What's wrong with my satsuki azalea?
- Thread starter burakki
- Start date
roberthu
Chumono
This is the first time I hear Chemical fertilizer is better than organic in the summer.
Glaucus
Chumono
You can dose the chemical fertilizer to be really dilute. You can give chemical fertilizer with less salts in the water than ordinary tapwater.
You'd be adding fertilizer, but at the same time, you are adding less salts and thus less salt stress than with ordinary watering without even fertilizing.
If you have organic fertilizer, it releases salts proportional to the temperature. Because higher temperatures mean higher bacterial metabolism.
The problem would be if you add chemical fertilizer to tap water at a recommended dose, and you want to give the plant all the fertilizer they need the coming month in one watering period.
You can't give a plant all that fertilizer through one application of chemical fertilizer, during a heat period, during which drought stress is already a thing.
This is also why when they grow plants in the desert, they often add chemical fertilizer to all the water the plants get.
You'd be adding fertilizer, but at the same time, you are adding less salts and thus less salt stress than with ordinary watering without even fertilizing.
If you have organic fertilizer, it releases salts proportional to the temperature. Because higher temperatures mean higher bacterial metabolism.
The problem would be if you add chemical fertilizer to tap water at a recommended dose, and you want to give the plant all the fertilizer they need the coming month in one watering period.
You can't give a plant all that fertilizer through one application of chemical fertilizer, during a heat period, during which drought stress is already a thing.
This is also why when they grow plants in the desert, they often add chemical fertilizer to all the water the plants get.
roberthu
Chumono
So adding chemical fertilizer reduces salt in the water? Not sure I understand the logic
Glaucus
Chumono
No, sorry I should have explained a bit better. Instead of tap water, you can use either rain water or RO water and add chemical fertilizer to that.
When you add tap water, you add quite a bit of Na+, Cl- and HCO3- to the soil or substrate of your plant or bonsai.
Especially the Na+ is unwanted. So if you remove all of that, and replace it with K+ NH4+ NO3-, then you fertilize with less salts.
You will be replacing the Na+ in your soil with for example K+, Mg2+, Ca2+
It will be easier for the plant to take up water, because less salt, lower electric conductivity. But there will also be essential minerals available.
But even with just tap water, while you you can only add a very small amount of chemical fertilize. you will know which dose you are adding. If you add too much, you will indeed potentially severely damage the tree.
But if you add a tiny amount, you won't. And with organic fertilizer, you don't know how much will be released. For normal temperatures and normal amount of rain, it will always be safe. But during a heat wave, this is no longer true and the solid organic fertilizer may decompose more rapidly, and a small amount of irrigation may cause buildup of a lot of salt/minerals among the roots.
When you add tap water, you add quite a bit of Na+, Cl- and HCO3- to the soil or substrate of your plant or bonsai.
Especially the Na+ is unwanted. So if you remove all of that, and replace it with K+ NH4+ NO3-, then you fertilize with less salts.
You will be replacing the Na+ in your soil with for example K+, Mg2+, Ca2+
It will be easier for the plant to take up water, because less salt, lower electric conductivity. But there will also be essential minerals available.
But even with just tap water, while you you can only add a very small amount of chemical fertilize. you will know which dose you are adding. If you add too much, you will indeed potentially severely damage the tree.
But if you add a tiny amount, you won't. And with organic fertilizer, you don't know how much will be released. For normal temperatures and normal amount of rain, it will always be safe. But during a heat wave, this is no longer true and the solid organic fertilizer may decompose more rapidly, and a small amount of irrigation may cause buildup of a lot of salt/minerals among the roots.
Deep Sea Diver
Masterpiece
So sorry about your satsuki.
Did you pull the plant out of the pot and check the roots? (And trim off the dead parts?) Should be fine white yellow in color and the media in the core should be kanuma colored throughout.
If not that’s the issue.
Cheers
DSD sends
Did you pull the plant out of the pot and check the roots? (And trim off the dead parts?) Should be fine white yellow in color and the media in the core should be kanuma colored throughout.
If not that’s the issue.
Cheers
DSD sends
roberthu
Chumono
Now I remember that when I first moved to Florida, I had the exact same thing happen. I still don't know what happened but my guess is fungal issue. I had the azaleas in shade the entire time so I know it wasn't sun burn. I also checked for insects and could not find any. I'd try fungicide and see if that helps.
Deep Sea Diver
Masterpiece
It’s time to look at the roots. Root rot is the main result of fungus…. rarely will a fungicide alone cure it.
Here’s a thread that might apply…
Azalea Repair - What are the odds of healing
What do you predict will happen to this azalea? Here’s its story: Years ago my Father in law accidentally sat on this azalea bonsai, breaking off a branch. The result was a hollow area left on the trunk (see bad photo of hollow) which he painted with wound sealant. Years later (two and a...
Cheers
DSD sends
