I'm now officially into Bonsai...

Recoil Rob

Recoil Rob

Seedling
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Location
NY
USDA Zone
6B
I killed my first tree.

And it was my first, a lovely boxwood probably at least 30 years old that I received in return for some work I did at the home of a local Bonsai teacher. I got some interest and have been to several meeting of a local club.

I live in southern NY, I kept it in an unheated sunroom all winter, watering weekly, and it did fine, maintained it's lovely green shape. I brough it outside a few weeks ago and it immediately turned brown. We suspect that there were a few days of 75 degrees and that the sunroom probably got too hot and it dried out, the weekly water was not enough.

There are some new shoots on it but the prognosis is negative.

I was very down as I was very drawn to this tree when I picked it out but I figure, "it happens to everyone" learn and move on.

4:16.jpg
 
Could be sunburn. If you put it out in direct light. If that's the case, it'll be fine. I'm pretty sure it's not the issue of temperature.

Btw welcome to the nut house! yes!! I beat Sorce on this hah!
 
AaronThomas said:
Welcome to the club brother! It probably won't be your last....
Click to expand...
No kidding, I've got a labeled "burn pile" area :pWhen a tree dies it hurts but when you have hundreds of them, it's pretty difficult to become discouraged.lmfao
I say put the tree in dappled sun and keep moist, not wet. I've seen this happen to boxwoods here in the landscape and pull through without an issue, it just takes some time.

Aaron
 
Love those pots...glad to be here, thanks for the encouragement, I'll see if it will pull through in dappled light.
 
You kept it all nice and comfy all winter;
then you threw it outside without an
acclimation period? It is nearly Summer.
In about 3 weeks go to the mall, watch every
body under 25--they'll all be roasty red too.
Same difference. It will recover man.
 
I've killed two junipers and a boxwood since I've started this retirement hobby. Even the best kill some trees.
 
Lobaeux said:
I've killed two junipers and a boxwood since I've started this retirement hobby. Even the best kill some trees.
Click to expand...

Junipers take awhile to learn, my Wife killed so many she asked me not to buy her anymore a few years back. Since then I have quite a few of my own and have learned quite a bit and raise them ok. Still lost two last winter to an oversight on my part but learned another lesson. They are worth the effort however and I will continue to try more varieties.
I have not yet had a boxwood potted survive a year and I am beginning to understand why. Going to try two more this year and I am pretty certain they will do good. There is a small Harland out back that looks the same as yours right now. Looked fine all Winter and is slowly fading - oh well!
Potted plants can be very challenging but at the same time rewarding - keep at it, keeps extensive notes, and you will be happy.

Grimmy
 
armetisius said:
You kept it all nice and comfy all winter;
then you threw it outside without an
acclimation period? It is nearly Summer.
In about 3 weeks go to the mall, watch every
body under 25--they'll all be roasty red too.
Same difference. It will recover man.
Click to expand...


It was in an unheated sunroom, indirect light, I brought it out on a cloudy day, the next few days were sunny, 70deg during the day, 40's at night.

What would you have done differently?


thanks,

Rob
 
Well; since you asked.
I would have moved it from inside to some overhead dappled light
for a couple of weeks. Moving it every few days [towards the end
with brighter morning sun] until it was in full morning sun before
sticking out all together. Like I tried to point out, it got a sunburn
because it was covered in growth that had never been in full sun.
Kind of like you would burn your bum [and other bits] if you
suddenly took up nude sunbathing.
Horticulture wise it is called a "hardening off" period, very necessary for this reason.
Do it with your trees as you would your houseplants.
 
Last edited:
Recoil Rob said:
What would you have done differently?
Click to expand...

Get a few small inexpensive boxwoods from a big box store. Bring them home only if the grower label(the white barcoded sticker on the pot) says they came from no further south then Virginia. Leave them alone in the Nursery pots this year just watering and very light fertilizer. Winter them outside, shaded and protected from wind, like along the North wall of the building.
If they Winter and wake up in the Spring properly you have just increased your success tenfold ;)

Grimmy
 
GrimLore said:
Junipers take awhile to learn, my Wife killed so many she asked me not to buy her anymore a few years back. Since then I have quite a few of my own and have learned quite a bit and raise them ok. Still lost two last winter to an oversight on my part but learned another lesson. They are worth the effort however and I will continue to try more varieties.
I have not yet had a boxwood potted survive a year and I am beginning to understand why. Going to try two more this year and I am pretty certain they will do good. There is a small Harland out back that looks the same as yours right now. Looked fine all Winter and is slowly fading - oh well!
Potted plants can be very challenging but at the same time rewarding - keep at it, keeps extensive notes, and you will be happy.

Grimmy
Click to expand...

Thanks! I think I killed the junipers due to the newbie notion of too much love. Overwatering is what I think got them. I'll try again.
 
f1pt4 said:
Could be sunburn. If you put it out in direct light. If that's the case, it'll be fine. I'm pretty sure it's not the issue of temperature.

Btw welcome to the nut house! yes!! I beat Sorce on this hah!
Click to expand...
IMNSHO if it were sunburn, I'd expect it to affect new growth and not old growth. New growth will have come out under glass, the old growth will have seen sun before.
 
yes-starting out we are tree killers,
as we learn we become gardeners,
as we grow we become artists,
as we age we become masters


wow I was profound just there
@sorce another one for you
 
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