yps777
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Chinese pepper is dying please help :..(( I am new to Bonsai

I search all over the net but I couldn't find anything. I must add that I am from Romania and here is fall,I place it outside when it was sunny but it seems that is dying and I've tried everything I could, all the new lieves are dying before growing .
here I have some pics back wen it was fine
[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10444[/url]

and now :cry:
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010261.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010262.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010263.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010264.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010265.jpg[/img]

thanks for help.Iuliana

yps777
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I just hope for a miracle .I even change his soil in hope that he will be fine . :cry: :cry: :cry:
From this beauty
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010214.jpg[/img]
to this in just 2 months
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010411.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010412.jpg[/img] :cry: the white thing is wax (I covered the cuts so it won't dry)because my father considered that the pruning will help.
Iuliana

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Gnome
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yps777,

Sorry I missed your previous post. You are correct to worry the tree does not look good at all. The soil looks very heavy and moist to me. One thing that will surely kill it is if you keep it continually wet. A tree with no foliage uses much less water than if it were healthy. There is not much else you can do right now just keep an eye on it and hope for the best. I don't grow this species so I don't know if it will bud back well or at all. Are you providing it with adequate lighting?

I see it is in a drip tray. Make sure it never sits in water. What did the roots look like when you re-potted it? Was the inner bark green where you pruned it? If so there is hope otherwise not so much. You can also make a small nick in the trunk and look for green tissue, which is a good sign. Sorry about your tree. How is the Elm doing.

Norm

P.S. I would really begin to look into proper bonsai soils as those both look to be in rather poor soil now. Try here for now and make sure to follow the links to the articles.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422

And look here for tips on watering.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1479

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uzeyr
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hi my pepper is also loosing the leaves they are yellowing and falling but the good thing is teh tree activley produces new shoots so I'm not too woried and its keeping its shape but I wouldnt want it ti turn into that
the soil is free draining and at times the soil dries out but not for too long maybe a day max because I check them daily

yps777
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Location: Romania

Hi Gnome,
I really appreciate your help.About the soil I changed it with a darker one I have no clue if it is good :? and I watered it.
it seems that the soil keeps the water (I know it s bad because the roots are not looking two good :cry: ) .
when I put the wax there was a little bit of green so I hope that my bonsai will survive.
I have a question I read on the net that the Pepper tree likes water and humidity so I put water in the tray and gravel so it keep the air moist because here is almost winter and we have the heating on( is the humidity tray a good thing?).
and the really bad thing is that I can't put my bonsais(the Pepper) near the window because of the heath :( .
About the lighting the place where they are isn't so good lighted.I move the elm every day near the window but I must keep it open or the hot air will dry my elm( I don't think it s good but it seems that it works for Elm).

and now the Elm.The Elm is fine (I had almost the same problem with the elm (no leaves, looking dead)) I will post some pictures later because I have a hard time with my network.(sorry 4 my bad English :oops: )
[img]https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x186/yulyiaa/P1010414.jpg[/img]
And thanks again 4 the help.
Iuliana
Last edited by yps777 on Fri Dec 05, 2008 10:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Gnome
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Iuliana,
I have a question I read on the net that the Pepper tree likes water and humidity so I put water in the tray and gravel so it keep the air moist because here is almost winter and we have the heating on( is the humidity tray a good thing?)
The humidity tray is fine, Just do not allow so much water that it can soak back up into the pot. Constantly wet soil is a problem for most species. I feel that this is part of your problems. The combination of the dense soil and your, presumably, frequent watering.

Bonsai soil is coarse and free draining with air spaces between the particles. A large part of bonsai soil is inorganic, in other words small rocks, gravel, girt, etc. Your soil is too dense and finely textured which retains way too much water. When you water it should flow freely from the drainage holes in the pot. Have you taken the time to read the sticky threads I suggested? If I recall you were also previously directed to several excellent sites that contain a wealth of information. Have you done your research?
when I put the wax there was a little bit of green so I hope that my bonsai will survive.
Then don't give up yet, there may still be hope. Trees respond/react on a much slower time scale, give it a chance. Just watch the watering or you will rot the roots if they are not already rotted.
About the lighting the place where they are isn't so good lighted.I move the elm every day near the window but I must keep it open or the hot air will dry my elm( I don't think it s good but it seems that it works for Elm).
If you wish to grow trees indoors you must provide for their needs, this includes adequate lighting. Light is the primary source of nutrition for your trees ([url=https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis]Photosynthesis[/url]) You can't expect to get good results if you are essentially starving your trees. This is one reason that I advocate growing outdoors species, it requires less intervention from the grower. Even my tender species are placed outside approximately 6 months out of the year.

The Pepper will not require any light, or much water for that matter, until/if it begins to leaf out but them Elm does. Can you provide supplemental lighting for it/them? This could be as simple as a Compact Fluorescent bulb in a desk lamp or much more elaborate/expensive.

