low humidity day, could be too wet soil, could be the start of the fall cycle of dormancy starting... Where are you located, that will help your answers be more accurate. If you're at the end of your growing cycle, I would not get too nuts about this as it's about dormant season. I would be proactive with daconil next spring if indeed this is a fungal issue.

its climatic zone 7a/b so arlington virginia on the US east coast. but thing is that the plans have spent the last month in an east facing garden with only morning sun and surrounded by a lot of trees, also feel like there was much less wind there so i was surprised to see so much browning still. Im just worried about the trees not dying over the winter due to the fungus. There is a chance that im overwatering them - its my first time with zelkova serrrata so i dont quite get it. I got ficus down, i think, but this is a new species to me. Dormancy - i thought that would mean nice orange colours of leaves not leaves browning from the tips to the center.

thank you

 

[BrightsideB]

Usually if leaves start getting dry and brown from the opposite side of the stem. It is usually a transpiration response. Leaf losing h20. Also it happens as the tree draws resources from the leaf in fall but generally the leaf turns the fall color but not always. Fungus is usually presented in a blotchy type of configuration on stems or leaves with different colorations.

The tree is most likely stressed. But I think they are fine and won’t die. They are getting ready for dormancy at this point. Also the way the leaf presents its fall colors can also be attributed to its personal dna. But also its care.

 

[Kievnstavick]

I would agree that this seems to be a hydration issue rather then a disease. The buds look plump and healthy for next year.

As we are approaching winter, I would not stress over the leaves. My zelkova saplings have similar looking brown parts of the leaf, although mine is a couple of leaves out of dozens.

Make sure to properly water your trees next year and fertalize correctly. Too much fertilizer can cause salt burn. Also remember that if the tree is low on water, the wind can effectively "burn" the leaves by removing the water from the leaves.

Unless you have a serious infection of gnats in a confined space, gnats wouldnt cause lasting damage to your plant. Gnat consume fungus. The fungus grows on decaying organic manner. The gnats would need to be desperate for food to consume the roots. They are more of a nuisance and gross then harmful.

 

[rockm]

It's autumn here, which is contributing to your issue (which is probably wind/hydration related). Also you have Chinese elm not Zelkova. Chinese elm is sold as zelkova to get around importation restrictions.

 

[aneesto]

It's autumn here, which is contributing to your issue (which is probably wind/hydration related). Also you have Chinese elm not Zelkova. Chinese elm is sold as zelkova to get around importation restrictions.

Well these are zelkovas that I got as seedlings from a local grower. They don’t even look like an elm. I have a Chinese elm and it’s been doing great.

 

[aneesto]

I would agree that this seems to be a hydration issue rather then a disease. The buds look plump and healthy for next year.

As we are approaching winter, I would not stress over the leaves. My zelkova saplings have similar looking brown parts of the leaf, although mine is a couple of leaves out of dozens.

Make sure to properly water your trees next year and fertalize correctly. Too much fertilizer can cause salt burn. Also remember that if the tree is low on water, the wind can effectively "burn" the leaves by removing the water from the leaves.

Unless you have a serious infection of gnats in a confined space, gnats wouldnt cause lasting damage to your plant. Gnat consume fungus. The fungus grows on decaying organic manner. The gnats would need to be desperate for food to consume the roots. They are more of a nuisance and gross then harmful.

I wonder if the density of the forest would be contributing to the problem of “not enough water” . I thought I watered it pretty regularly during the summer but it does get super hot and windy where I live and also quite humid. I wonder if for the summer I need to organise a form of wind cover for them.

 

[aneesto]

I would agree that this seems to be a hydration issue rather then a disease. The buds look plump and healthy for next year.

As we are approaching winter, I would not stress over the leaves. My zelkova saplings have similar looking brown parts of the leaf, although mine is a couple of leaves out of dozens.

Make sure to properly water your trees next year and fertalize correctly. Too much fertilizer can cause salt burn. Also remember that if the tree is low on water, the wind can effectively "burn" the leaves by removing the water from the leaves.

