My young Redwood is Dying?

10 years ago

I received this awesome birthday gift on August 7th from a friend. Sadly it is not doing too well. At first I thought I was overwatering, then I thought I was under-watering, now I just have no clue. The branches are brittle/yellowing with little green left on them. Did it get scorched, root rot...? I am a total beginner with plants but I am hoping it is able to be saved.

I received it potted in moist soil and kept it in a shady spot outside. I went out of town for a few days and probably should have brought it inside because I think the scorching CA weather may have hurt it.

Today I got dry soil from my yard and repotted it in hopes of something positive happening, but I think my best bet it turning to you guys. Give me guidance!

Thank you!

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Comments (9)

taxo_man
10 years ago
Hard to tell because of the scorched foliage but I believe this is a bald cypress. Keep it in a mainly shaded area outside. Keep the soil moist but not sopping wet. Don't let it ever completely dry out, especially when young. Good luck.
J
User
10 years ago
Yeah, not sure which 'Sequoia' we are dealing with here (Dawn Red, Coast Red, Big Tree), might be Taxodium (Bald Cpress) but don't think so--leaves look too long. In any case, looks like the tree was burned (hot sun, not enough water). Whatever species you do have, my experience is that all do very well in containers. Are you eventually going to plant it? Where is the container--looks like a lot of concrete.--These surfaces roast in the sun, maybe give it some light shading in a cooler/greener area. Know that Coast Red and Big Tree (Sequoia gigantea) both do well in areas of Calif. but assume water-loving Taxdium or Dawn Red are going to need regular watering out there. Also, try not to use soil taken out of your yard. Good luck.
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Not sure what you really expect. You have gotten the trees to do quite well in the pots. The potting soil probably dries out totally, and the summer heat doesn't help. Seems like the trees will start to get too big anyway soon. Trying to find the balance of wet enough but not too dry or wet is a probably with many "houseplants". Since you have two you could experiment with bonsai type ideas. But that may be with some radical top and root prunning, if you can stand to mutilate a tree like that.
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You can grow these (at least temporarily) in containers but you need to correct the following. 1.) Move it out of any direct, mid day sun. Dark pots get really hot in the sun and roots get baked. (I forget this every year and in June my containerized ones were burning like yours. I have since moved it to the north side of a shed under and they have since recuperated.) 2.) "...dry as a bone." MG potting soil is mostly PEAT MOSS and in a container it bakes in the sun and can become extremely 'HYDROPHOBIC' (resistant to moistening once it gets dry). I noticed this several years ago when my containerized, outdoor plants seemed to be dying of dehydration despite a period of HEAVY RAIN on a daily basis! I have been correcting this error for a past several years by repotting, adding to the existing MG soil: humus, perlite, vermiculite, coarse sand..., (everything helped in eventually making the soil more H2O friendly). I still buy MG soil..., I just use it in place of peat moss in a my own mixes. Insert your finger into the container to see if the soil feels moist to a depth of two inches or so. If it feels moist, soil may not be the problem. One more thing regarding moisture, Metasequoia are water-loving so that it's difficult to overwater a healthy, growing one in the Summer. (Waiting for the top 4 inches of soil to dry out on a containerized specimen is too dry in my opinion.) 3.) Stop feeding it in mid Summer.
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"I should mention it was planted too deep at its previous location so some of the roots seem to be circling the tree" So did you straighten them all out and point them in the proper direction when you moved it? Doesn't look to me like you dug a hole wide enough to do that. If you dug as tiny a hole as possible just to be able to cram in a distressed tree with circling roots and then added fertilizer to that very small volume of soil, then of course it is going to do poorly and probably die. If it was me and I wanted to save it I would 1) dig it out and enlarge the width of the planting hole enough that I could straighten out all of the roots, 2) try and remove some fertilizer infested soil and mix whatever is left really well with that you dig when expanding the hole, 3) replant it making sure it wasn't too deep even after it settles, 4) remove all that grass surrounding it and mulch it properly, 5) build a temporary shade structure out of fence stakes and sheets or whatever else I could rig until it establishes, then 6) hold my breath until next spring which is when you will know whether all this worked or not.
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sluice
10 years ago
I agree, it could help to replace the soil. Google Al's gritty mix, you will find a recipe and related discussion over in the Container forum. Good luck!
Shelby91
Original Author
10 years ago
Hey guys,

Thanks for all the responses. I replaced the soil, have kept it in a constantly shady spot, and water it once each morning to keep the soil moist. Still no changes... Any ideas?

Thanks,
Shelby
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
ignore it .. you are loving it to death..

no potted plant.. in shade ... needs water every day

ken
User
10 years ago
I agree, too much coddling, attention, potential over-watering--especially if a plant is struggling, just keep it a bit moist, no fertilizer. Solution is to surround yourself with so much vegetation, that your leafy friends get lost in the crowd.;).

Depending on the species, might be deciduous anyway (Taxodium and Metasequoia are deciduous) so let it be for the season already. Even if evergreen, Spring may see rebirth. Usually the optimist here.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
That is a coast redwood seedling - not at all uncommon at various locations along the west coast and, along with burl sprouts, often sold as a novelty item.

Good quality, moisture retentive potting soil (not garden soil) and an even moisture level (not to much; not too little) is most desirable. Also good idea to keep out of direct sun when this tiny :-)

Ken, please don't make broad absolute statements like that - lots of containerized plants - in shade - may need watering every day. Depends on the plant, depends on the weather, depends on the size of the container, depends on the potting soil. In fact, just about everything related to gardening just "depends" - there are no real absolutes.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
ken

This post was edited by ken_adrian on Sat, Aug 31, 13 at 8:41
lou_spicewood_tx
10 years ago
Ken,

I use well draining container mix for trees (see Al's 5-1-1 mix) and they do best when watered everyday during the summer when it's hot and dry in full sun. Trees love that stuff.

I avoid potting soil sold at stores at all costs. Not really good stuff for trees.

My young Redwood is Dying?

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