Possible Redwood (Sequoia Sempervirens) Fungal Issue?

[NaoTK]

You have me worried now because I also got a redwood from bob at the expo. I also see some tip browning that has gotten worse since the expo.

If it helps you debug here are some pics and observations from mine in Oregon. It has been between 30s -50s F and I kept mine in the greenhouse out of the rain. I have not watered it once since I got it. It experienced a light freeze a couple times.

I agree the soil is crappy, like a peaty mix that is too wet. I will continue to keep it dry until spring. I'm not going to do anything in terms of fungicide yet

November 18, 3 weeks ago: You can see the top right there is some tip browning already. The leaf color is lime green. Bob attributed it to genetics.


Today: It looks ok in general. There is one branch at the top with browning on the very tips. I assumed this was freeze damage. If it spreads more I will let you know.



Most leaves are actively growing and healthy


the worst area: looks like yours

 

[PaulH]

Sorry to hear about your issues but you're not alone. I understand even Ryan Neil has lost trees from Bob. I've had a couple die also. The last couple I bought I repotted immediately into a good, high percentage akadama bonsai mix and they are doing great. I think Bob has told me he keeps his own redwoods in 100% akadama.... My other comment is water. Redwoods are thirsty . One day of dry soil and they can die. Mine are in bright full sun and get lots of water. The good news is they can recover with proper care. I sold one that I thought was dead last year to club member Vinny because he wanted the pot it was in. He put it on the ground under his benches and misted it daily and it came back beautifully. The main tree in my redwood forest is a tree from Bob. Its been in the group planting with nursery redwoods for about 10 years and still occasionally starts showing this fungus problem while the other trees stay healthy. A shot of Daconil and some Cleary 3336 straighten it out but its never as strong as the nursery trees. I'm pretty sure its a soil microorganism problem. Next time I visit family in Sonoma county I plan to gather some duff from a native redwood grove and add it to my soil as an experiment.

 

[Bricker918]

You have me worried now because I also got a redwood from bob at the expo. I also see some tip browning that has gotten worse since the expo.

If it helps you debug here are some pics and observations from mine in Oregon. It has been between 30s -50s F and I kept mine in the greenhouse out of the rain. I have not watered it once since I got it. It experienced a light freeze a couple times.

I agree the soil is crappy, like a peaty mix that is too wet. I will continue to keep it dry until spring. I'm not going to do anything in terms of fungicide yet

November 18, 3 weeks ago: You can see the top right there is some tip browning already. The leaf color is lime green. Bob attributed it to genetics.
View attachment 465150

Today: It looks ok in general. There is one branch at the top with browning on the very tips. I assumed this was freeze damage. If it spreads more I will let you know.

View attachment 465148

Most leaves are actively growing and healthy
View attachment 465149
View attachment 465147
the worst area: looks like yours
View attachment 465152

Thanks Nao!
You definitely have way more healthy foliage than me! Mine was fairly sparse to begin with. I’ve watered mine twice, and I probably should have only done one.

Temps here are mid 30’s(real early for an hour or two)-mid 50’s as well, which is kind of cold for Sacramento. Mines outside but I’ve been putting it under cover when it’s rained. I haven’t seen any new growth, it’s a got a good amount of strong looking buds though.

Sorry to hear about your issues but you're not alone. I understand even Ryan Neil has lost trees from Bob. I've had a couple die also. The last couple I bought I repotted immediately into a good, high percentage akadama bonsai mix and they are doing great. I think Bob has told me he keeps his own redwoods in 100% akadama.... My other comment is water. Redwoods are thirsty . One day of dry soil and they can die. Mine are in bright full sun and get lots of water. The good news is they can recover with proper care. I sold one that I thought was dead last year to club member Vinny because he wanted the pot it was in. He put it on the ground under his benches and misted it daily and it came back beautifully. The main tree in my redwood forest is a tree from Bob. It’s been in the group planting with nursery redwoods for about 10 years and still occasionally starts showing this fungus problem while the other trees stay healthy. A shot of Daconil and some Cleary 3336 straighten it out but its never as strong as the nursery trees. I'm pretty sure its a soil microorganism problem. Next time I visit family in Sonoma county I plan to gather some duff from a native redwood grove and add it to my soil as an experiment.

