Brazilian Rain Tree Advice

[Rainficusghost96]

Hello! We have had our Brazilian Rain Tree for just over a year (it is inside but was growing amazing). She exploded in growth all of last year and through the first half of winter. We took her to a local bonsai place about re-potting (roots were coming out the bottom) and he did a trim. Within a month she was growing like a weed again.

Missed a watering last week, it was a stretch of about 4 days. On Friday she was still opening and closing with the sun/clouds/shade, etc. but Saturday morning all the leaves were dried up. Not sure what to do. Do we need to cut off all the dry, or just stick with our normal watering and fertilize schedule?
I saw a different forum that mentioned removing from direct sun and keep watering. But I’m just trying to do what I can to keep her alive

 

[leatherback]

Just keep the substrate moist and wait.

 

[Paradox]

Keep watering when it needs it (when the soil is almost dry). You should see new buds in 3 weeks to a month. BRT don't like to dry out and this is a normal response to getting too dry for its liking. It should bounce back if it wasn't dry too long. 4 days should be ok. I wouldn't fertilize until you see new growth extending.

 

[Rainficusghost96]

Keep watering when it needs it (when the soil is almost dry). You should see new buds in 3 weeks to a month. BRT don't like to dry out and this is a normal response to getting too dry for its liking. It should bounce back if it wasn't dry too long. 4 days should be ok. I wouldn't fertilize until you see new growth extending.

Thank you! Should I trim it back at all or pull the dry off?

 

[Rainficusghost96]

Just keep the substrate moist and wait.

Thank you!

 

[leatherback]

Thank you! Should I trim it back at all or pull the dry off?

Just leave it alone.

 

[Rainficusghost96]

Just leave it alone.

Appreciate your help

 

[Paradox]

Thank you! Should I trim it back at all or pull the dry off?

They will fall off on their own. Best to just let the tree take care of it so you don't damage the emergent buds accidentally.

 

[Rainficusghost96]

They will fall off on their own. Best to just let the tree take care of it so you don't damage the emergent buds accidentally.

Good to know thank you! Guessing if it doesn’t come back after a month or two it’s not going to?

 

[leatherback]

Good to know thank you! Guessing if it doesn’t come back after a month or two it’s not going to?

raintree can take a lot longer to resprout. Just keep it moist and wait.

 

[Carol 83]

raintree can take a lot longer to resprout. Just keep it moist and wait.

I had one sulk for 4 months and then it just decided to start growing again.

 

[Rainficusghost96]

I had one sulk for 4 months and then it just decided to start growing again.

They’re such finicky things. Crazy how ours was content for a whole year and literally the day before it was fine.

We had one before this and we knew absolutely nothing past what the bonsai shop told us. It did the same thing this one is doing but it had damage to it prior to us finding it. Took it back and it they said it was dead, cut all the branches off drowned it in fertilizer and said they’d try to revive for a month and nothing happened.

 

[Carol 83]

cut all the branches off drowned it in fertilizer and said they’d try to revive for a month and nothing happened.

If they did that ,I wouldn't trust that place! Just have some patience with your new one. Keep moist but never wet, make sure it gets plenty of light and I bet it will bounce back.

 

[Rainficusghost96]

If they did that ,I wouldn't trust that place! Just have some patience with your new one. Keep moist but never wet, make sure it gets plenty of light and I bet it will bounce back.

Ya we’re not keen on returning for care at this point.

 

[Paradox]

Most of mine started budding out again in about a month when I've had this happen but they can be stubborn and go longer.

 

[Rainficusghost96]

Most of mine started budding out again in about a month when I've had this happen but they can be stubborn and go longer.

Super curious. Why no fertilizer while I wait for it to figure out what it wants to do?

 

[luvinthemountains]

Super curious. Why no fertilizer while I wait for it to figure out what it wants to do?

Not sure how other people are fertilizing BRT, but I skip my BRT any time I am fertilizing my bonsai with chemical fertilizer. Once, after I hit it with chemical fert, it had a hissy fit and dropped all its leaves. But I had to do it again before I caught on (slow learner). Ever since then, the BRT is on a strict kelp and fish diet, and it has not happened again. Something about them being a legume and not liking exogenous nitrogen.

 

[Paradox]

Super curious. Why no fertilizer while I wait for it to figure out what it wants to do?

Because its not actively growing while its sulking and has plenty of reserves to push growth. Its generally not a good idea to fertilize a sick tree

@luvinthemountains interesting you have had that happen, I use Miracle grow powder mix on mine and they dont seem to mind at all

 

[Rainficusghost96]

Not sure how other people are fertilizing BRT, but I skip my BRT any time I am fertilizing my bonsai with chemical fertilizer. Once, after I hit it with chemical fert, it had a hissy fit and dropped all its leaves. But I had to do it again before I caught on (slow learner). Ever since then, the BRT is on a strict kelp and fish diet, and it has not happened again. Something about them being a legume and not liking exogenous nitrogen.

We use Neptune Fish Fertilizer and ours seems to thrive with it.

 

[luvinthemountains]

@luvinthemountains interesting you have had that happen, I use Miracle grow powder mix on mine and they dont seem to mind at all

My observations have not been very scientific - I combined a couple of experiences that could have been coincidental with anecdotes that I read online, including here. One thought, though, if you are using a weak dilution of the MG (something like 1/2 or 1/4 of recommended for containers), that could explain why you don't have a problem with it. I tend to mix my ferts full strength (because I have so few trees in refinement).

We use Neptune Fish Fertilizer and ours seems to thrive with it.

I use the same brand! Good stuff. As long as you are not keeping the soil soggy, I don't imagine continuing to use that will hurt anything.