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Japanese White Pine - Dead?
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Author:  verycherryberry [ 23 Aug 2015, 17:16 ]
Post subject:  Japanese White Pine - Dead?
Well it seems like our White Pine has had a rough summer and things really aren't great with it. It used to be so full of colour and life and had a sprout of new needles throughout Spring then the Summer came and things had a turn for the worse, I assume we went through a patch of over caring for the bonsai through the hot days in the UK and overwatered the plant and possibly left it out in the direct sun for way too long.

Can anyone confirm if this is basically on it's last leg because practically every single needle is brown but there are a few rare green needles left. Is the plant salvageable or are we fighting a lost cause? We did a bit of a scratch test one of the thicker parts and it seems brown but still gooey from resin.

Please help : /

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Author:  Keith.W [ 23 Aug 2015, 21:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
Sorry to say it but it does look pretty terminal to me. You never know with trees they can come back but this one looks like it is a goner. Just take it as a experience and learn from where you went wrong it's hard to lose a tree but you can always get another one :201thumbup:
Author:  daryl [ 23 Aug 2015, 22:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
Has it been living indoors?
Author:  NickB [ 24 Aug 2015, 08:17 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
That's a shame. It looks like it would have been a nice tree.

I would take it out of the pot and have a good look at the roots and soil. Were there enough drainage holes in the bottom? Any signs of pest such as vine weevil or leatherjacket?
Author:  Artistmike [ 24 Aug 2015, 08:35 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
verycherryberry wrote:
I assume we went through a patch of over caring for the bonsai through the hot days in the UK and overwatered the plant and possibly left it out in the direct sun for way too long.


A pine like this should be outside all the time in full sun and not indoors. Providing the soil drains well there's nothing wrong with watering daily in hot weather but White Pines do like to be drier than most, especially during the winter when too much water can lead to yellowing needles and then mine tend to be put where there is some cover over them to ensure they don't get too wet, but still outside where they can experience the cold that they need to go through their normal cycle and White Pines do the like the cold.

I suspect that one of yours is an ex White Pine now... It's difficult to know why without more information from you but there is some excellent reading material around, both in books and on-line to help with the care of White Pines so I'd get stuck into some of that and try again.... Get it right and Bonsai are a source of great pleasure, so it's well worth getting it right. Oh, and just ask if you need help if you get another.. :201thumbup:
Author:  verycherryberry [ 24 Aug 2015, 10:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
daryl wrote:
Has it been living indoors?


No no it's always been outdoors. We just took it in to take a photo.
Author:  verycherryberry [ 24 Aug 2015, 10:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
Artistmike wrote:
verycherryberry wrote:
I assume we went through a patch of over caring for the bonsai through the hot days in the UK and overwatered the plant and possibly left it out in the direct sun for way too long.


A pine like this should be outside all the time in full sun and not indoors. Providing the soil drains well there's nothing wrong with watering daily in hot weather but White Pines do like to be drier than most, especially during the winter when too much water can lead to yellowing needles and then mine tend to be put where there is some cover over them to ensure they don't get too wet, but still outside where they can experience the cold that they need to go through their normal cycle and White Pines do the like the cold.

I suspect that one of yours is an ex White Pine now... It's difficult to know why without more information from you but there is some excellent reading material around, both in books and on-line to help with the care of White Pines so I'd get stuck into some of that and try again.... Get it right and Bonsai are a source of great pleasure, so it's well worth getting it right. Oh, and just ask if you need help if you get another.. :201thumbup:


The bonsai was always outside and never lived indoors :(

We covered it throughout the rainy season and always followed advice, I just have a feeling we may have went through a patch where we overwatered it through the very hot days in the summer and doomed it from over caring. It's a shame because as soon as it started yellowing and browning in places, we stopped watering but it's turn from this (below image) to what you see now in the space of 7-8 days and we hadn't watered it since we took that photo.

Image
Author:  verycherryberry [ 24 Aug 2015, 11:03 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
NickB wrote:
That's a shame. It looks like it would have been a nice tree.

I would take it out of the pot and have a good look at the roots and soil. Were there enough drainage holes in the bottom? Any signs of pest such as vine weevil or leatherjacket?


None of those above but we did see woodlice when we lifted it up so that could be a sign of too much moisture?
Author:  NickB [ 24 Aug 2015, 13:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
Another thought - you didn't leave the pot in a water tray by chance?
Author:  verycherryberry [ 24 Aug 2015, 15:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: Japanese White Pine - Dead?
NickB wrote:
Another thought - you didn't leave the pot in a water tray by chance?


Nope we just have it in its pot so it can drain quicker. Thought we did everything right but something went wrong somewhere!
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