Thanks for the insight Paul! I did hit it with some Danconil as well. It’s only been a week since I applied the fungicide and things seemed to have slowed a bit.

Would you recommend repotting this one now or should I wait until spring? I can go grab a little heat pad from Green Acres and/or build a little makeshift green house or something if needed.


That’s good to know about Vinny’s tree, I’ve been watering the one from earlier in this thread all summer/fall in hopes it bounces back, so far no sign of growth. I figure worst case scenario I can make some jitas out of the stump!

 

[Bonsai Orange County]

I too am having this same issue on a large Redwood collected by Bob. I also believe it to be a soil issue. I'm going to be repotting mine into 100% akadama in the next week. Nothing else has worked and its a last ditch effort for sure. Will look forward to following this thread and will also update after my repot.

 

[Bricker918]

I too am having this same issue on a large Redwood collected by Bob. I also believe it to be a soil issue. I'm going to be repotting mine into 100% akadama in the next week. Nothing else has worked and its a last ditch effort for sure. Will look forward to following this thread and will also update after my repot.

Please do!

 

[Bonsai Orange County]

My large - and struggling- redwood was repotted today into 85% akadama, 15% pumice. Close examination of the roots revealed no root rot but it’s clear the density of the “mud” it came in was holding too much water and not pulling enough oxygen. I would like to note around 20% of my akadama is quite large. This was intentional in the hopes of improving oxygenation and also large stronger feeder roots.

I’m not sure if this was the best time to repot the tree but don’t think it would have made it much longer. I didn’t cut much of the existing roots at all besides the longest ones on the direct underside.

Nightly temps in Orange County where I live have been in the low 40s/high 30s this week - with high 59s to low 70/ days. I will keep the teee in my garage at night for the next few weeks and shuffle it outside to dappled sun during the days.

Redwood experts, please let me know if I’m missing anything or if my actions at this time of year have doomed my tree? Hopefully not. Here are a couple photos of the tree and how bad it currently looks. Fortunately it is still shooting bright green growth and I do see some buds loaded on the ends of some of the better looking branches.

 

[NaoTK]

My large - and struggling- redwood was repotted today into 85% akadama, 15% pumice. Close examination of the roots revealed no root rot but it’s clear the density of the “mud” it came in was holding too much water and not pulling enough oxygen. I would like to note around 20% of my akadama is quite large. This was intentional in the hopes of improving oxygenation and also large stronger feeder roots.

I’m not sure if this was the best time to repot the tree but don’t think it would have made it much longer. I didn’t cut much of the existing roots at all besides the longest ones on the direct underside.

Nightly temps in Orange County where I live have been in the low 40s/high 30s this week - with high 59s to low 70/ days. I will keep the teee in my garage at night for the next few weeks and shuffle it outside to dappled sun during the days.

Redwood experts, please let me know if I’m missing anything or if my actions at this time of year have doomed my tree? Hopefully not. Here are a couple photos of the tree and how bad it currently looks. Fortunately it is still shooting bright green growth and I do see some buds loaded on the ends of some of the better looking branches.

Did you just get this at the expo?

@Ruddigger how is yours looking?

 

[Bonsai Orange County]

No sir I’ve got it a couple of months ago - mid summer. Just started the decline in the last month/month and a half. Resilient trees no doubt, but hope this one makes it. I am convinced it is a substrate/soil issue. Thought I could wait til late winter to repot but don’t think I have that kind of time. The temps we’ve had in the last week are colder than normal for us in Orange County, so hoping our mild climate allows for this repot to work

 

[Ruddigger]

Mine has a few tips turning brown, but otherwise fine. I’m planning to repot to 100% akadama next month.