Norm

yps777
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Well I solved the lighting problem.Tomorrow I will go shopping for a fluorescent bulb :D .one thing solved next on list is inorganic soil for Elm and Pepper(I will change the soil in the summer :D )

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Gnome
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Iuliana,
Well I solved the lighting problem.Tomorrow I will go shopping for a fluorescent bulb
Your Elm will be much happier I'm sure. Get a bulb with as many Lumens as you think prudent for your fixture. The bulb will be more effective if it is oriented in a horizontal fashion as opposed to up and down. I use standard 4 ft fluorescent tubes but that may be too large an area for just two trees. Just so you know you have options. Just stay away from incandescent (filament type) bulbs, they are not really a good choice.
one thing solved next on list is inorganic soil for Elm and Pepper
It need not be 100% inorganic, I use Pine bark as my organic component just stay away from ordinary potting soil. You still have time to research this so make sure to read the sticky and follow the links to the articles. Not to be 'a broken record' make sure to watch your watering practices, roots need air as well as water and with such dense soil you must be careful.

Norm

yps777
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Question
I want to repot my Pepper in a mixture of soil 50 organic / 50 gravel (I repotted the plant 2 weeks ago in 100% organic soil :oops:) Is it good to wash the roots before repotting? (they are not looking two good) :(
Iuliana

kdodds
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Now is a bad time to repot, but if you DO repot, yes, you need to wash and inspect the root system, pruning if needed.

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Gnome
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yps777,

This is one of those situations where you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. The soil it is in now is not conducive to good health but if you do re-pot you are further stressing an already seriously weakened tree. Pick your poison.

What type of materials are you considering for the new medium?

Norm

yps777
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I want to use 50 or less of the previous soil and 50 gravel (one layer of soil one layer of gravel)or soil mixed with gravel and a layer of gravel.I don't have any other materials now and I want to change the soil as soon as possible because it doesn't let the roots breathe and it keeps water.

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Gnome
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yps777,
I want to use 50 or less of the previous soil and 50 gravel
Don't use any of the old soil. Have you heard the saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link? Well your medium will behave the same way, the finer particles will sift in between the larger particles and effectively your mix won't be much better than it is now. The best draining medium is composed of particles of approximately the same size. I don't use anything that resembles the medium in your pots. I use Pine bark or Pine bark mulch in a size that is similar to my inorganic components.
(one layer of soil one layer of gravel)or soil mixed with gravel and a layer of gravel.
Another important concept is that your medium should be uniform throughout, not stratified or layered as you suggest. The idea of using a coarse drainage layer has been discredited. Size your components to a uniform dimension removing the large and the small particles and mix them until a consistent product is achieved.
I don't have any other materials
Yes, this seems to be where a lot of new growers fall short. Sometimes it is difficult to locate appropriate ingredients. Some growers here use chicken grit, not the kind made from Oyster shells though. The first year I got wise to this system I smashed up some red bricks, the old kind that are soft and break easily. It was no fun and the next year I made sure I purchased some better materials.

You can also crush lava rock, the kind some people use for landscaping purposes. Grit from a river or creek can be used but it is kind of late in the year to go mucking about in the water. But you only need a few Quarts/Liters. If you try to make you own, a screen with opening of about 1/8 inch (or perhaps 4 MM) is almost a necessity.

Of course bonsai soil can be purchased online but it may take longer to reach you than you would like. Not to mention shipping costs will likely be a concern. I cannot offer any sources in you area.

Don't rush into anything, better to leave it for now than to make another poor choice. I feel that I have to ask again, have you begun to do your research/homework? I get the feeling you have not.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422

https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Soils.html
https://www.bonsailearningcenter.com/Tips&Advice/soil.htm
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/soils.htm


Norm

yps777
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Well I've done my homework and I read what you have provided but the sad thing is that I can use only materials made home(bricks gravel ) I am very confused(''There Is No Soil in Bonsai Soil'').From what I read the organic soil is composed from barks(in my ''madness'' I was asking myself if sawdust can be good if I mix it correctly with inorganic far example tiny bits of bricks and gravel :? )in the Elm soil I found bits of wood sawdust I think and this gave me ideas. Well in conclusion I think I will wait for the summer.
Thanks 4 helping me :D .
Iuliana

yps777
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I ve changed the soil with an ''original'' mix that doesn't retain much water and it is very aerated.The sad thing is that the roots look really bad.I gave it 20% chances to survive,just 20 because of the roots.Hope that the experiment will bring the roots back from the dead.

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Gnome
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yps777,

I don't know what you mean by
an ''original'' mix.
Do you mean that you have moved it back to the soil that it came in when purchased? Were there any healthy roots or were they mushy and soft?

I though you had decided to try and wait it out.:?:

Norm

yps777
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Here is a picture of the mix.The roots are soft and easy to split(I don't think it is the right word but is the only appropriate that came into my head).
[url=https://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010416ys0.jpg][img=https://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7449/p1010416ys0.th.jpg][/url]



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