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Norfolk Pine turning brown

9 years ago

Hi,

I noticed that my Pine was starting to brown. I trimmed back the dead to find that a few of the branches were dark black/brown.

I took it outside well after the frost was gone. It has east exposure. Direct sunlight for ~5 hours and indirect after 11 am. I water it twice a week.

A few months before I took my Pine out for the summer, I realized I had over watered it. The catch pan that was under the pot accumulated water and had sat in it for a few months. I removed the catch pan when I moved it outside.

Should I just re-pot it with some nice fresh potting soil and some better aggregate for drainage?

I'd really appreciate the help, this tree was once green and full and means a lot to me.

More pictures if needed

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Comments (8)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
you might want to also post in the houseplant forum ... as we dont specialize in potted plants ....

my gut tells me it is severely stressed... from the watering situation ...

but i dont know if i would stress it more ... by repotting it .. you might just put it over the edge ... who knows ...

your watering issues are.. as of now.. not media related ... so why are you thinking new media is necessary ..

media does wear out.. but you havent given us a pic.. nor any info about your old media ... anything indicating this is a current issue ...

and no... fert'g a stressed plant.. does not solve the stress ... if you already did it.. dont worry about it.. but it wasnt a solution to these problems ...

once you solve a problem ... it can take a long time.. for the plant to settle back down ... and the biggest problem.. is not killing it with more love ...

with the insult to the root mass... it is not surprising.. that you have browning.. and its not surprising it is showing.. in the heat of the summer... but you can not.. come to the conclusion that it is new damage.. not related to the prior problem ... heck.. you could have damaged those brown parts carrying it outside...

pic of the whole.. and more info ... and patience... is my best advice ...

ken
User
9 years ago
You neglected a very important aspect regarding the health of the plant; Namely, what does NEW growth look like? Is it normal or deformed? If normal, your plant should over come whatever what bothering it.

I agree, do not fertilize a stressed plant, and provide a overall image of the plant
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ken, it's not a matter of better phrasing - it's the inappropriateness of the response. There are many trees that I don't particularly favor but I would never suggest someone remove them from their garden simply because I didn't care for them. It's highly presumptuous!! Plant what you want in your own garden but leave others to their own choices. Removal of existing trees just because they have matured beyond their initial young appeal is also a matter of personal choice. And while it may be uncommon in some parts of the country - those areas that are not heavily treed to begin with - having large trees planted in close proximity to a house or other structure are also not unheard of. In many cases, the trees were in place before construction. If the trees are otherwise healthy and not currently causing conflict with the structure, just their close proximity is not a requirement for their removal. If that were the case, the tree removal guys in my area would be booked years in advance!! Large native trees are very common in gardens here, even smaller urban and suburban gardens, and instances of falling trees or limbs are rather infrequent. In some cases, removal of any existing trees, especially native species, requires approval from local authorities.
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zbrochetta
Original Author
9 years ago
Ken -

The medium is (hopefully) potting soil. I HAVE fertilized it but very dilutey, so I don't think I'll have a problem there. I am very gentle with this plant as it is the most expensive and is my apartment's xmas tree. It has been outside for about 3 months but we have only had a handful of hot days. It has an inch of pea stone to keep my cat from digging and well...ya know...also, it looks nice.
zbrochetta
Original Author
9 years ago
Nj -

The new growth looks great. The tallest of the 2 (there was 3) is just about to grow another star. I have been trimming off the bits that turn brown. Should I be doing that?
User
9 years ago
Yes, no problem, cut out anything dead, but frankly, your tree does not look that bad...as there is nice new growth. By nature, these trees tend to shed lower leaves so may appear leggy even in the best of circumstances. But they DO regrow from branches that are partly dead...did on mine at least. But they will not regrow branches that are lost from further down the tree.
poaky1
9 years ago
How gradual was the transition from indoor plant to outdoor plant? I have one also, and it is hard to be perfect with the transition of light intensity. If that is without a doubt, not the problem, then I don't have any other theory's, others mentioned the watering thing.
rusty_blackhaw
9 years ago
I don't see evidence of it from the picture, but Norfolk Island pines are susceptible to spider mites when grown in dry indoor conditions, so keep an eye out for tiny mottled spots on the foliage and webbing (stressed plants are more susceptible).
zbrochetta
Original Author
9 years ago
As a precaution, should I spray it with some mild soapy water?

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