I think I'm killing my catalpa saplings

15 years ago

Last year for Christmas, I received two grow-a-tree kits - catalpa trees. This is my first foray into the world of growing trees. They sprouted and were growing happily indoors in pots, reaching about 12". In late summer, one began to look very sickly, and dropped all of its leaves. I repotted it in a larger pot, since it looked like the roots were being choked. I repotted the other one, too, which was still robust looking. Now the robust one looks pathetic. Since I was out of town, my partner took it to our local garden store, and they said it had a fungus and gave him some spray. The spray seemed to kill the fungus, but the tree still looks droopy and is continuing to lose its leaves.

A few questions:

*It looks like the fungus cleared up from the tree that still has leaves, so why is it still losing leaves?

*Are the trees losing leaves because it's winter? Is this just part of their natural growth cycle? The trees are indoors.

*Is it possible that I didn't replant them in a large enough pot?

*I'm still caring for the leafless tree, since the "trunk" is still green inside. Is it doomed, or do I just need to wait for spring? Something else?

*How can I prevent the other tree from continuing to lose its leaves?

I love these stupid trees like a pet and want them to live. I've included a link to pictures of the tree. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos of the catalpa

Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
well .... in my neck of the woods.. catalpa is a fully deciduous tree in winter ... IT IS SUPPOSED TO LOSE ITS LEAVES WHEN the LIGHT AND TEMP levels of fall tell it to go to sleep ...

most plants that go dormant.. need to go dormant .. so HOPEFULLY the one of yours that went dormant.. will come back out of dormancy ...

and it wouldnt surprise me if the other went into dormancy ...

i am not an ID expert ... other will come by and give you the latin name of your plant... use that to google CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS ... of the latin name ... if these peeps fail .. there is a NAME THAT PLANT FORUM ...

you may have to free them to the great outdoors.. if they can survive indoors the rest of this winter ... unless its still possible to put them outside in your zone ... i am not clear what DC means, zone wise ...

if you love them as pets ... you are borderline on KILLING THEM WITH TOO MUCH LOVE ... be careful with that.. they are trees... we plant them in mother earth.. and given just a LITTLE care.. they can live for centuries... try to raise them in the house... and you are in for no end of trouble ...

get the ID ... and we can go from there. ..

happy holidays.. ken
alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama
15 years ago
Do you have an unheated shed or garage where you could keep them? They need to be kept cool until spring.
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jean001
15 years ago
Yes, they're deciduous trees. So the leaf loss is normal at this time of year.

Further, forget the spray. Doesn't look like fungus, at all. But rather a cultural oops -- too close to light source? Perhaps simply an extra bright day? A brief water shortage?

And even if it is a fungus, the "treatment" would be to collect & discard the leaves which should fall normally of their own accord at this time of year.

And plan to get it in the ground as soon as it's possible.
poofygoo
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, everyone; this is quite helpful. I guess I figured that since they were indoors, they wouldn't lose their leaves. Lesson learned; I'll plant them outside ASAP - but I'm not sure when the best time is. I think DC is in zone 7-8, but given that the high in DC today is 26 degrees, I'm thinking it's a bad idea right now. How do I care for them over the winter? Our apartment is bright and gets heaps of sunshine - that's no good? I'll move them out of direct sunlight (but won't they get that when they're planted outside?) And when should I transplant them?

Like I said; I'm new to tree growing, so thanks for your patience if these seem like no-brainers...
madtripper
15 years ago
Can you put them outside? Maybe on a veranda? Best thng for them is to get some cold until spring.

I have grown a number of catalpa species from seeds - they seem like weeds and cold does not seem to bother them. Unless you have a warm growing one, I'd just get it outside until things warm up.
scotjute Z8
15 years ago
I raised 2 of them in 5 gal. pots outside for about a year before planting into the ground. They seemed ok in that size of pot during that time. Kept the pot itself shaded to prevent the roots from cooking and piled hay over the pots in the winter. That worked for Z8 Tx. Mine were about 2 ft. tall with stem about like a pencil when I transplanted. (mine were not started from seed but were small seedlings I dug up from under older trees) They should be in full sun or close to it.
If these die on you try some more next year but grow them outside in 5 gal. pots.

I think I'm killing my catalpa saplings

Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama

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I think I'm killing my catalpa saplings

Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama

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jean001

poofygooOriginal Author

madtripper

scotjute Z8

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poofygoo
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