JR_Roosa

This one might be worth a giggle, at least, but if you have some ideas I'd be really appreciative.

I have a coast redwood that I just up-potted two weeks ago into a big shallow terra-cotta pot from a small shallow terra-cotta pot. It was getting root-bound and in suboptimal soil. Repotting went well...I didn't cut the root ball back much since I'm wanting to let the tree grow out to get a thicker trunk.

It's not the optimal climate here for coast redwood, but I'm sentimentally attached, since it's my oldest, so I've been nursing it along for a few years. This year it's been growing the best yet. I suppose that it's decided that moping won't get us to move back to California.

Anyway, now it's in some faster draining soil I've mixed (3-5mm sifted 30% kanuma, 30% pea gravel, and 40% bark, the old stuff was like cactus mix and it sucked). It seems to be getting plenty of water since the tips of new growth aren't drooping like they used to when the old pot got dry.

Another new change is that I've put in automated watering with a sprayer on the foliage...maybe you read that post. There doesn't seem to be any root rot, but I thought I'd make sure you have all the information.

However, I just noticed that some of the lowest branches on one side of the pot are truning black, which I've never seen before. I have seen the needles get spotty dry bits here and there on the tree, which I've attributed to the dry air, but never black.

While I was cutting off the black branchlets, I noticed the distinct smell of dog urine, and some sticky splatters on the pot. The black branches are on the exposed side of the pot, facing the yard. Now that its in a bigger pot, I placed it on the ground rather than on a stand, and it's well within range. I've put all that together, and I'm guessing that the urine caused the black needles.

Here are my questions:

Urine causing blackened needles? Does that sound right or should I be looking for another culprit? Anybody ever overwater or rot the roots on a coast redwood? What's that look like? I thought yellow needles rather than black.

I've moved the tree up off the ground and ran about 4 gallons of water through the pot by hand in case there's been salt build-up, and to de-nastify it. Anything else I should do?

What about dry spots on the other needles, while I have your attention. Any idea what might be causing those? It doesn't seem to have a preference for needle tips, and it seems to be worse on old growth than on new growth. Also, I get the impression that it comes and goes, rather than just killing the needles. What do you think?

I've also had some unexplained black leaves on some aspen cuttings...dog pee too? They're coming up off the ground now anyway. Weekend project: build some more stands.

Anyway thanks for your help. I'll post this while I get some pictures to post in a few minutes.

-J.

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