Eucalyptus

[wizzasmum]

Hi
I'm new here and hope I can find some advice.
I have a eucalyptus tree around four years old and around ten feet high. It's not the gunii type but the one with the peling pinkish bark. Anyway this year it doesn't appear to want to grow any new growth. It's not dead but the leaves are a pinky colour and very dry and the new growth which started at the beginning of the season seems to have come to a standstill. I am reluctant to spray it with anything as it over hangs my fish pond.
Any ideas what could be wrong with it please?
Take care
Sue

[opabinia51]

I would not use any sort of pesticide or insecticide regardless of what sort of problem that he tree has. These tend to cause way more problems than they solve.

[wizzasmum]

I've not used any pesticides but would love to know what to do to save my tree
Sue

[opabinia51]

Oh yes, I misread the above post, sorry about that.

Yes, it sounds to me like you have a nutrient deficiency. What I would do (seeing is that you have a fish pond next to the tree) is add some kelp meal to around the feeders of the tree which, lie on the outset of the outmost reaching branches.

I would avoid using manure because you can contaminate the pond.

Another option may be that the tree is nearing the end of it's life cycle (it's dying) in which, case there wouldn't be much that you could do.

I'm not familiar with the life cyle (length) of euc's I just know, that you wouldn't want to back into one, (I've done that and regretted it.)

Good luck!

Does anyone else have any advice on this topic?

[wizzasmum]

Hi
Thanks for the reply. It would not affect the pond as that is raised to a foot high above ground. Can I use the kelp that you use for horses supplements? I have a large tub of that for my dogs. It's not an old tree as I have only had it for around four years and ten feet high. My cousin has one that is around thirty feet high, 15 years old and thriving.

[opabinia51]

I don't know about using the stuff that you give to your animals as I have never used it before.

You know, it wouldn't hurt to go to a local nursery or arborist and ask them as well. The only experience that I personally have with Euc's is that we had two of them at a place where I worked years ago and I used to back into one of them and pay for it for the rest of the day.

[wizzasmum]

Oh well thanks for the help. If you backed into mine you would squash it - not the car )

[opabinia51]

You are most welcome, I hope you can help your little tree. Keep in mind that most people are in this "synthetics paradigm" so, if the nursery or arborist starts telling you to use this and that, you may wish to just research it a little further.

Keep in mind that so called organic soil ammendments help your tree in a holistic way that also help the environement in which your tree is growing and therefore, further helps your tree. And that using synthetic based fertilizer just feeds the tree and actually causes more harm to the tree in the long run.

good luck.

Also, if anyone else has experience with Eucalyptus trees, any and all advice would be welcome.

[wizzasmum]

Thanks - dopn;t worry I am very 'into' organic gardening. I hate all the chemicals the world is becoming polluted with. I employ the same theory with my tortoises as opposed to all the pet shop advice out there. This is another reason for not using chemicals in my garden.
Take care
Sue

[opabinia51]

You as well Sue,

good luck with your tree. Just be careful not to back into it when it is full of leaves. (Painful memories )