Flowering Maple (Abutilon Sunrise Sunset) brown, crispy tips

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I've searched a lot of threads to find the answer to the question of brown, crispy leaf tips. I didn't find anything. I purchased Sunrise Sunset about a month ago from Logee's. I acclimated it to my home for two weeks, then re-potted in a 2/3 potting soil 1/3 perlite mix. I added a drop of Superthrive when I re-potted. I went up to a 6" pot. It's on an east window sill getting light from sunrise to approx. 1:30 pm. Could it be salt? I. As far a watering, t dries up quickly - I am watering every few days. I water when the top of the soil is dry, but about an inch down it's still moist. Should I wait for a slight wilt before I water? Also - the mosaic/mottled leaves are creeping up on a few leaves. I have read this is a virus that I can't do much about. Thanks for any help,

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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

The burned leaf tips and margins arte usually attributable to a drought response, triggered by over-watering, a high level of salts in the soil, and sometimes but not often - under-watering.

The 2/3:1/3 you mentioned doesn't hold as much water as it would if you'd left the perlite out, but the ht of the perched water is the same with or w/o the perlite. This means there is a soggy layer of soil (100% saturated) at the bottom of the pot after you water. If you're watering when only the top inch or so is saturated, you're watering while the bottom of the pot is still saturated. This kills roots and causes lots of physiological problems related to drought stress and impaired metabolism- so the first thing I'd concentrate on is root health. Put directly, you simply can't have a healthy plant unless it's on a healthy root system.

Wilting is an indication of drought stress, and not a particularly desirable condition for the plant. Still, it can be employed as a useful gauge re how long the plant CAN go between waterings. The occasional slight wilt is a stress, but it's preferable to the extreme stress of a forever soggy rhizosphere. Note the day you water and the day you see wilt. Count the days & start watering a day or two before you expect the plant to wilt. A sharpened wood dowel or skewer stuck deep into the pot is an excellent way to test for how wet/dry your plants are, too.

BTW - not sure where you live, but when temps allow, your plant would much rather be outdoors.

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Comments (8)

Liz K 7b-8a Charlotte
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you tapla. Excuse my ignorance; I do not know what you mean by "ht". I will def. use the wilt as a gauge and use a dowel, too. Next time I water, should I run the water through to leach out the salt? What do you use as a good potting mix? I think mine, even with the perlite, is staying too wet. I'm in Charlotte, and very, very soon all of my plants will go outside for the Spring/Summer. Thanks again.
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years ago
Sorry. "ht" = height. Yes - a regular flushing should be a part of everyone's growing plan, even if the soil wants to stay soggy after the flushing. There are ways to deal with excess water retention (click link), though ideally you would be using a soil that makes that limiting factor a nonissue.

These are the soils I use

They eliminate my having to worry about soggy soils and a build-up of dissolved solids (salts); plus, the root systems LOVE the extra aeration that comes with soils based on large particles like you see, instead of peat or composted material.

Al
Liz K 7b-8a Charlotte thanked tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
Liz K 7b-8a Charlotte
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you tapla. I appreciate the link. I just found your thread on container soils - I'm going to read it - twice. :) I was using Pro-mix (which I am sure is not great alone), but couldn't get my hands on any, so I got lazy and bought Sta-Green at Lowe's. (I thought it would be better than Miracle Grow). Big mistake. I think I am going to have to re-pot some plants. I just lost a Brug due to soggy mix. :(
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years ago
If you showed interest, I would have eventually pointed you toward that thread anyway. Glad you found it on your own. I think the information in that thread represents the largest step forward a container gardener can take at any one time, so it should serve you well once you have an understanding under your belt. I know it transformed my growing experience, and it's not at all uncommon to see that expressed by others as well. You'll have to decide for yourself, but the knowledge sure won't hurt ........

Al
Liz K 7b-8a Charlotte
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
My abutilon one month after wicking. No brown crispy tips on the new growth. Lots and lots of flowers opening every day. I have a new problem now, but it's a good one. It's so pretty, I can't bear to Pinch back the growing tips to make the plant fuller. Thank you Al. :)

I'm sorry the photo is sideways. I cannot get it to rotate.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years ago
What good news! I'm really glad for you, Elizabeth. Good going!

Al
Liz K 7b-8a Charlotte thanked tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
Angel Fong
3 years ago
Hi, Thank you both for your questions and answers. I also have the similar issue with crispy leave tips, yellow leaves, and wet soil. How do you restore root health due to over watering? Should I take it out of the pot, and let it sit in the sun to dry out? Or just use complete new potting soil and replant it? Thank you for your help! Angel

Flowering Maple (Abutilon Sunrise Sunset) brown, crispy tips

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

Comments (8)

Liz K 7b-8a Charlotte
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Flowering Maple (Abutilon Sunrise Sunset) brown, crispy tips

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

Comments (8)

Liz K 7b-8a CharlotteOriginal Author

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