Pink Serissa lighting advice

[Earthguy00]

Hello folks, I got this Pink Serissa over a week ago
and had it under a full spectrum lighting 18" away.
New flowers blooming left and right until
I lowered it to 14" to give my Barbados Cherry some
stronger lighting due to the leaves starting to yellow.

The Barbados Cherry seems to be bouncing back after a week, but the
Pink Serissa is now starting to turn yellow leaves now also.

I lowered it now to 24" to see how it does, but would
like some advice if this species needs STRONG lighting,
mediocre lighting but a longer time frame, or another scenario?

And, the ideal soil mixture would be nice to know also
although the guy that sold it to me said I don't need to repot.

It seems to have a mix of top soil, peat moss and maybe another substrate.

LAST pic taken today (6.1.19)

Thoughts, advice or rants encouraged.

 

[Earthguy00]

Any general advice are welcomed!

The guy told me to water every other day.
I watered maybe 4-5 days because soil still seemed damp.
Does this species need more water dampness than others constantly?
And, how about high lighting and duration?
The tree seems to be slowly declining.
Added some banana peel fertilizer today.
will update progress, but would like advice on anyone
caring for this tree.

 

[Meh]

Where do you live? It should probably be outside getting real sunlight.

I do not have a serissa but have heard they are touchy and challenging to care for. Could just be stress from moving it to a new position but sunlight is likely the cure.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The ideal potting mix is one you understand how to water. You could grow just about anything in just about anything if you got the watering frequency correct.
Rubber tire chips work well. I've used then.

Your potting mix should consist of materials you can get locally, or quickly if you run out. Should be affordable for your budget, and should have characteristics which conducive to good root growth. Where is your local. Can you get Akadama, Kiru, Kanuma? Can you get Australian mined, Maidenwell Diatomite? Pumice? Aliflor? Hydroton? Haydite? Fir Bark? Radiata Bark? Hardwood Bark? Cork Oak Chips? Horticultural grade Charcoal? German hard peat?, New Zealand Sphagnum? Virginia mined Turface?

You need to design an affordable mix that you can get quickly in good supply year round.

Also, are you growing strictly indoors due to not having outdoor space available?

Inquiring minds need to know before they can give you useful advice.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Leo has offered some good advice, whatever you use, it needs to be well draining for serissa, they hate to have soggy feet. Soggy feet will cause algae and moss to grow on the trunk and will kill those areas that it is allowed to stay on. It also needs to be outside in the natural light, keep it out of the scorching, mid-day sun. This time of the year, outside, it will be growing like a weed, needing constant pruning, which is what you need to build branches and pads. If you are stuck on growing it inside, I have not experience or advice, other than, "Good Luck".

 

[Earthguy00]

Yes I know soil mix is key.
I have a premium bonsai mix consisting of 14 ingredients
from pumice, lava, clay, yata yata. Well draining and moisture retaining on my
other trees.
But, guy who sold me this tree told me I don't need to repot.
I checked the soil and seems a mix of top soil, potting mix and some lava rock mostly.

I live in NY and my place doesn't have full sun all the time that's my problem.
I only get maybe 4 hours full sun where I place my plants.

I have full spectrum premium lighting that I use mostly.

Still would like some kind of advice for those using indoor lighting.
Strength of light, distance and duration.

Seeing some mixed reviews on this tree, one saying needs LOTS of light
during summer, some saying 4 hours. so in the experimenting phase now.

 

[Meh]

I have attempted to grow trees indoors under artificial light. It is hard and they rarely flourish, even if they get by. Ficus does ok. I think everyone here will recommend trying outside first, indoors second. 4 hours of full sun plus indirect light the rest of the day sounds good to me and I would only try inside if that failed, not the other way around.

If you are dead set on it, I recommend putting the tree in a South facing window (or whichever window gets the most sun in your place) and placing LED grow lights as close to the tree as you can get. The LEDs don't get hot so you can place it right on top without damaging the foliage, and they are energy efficient. I run my lights 16 hours a day and rotate the trees weekly. You may need to run the lights longer or shorter--experiment. It gets my tropicals through the winter with moderate growth but I still get them outside ASAP and the difference in vigor is huge.

 

[augustine]

IMO 4 hours sun outside this time of year is better than indoors not to mention fresh air and humidity. CAUTION - acclimate your tree little by little to the sun over the course of a couple or three weeks (If you care to take it outside)

 

[Earthguy00]

Thank you Yamadori & Chumono for your insight!
DULY NOTED!

