I got couple Jambu Wax Apple. I can’t figure out what’s wrong with them, I got 2 smaller ones I brought back in May that were grown from seeds! The leaves have black spots and dry out tips, ever since around July. I used to try to cut off the spot, but now I don’t want to lose too much leaves, so I leave them alone now. I keep them in my sunroof when it drop below 50, and take them out when it’s above 50. I try to put them in an location that they can get sun for about 8 hours minimum.
Also I just brought home 2 larger Jambu Wax Apple from FL about an month ago. They look real good and healthy when I brought them. But I had to checked them in on my flight back to Atlanta in 90% bareroot they were in there 3G pot I took their soil out with water (soaked them in water and Gently shake them off) when I wrap them in food wrappers (about 3 hours before my flight(so I won’t be charged for oversized check bag and put trash bag around them). As soon as I landed in Atlanta, I unwrapped them. So total time them wrap up was maybe 5 hours. They looked ok, but the leave starting to dry out all over the leaves!
Please let me know what I need to do to bring them back to healthy. I even try to buy an Plant Grow bulb to help it recover. But seems like it’s not working!
The larger 2 trees has Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Vegetables and Herbs, that’s what I had at the house still brand new and when I landed it was already 1am. So I did not want them to be 90% soil less. Also the blue container does not stay with the plant all day, I just use it to catch water in case there was any that will leak out of the pot when I bring it back into the sun room.
The 2 smaller ones has I forgot the name of it but it was an organic soil that’s I use for before on my plants! It’s in an black larger bag that Lowe’s sell at their store, if I remember right. I know for sure I did not use just back yard dirt, it’s was an name brand one, I just forgot the name.
Reason I don’t go with potting soil is because I rather water my plants 2 times an week then having the soil stay too wet. Also I recycle the water that leaks out for my other plants (also why I have the blue container)
I do Fertiliz them with Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer with Biozome, 3-5-5 Organic, I take an hand full and spread them around on the top and try to mix it in to the first maybe 1/4 inch of the soil.
It can be tricky to use relatively small pots and incorporating real soil in the mix. You may be drowning roots if your perched water table is too high. As often as not, disease and nutrient issues are symptoms of poor drainage. Miracle Gro makes a good but not great mix- it doesn’t drain as well as typical “pro-mix” formulations.
I let my potted trees send some roots in the ground to reduce the need to water, but figs are the only thing I do this with that I have to bring inside over winter.
Thanks Alan for the info. Do you think I should replant them using an different soil? If so, what brand or model do you recommend?
Maybe I should let the soil dry out an little bit before I water them again?
I am lost at what I should do to prevent them from Dying! I pay an arm and leg for them and have baby them from all pets and people, since it’s so hard to find and to buy. Haha
Funny thing is my mother in law has an fig tree in the back yard that never die even when Atlanta hit the teens and wind chill was close or below 0 without cover.
It been fine, it lives outside for over 10 years planted in ground with no wind breaker or cover.
Fig tops can survive down to about 10F (not sure of the limit). They seem to suffer somewhere in the single digits.
There are many great recipes for potting soil for trees. I use a third peat, a third compost and a third perlite and the compost holds water very well. I also use soil where I start trees in soil in in-ground bags and when they reach the right size transplant them with the soil into posts with at least 3" of potting soil above the bottom the pot and about an inch or two between the soil and the sides. This was a crap shoot on my part that came out 7 and 11.
The Miracle Gro mix works fine, but does require frequent watering- however there are whicking set ups available that probably help reduce the chore.
That looks like potassium lock-out. Common cause is too-low pH and over fertilization. Bagged potting mixes usually contain an insufficient lime charge for long-term use, and are composed with annuals in mind. If it is over fertilization, your mix could be toxic. Some mixes are not easy to flush, and you will rot your roots trying. I guess over-fert because the leaves look too dark to be under-fert. Nutrient lockout can also be caused by excess moisture in the mix. Few things cause the top growth to drop like that, and not the bottom. It is nutrient lock-out cause by something.
I got some lime for my yard (white powder), you think I should try to put some on the top of the soil or should I mix it in or should I try to get as much soil off as I could and replant it in an different soil?
You already have terminal buds formed, so I would re-pot. I would try to rinse/soak away as much of the old mix as possible without damaging the roots too much. Look for signs of root rot, and treat if necessary. Get a sandy potting mix that drains well. Make sure it is peat/bark based, and not composted twigs.
I put a hasty mix together last week from stuff I had laying around, and cheap materials from the Ace hardware down the street. I bought a 2 cubic foot bag of their finest grade of bark mulch, an 80lb bag of masonry/landscaping sand, and a 1 cubic foot bag of Ace ‘compost’ (twig compost with manures). I added 3/4 cup dolomite lime, 1/2 cup cottonseed meal, 1/4 cup high phosphorous bone meal (not fishbone), and 1/2 tbsp Epsom salts. It must be thoroughly mixed, and the consistency of the bark should be closer to hamster bedding than landscaping mulch.
