Shimpaku - any hope left?

watchndsky

Not sure what went wrong with this one. Mix is fast draining (Ive actually wondered if it was too fast although I dont think its ever dried out) Has been going downhill since a repot (removed old soil but didnt cut any roots) It was healthy looking but was in a VERY compacted soil mix when I bought it couple of months back and has steadily yellowed and is now browning and dropping needles. There is new growth on the outer edges of the tree so Im at least encouraged by that. I did see signs of mites and treated for that. Seems to have stabilized (meaning not getting any more yellow etc) but Im worried by its appearance that it might be too late. It started showing yellowing then browning about 1-2 weeks after the repotting.

So far I have treated for mites (no sign for couple of weeks now) and moved out of full sun to a more dappled sunlight area. Im not sure what to do at this point

Any ideas or hope left for this? I dont have any experience with junis so any help is appreciated.

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Dav4

Can't be sure without seeing the tree in person, but...

1) Junipers lose foliage every year, usually in the interior of the tree (older foliage). The foliage turns yellow, then fall away. This is normal.

2) Junipers can lose foliage post collection in the same way, or if they are in too heavy a soil, which doesn't seem to be your issue assuming your soil is appropriate (fast draining, with some moisure retention). Is there any old soil left on the rootball?

3) Your tree doesn't look too bad in the pics. New growth is good, too.


I wouldn't worry too much. Don't over-water, and at the next repot, get the rest of the old soil off the roots, if any is left.


Dave

watchndsky

Thanks for the reply - the pics are a little misleading though, the dieback actually looks more widespread (along the interior) than the pictures convey. Id say its maybe 60% healthy foiliage 40% yellowing or brown.

I dont have any experience with shimpaku but I wouldnt have thought that it would have looked so ratty unless something was wrong.

I was thinking the mites might have done more damage than I realized, or else i was too rough during the repot getting the old soil off. Do you think Im worrying too much - Ive read they were pretty tough but die off slowly - thats what worries me- when they reach this state is recovery still likely? (anyone venture a guess or should i call the psychic friends number?)

AlainK

Although I don't have shimpaku, I have other species of junipers and when this occured to mine, I treated them against insects and fungus, and planted them in a sunny patch of my vegetable garden (the soil is fairly basic, there's lime in it). They have all recovered.
Don't know if it can help...

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SiNguyen

Hi Wa. , I agree with Dave completely. Don't worry about it. It does not look that bad from here, especially if there is new growth at the tips. Shimpaku's tend to drop old foliage in response to stress like this (sometimes to recent fertilizing and over watering too). The old foliage that come directly out of the trunk and at the crotches of the branches are not needed anyway. You should have removed all of them when you repotted it. You still have way too much branches to work with. In the future try not to treat it with anything (pesticides or fertilizers) for a long time after a repotting.
Good luck,
Si