Unless you have a serious infection of gnats in a confined space, gnats wouldnt cause lasting damage to your plant. Gnat consume fungus. The fungus grows on decaying organic manner. The gnats would need to be desperate for food to consume the roots. They are more of a nuisance and gross than harmful.

also I’m wondering how to overwinter the zelkovas? I would put my other bonsai’s I boxes filled with mulch and cover the rootball, with walls of the box protecting from wind . But a forest like that? I can’t exactly stuff mulch in between the trees to cover their rootballs. Or should I try somehow? And they won’t need any sun during winter, right? So I could just put them in a tall box and close the lid most of the way? I only have a balcony so limited options

 

[minkes]

I see there are signs of spider mites. As autumn is here, just wait until after the leaves drop and then spray it with some pesticide. Also, do not forget to check the tree throughout the next season, as they spread quickly, mainly in dry environments without rain (such as on a balcony).

 

[minkes]

Possible signs that a bonsai is infested with spider mites:

• Fine webbing on the leaves or between branches
• Tiny moving dots on the underside of leaves (the mites themselves)
• Yellow or pale spots appearing on the leaves (stippling damage)
• Leaves gradually turning brown or dry
• Reduced leaf growth or premature leaf drop
• Overall dull or unhealthy appearance of the foliage

 

[cmeg1]

First,they are Zelkova.
All plants with this means a ph issue or a common effect from practice......bad water,chlorine,ph,too strong nutrient.As all plants are generally affected at once.

Too wet and warm would affect single plants first with their problems of activating dormant plant pathogens that are actually everywhere,but will only thrive when warm and too wet and without oxygen.
They themselves will Instantly wack out the pH at the root level.

I would remove all leaves and better the water with a $100 used ro system.....with a chlorine removing filter........fix nutrient and add calmag,ph with general hydroponics Up&Down..........if not fixed instantly in Spring it's root rot pathogens and I would toss them

BE SURE TO GET SEED THIS WINTER AND START A NEW FOREST WITH CORRECT HYDROPONIC TECH

** HYDROLOGIC IS A GOOD USED RO FILTER***

HERE IS MY ZELKOVA FOREST PLANTED FROM SEED THIS YEAR IN A FLAT OF PERLITE.

 

[aneesto]

First,they are Zelkova.
All plants with this means a ph issue or a common effect from practice......bad water,chlorine,ph,too strong nutrient.As all plants are generally affected at once.

Too wet and warm would affect single plants first with their problems of activating dormant plant pathogens that are actually everywhere,but will only thrive when warm and too wet and without oxygen.
They themselves will Instantly wack out the pH at the root level.

I would remove all leaves and better the water with a $100 used ro system.....with a chlorine removing filter........fix nutrient and add calmag,ph with general hydroponics Up&Down..........if not fixed instantly in Spring it's root rot pathogens and I would toss them

BE SURE TO GET SEED THIS WINTER AND START A NEW FOREST WITH CORRECT HYDROPONIC TECH

** HYDROLOGIC IS A GOOD USED RO FILTER***

HERE IS MY ZELKOVA FOREST PLANTED FROM SEED THIS YEAR IN A FLAT OF PERLITE.View attachment 619703

thank you very much for all your advice, thats a beautiful looking bunch! and perlite only in that soil? wow

 

[rockm]

Well these are zelkovas that I got as seedlings from a local grower. They don’t even look like an elm. I have a Chinese elm and it’s been doing great.

Zelkova are very closely related to true elms Yours have very rounded leaves. I had zelkova for years. Sold them off to make room for other trees

Zelkovas I’m familiar with have much more elongated leaves. If they’re not CE it’s an honest mistake.

https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=93

 

[Wulfskaar]

My Siberian Elm clump from @cmeg1 looks the same this fall. The leaves closer to the soil got crispy, exactly like in the pics above.

I plan to repot into better soil in spring and I'll be looking into bettering my water. Would an RO on a garden hose work?

 

[cmeg1]

My Siberian Elm clump from @cmeg1 looks the same this fall. The leaves closer to the soil got crispy, exactly like in the pics above.

I plan to repot into better soil in spring and I'll be looking into bettering my water. Would an RO on a garden hose work?

Yes.........need 40psi of pressure which almost all homes have naturally.

 

[cmeg1]

thank you very much for all your advice, thats a beautiful looking bunch! and perlite only in that soil? wow

Yes I have found d zelkovs grow best in perlite....perhaps with 20% large vermiculite also........there is 20% shredded stonewool in mine......... We'll definitely need good water n p h and cal mag in a pure volcanic