 

[Ruddigger]

 

[Bricker918]

How is everyone’s redwood doing? Mines iffy at best. Still has some strong looking buds but others that looked strong are dried up along with the parts that were already browning. We’ll see how it goes once it starts growing this spring, I guess. I’ll get some pictures up here in a little.

@Ruddigger just saw yours on IG, looking good!

 

[Bricker918]

Here are the pictures!

I ended up repotting into this box shortly before Christmas, it was declining quickly and has since slowed, some of the healthier buds are even swelling. It's in a 1:1:1 mix. I kept almost all roots but was able to thin out quite a few dead ones. I've kept it protected from frost and rain. It is on a heat pad (the box is placed on 3/4 inch feet with the thermometer in between the top of the feet and the box). it is on the lowest setting, 68 degrees Fahrenheit. After two weeks in the box I've been applying Danconil and Subdue Maxx once a week and Cleary's pellets every other, it is on its second dose of Cleary's. As you all can see, I'm starting off with significantly less foliage than @NaoTK and @Ruddigger , I have a feeling that will probably be a major factor in its success.

Here are some detail pictures of the dried up foliage

There are still quite a few strong looking buds but I've lost a few as well. I'd say it's about 60/40 as far as good buds go. Can't wait for it to start growing cause I'm sick of worrying about it. Planning on pruning off the dead branches in a day or two when I get a second.

 

[NaoTK]

That's pretty rough. Keep on babying it. Luckily, these trees are tough.

Mine is declining, but slowly. As you said, I have a lot more foliage to lose.
I did intervene by drilling several dozen holes into the plastic pot to get more air in. There I found the soil is still soaked and muddy despite not watering it once since November!
I applied a cup or so of a solution containing hydrogen peroxide and Captan. I have had a lot of success with Captan for root issues and it has never harmed my trees.

My challenge is I don't want to repot in January when we will still get freezes, so I'm stalling until at least March.
My other challenge is I don't understand why Bob Shimon didn't put these in pumice?

 

[Ruddigger]

I repotted and styled mine. Cut off some of the brown tips, I’m not sure what caused that, I’m guessing a combination of the soil and my automatic sprinklers.

Repotted with 100% akadama.

 

[Bricker918]

still soaked and muddy despite not watering it once since November!

Wow!! But also, very believable. The soil in my pot was quite nasty as well, only about 50 pieces or so of lava was mixed about in there. The rest straight muck. I have no idea why he doesn’t use pumice! I’m sure he has his reasons though, he definitely knows more than me. Hope yours pulls through!

I repotted and styled mine. Cut off some of the brown tips, I’m not sure what caused that, I’m guessing a combination of the soil and my automatic sprinklers.

Repotted with 100% akadama.

View attachment 468278View attachment 468277

Oh yeah she thicc! Glad yours is doing well, it looks great.

 

[Ruddigger]

Oh yeah she thicc! Glad yours is doing well, it looks great.

It’s doing okay, I hope it recovers. i have to say Bob’s soil worked well for him, there’s a ton of fine roots on mine.

 

[Bricker918]

It’s doing okay, I hope it recovers. i have to say Bob’s soil worked well for him, there’s a ton of fine roots on mine.

Mine didn’t have a ton, mostly long and stringy, unfortunately.

 

[Ruddigger]

@NaoTK can you not repot and keep it in your cold frame?

 

[NaoTK]

@NaoTK can you not repot and keep it in your cold frame?

I'm glad you asked. I was on the fence. You think I should? We don't get any sun for another 2 months so the tree is not actively growing. I can put it on a heat mat...

 

[Ruddigger]

I'm glad you asked. I was on the fence. You think I should? We don't get any sun for another 2 months so the tree is not actively growing. I can put it on a heat mat...

Whats the temperature in there? If it stays above 40 I would do it.