Worried About Repotting

Regis

I've just repotted fukien tea with minimal changes to the root system, placed into 50/50 mix of basic soil mix and akadama. I have also pruned the branches and the tree now seems like it's drying out it's leaves.

I've immersed it into water for about 1 hour after repotting and the soil is still wet..

Any idea how to save this tree?

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Regis

Sorry, I didn't mention that it's about 30 hours since I repotted it..

Travesty34

I would say it is just temporary shock from repotting. I have 3 Fukien tea's I repotted recently that went through something similiar for a couple of weeks but are now pushing new leaves and flower buds.Just watch it closely, and make sure not to overwater it.If it seems to be too dry, maybe rig up some kind of humidity tent that has good air vents though until the plant seems healthy again.I am not an expert of any kind, but that is my suggestion.

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FredL

Regis, calm down! If you did minimal damage to the root system and potted the tree in an appropriate soil mix (which it sounds like you did) and put it in a container that allows good drainage, it is very unlikely that your tree won't do just fine. Now, give the tree time to recover. Start worrying in a month or so if the tree looks to be dying. Don't forget to water when the soil looks to be drying out and don't overwater. Place the tree outside with at least 5 or 6 hours of Sun a day. Let nature take it's course. You will be pleased!

Sounds like you need to get started on another tree. This one may suffer from over-attention!

Fred

susieq

Hi Regis, Your tree will probably be ok but just for future reference, tropicals and semi tropicals should be repotted during the height of the growing season....middle of summer. Don't feel bad, I made the same mistake with my tropicals when I first got involved with them. I would repot, prune, root prune during the same season as I do the junipers and deciduous trees such as elms and maples. They would lose every leaf on them but the trunks would still scratch green, so I would keep them well cared for and they would pop back out eventually. I work for an old bonsai master once a week. Here in Fla tropicals are very popular and he has quite a few. When I mentioned what I was doing with mine, he told me right away that I was doing them the wrong time of year. I have done them in the middle of summer ever since, and never lost another leaf. (By the way, I use Super Thrive and I think it helped pull them through when I did them at the wrong time of year. I see there is a debate going on as to whether Super Thrive is effective or not. I believe in it but many do not.) Just care for the Fukien Tea as you always have and keep your fingers crossed. It will probably be ok. Scratch the trunk with your fingernail and if it is green the plant is still alive. I keep quite a few fukien tea and malpigghias now, probably over a dozen of each. Actually it is nice that their season is different from the junipers and other trees. I am swamped with work in the late winter/early spring as it is. This way I get a break in between the two repotting seasons. Best wishes for your tree.

susieq

Regis, I just realized where you are posting from.... I appologize for assuming that it is still cold where you are. What season is it there?

Regis

Thank all of you for your great help! I can sleep well again for some time

The tree is, in my opinion, going to lose all it's leaves and I thought (maybe I read it in some book or on the internet), that after repotting it should continue to grow normally. I also thought, that Spring would be fine for it, so thanks for the explanation of it! And for SuperThrive - I used it immediately after repotting.

FredL, you're right with over-attention I recently got very nice Ficus, but it seems like I need more

Regis

susieq, we have almost Spring there, with temperatures about 5 to 15 degrees C and mostly sunny conditions. But I don't have a possibility to place the tree outdoor.

FredL

Woops! Somehow it didn't register with me about your tree being a tropical. Forget the putting it outside remark. If you already did, please send me the bill.

Fred