I am now putting it on the only window sill I have in my tiny apt.
Not sure if it's South facing (geography was never my strong suit lol)

Will update if it bounces back or declines.

Thank you again.

 

[Tbwilson33]

Water when they need water not one a schedule

 

[Meh]

Thank you Yamadori & Chumono for your insight!
DULY NOTED!

I am now putting it on the only window sill I have in my tiny apt.
Not sure if it's South facing (geography was never my strong suit lol)

Will update if it bounces back or declines.

Thank you again.

Good luck.

 

[Meh]

Good luck.

Hold up, OUTSIDE on the window sill, yes? Inside won't do you any good and you will still need the grow light.

 

[Earthguy00]

ok so I put it out on the windows sill for about only 3-4 days and found out it's
on the WEST side which I get full afternoon sun for an ave. 4 hours
a day.

Seems to be getting worse now.
Brought it in inside for an upcoming storm later on tonight
and am finding almost ALL the leaves are
getting crispy brown now sob sob :-(

Repotting or pruning now a bad idea when it's declining?
But, am running out of ideas.

 

[Meh]

Repotting or pruning now a bad idea when it's declining?
But, am running out of ideas.

Sorry to hear that. Absolutely do not prune or repot. I suggest leaving it on the window sill and watch your watering. Make sure you water when it needs it, but if it is dropping leaves that will be less often. Test the soil daily by sticking your finger in an inch or so to see if it is wet or not, and don't let it dry out completely. Don't give up, just monitor it closely and water as needed.

 

[JoeH]

what is going on in that last pic? The one with the plastic lion in the pot? Not sure what the white object is around the trunk of the plant?

 

[Earthguy00]

Well, I got a bit desperate and repotted without pruning the roots
and found out a nice chunk of roots got torn off and it doesn't seem
to have many aerial roots or trunk roots. should have taken a pic.

Anyway, I also researched that certain plants need higher PH
and am wondering does this plant need to be MORE acidic than alkaline?
I tested the PH and it was SUPER HIGH alkaline. maybe 8+ as it seemed to be
on the very end of the spectrum.

White objects are Perlite btw.

STILL haven't got a definitive answer to the lighting.
Hopefully, can get someone that has the experience of
caring for this tree along with the PH level.

Always grateful of any inputs.

 

[Meh]

Well, I got a bit desperate and repotted without pruning the roots
and found out a nice chunk of roots got torn off and it doesn't seem
to have many aerial roots or trunk roots. should have taken a pic.

Anyway, I also researched that certain plants need higher PH
and am wondering does this plant need to be MORE acidic than alkaline?
I tested the PH and it was SUPER HIGH alkaline. maybe 8+ as it seemed to be
on the very end of the spectrum.

White objects are Perlite btw.

STILL haven't got a definitive answer to the lighting.
Hopefully, can get someone that has the experience of
caring for this tree along with the PH level.

Always grateful of any inputs.

That was probably a bad idea. If it was healthy in that soil when you bought it, what makes you think the soil is the problem?

The variables that changed since you purchased it were light and (potentially) watering. In my opinion you should have just set it out, watered as needed, and been patient. Now you have removed roots and stressed the tree further.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

At this rate, the tree will be dead way sooner than it would have been if it were dying naturally. Youre not heeding anyone's advice.

Leave the tree alone. Get it into a sunny spot, water it when the top inch of soil is dry. Leave the tree to grow. Youre being too impatient with recovery.

Putting it outside for 3 days wont give it time to grow new roots to start reviving the tree which, to me, sounds like it is getting root rot. The tree being in "top soil" cant be good for the roots and is likely retaining way more water in the bottom of the square pot than you think. The fact that "a chunk of roots got torn off" sounds like they had died back.

Take a picture of the chunk of roots that fell off.. presumably they are still around somewhere.

If you want something thats going to react to your every movement and gesture, get a cat.

 

[Earthguy00]

Pic update.
taken 6.9.19 & 6.13.19

 

[Earthguy00]

Orion. The post about leaving tree alone
was AFTER I repotted and had never said it will
recover after 3 days. Just trying to give more info.
your not reading my post carefully. Your remarks mean
nothing to me. If you can't say anything helfpful you don't
need to comment. Learn to read posts carefully BEFORE
you give any idiotic remarks. easy to rant.
FYI