What's wrong with this leaf?

SantaFeBonsai

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IMG_0771.JPG

Looks like iron deficiency or a lack of nitrogen? My tap water pH is 8.5, is that high enough to block iron absorption?
 

Quince

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Have you seen this chart?
image.jpeg
It's old but still helpful for predicting pH related nutrient deficiency. I have noticed a big improvement in the color of some plants when I drop the pH of my tap water from 7.8 to around 6.0
 

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BeebsBonsai

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My guess would be chlorosis. If the leaf is yellowing from outside in with green veins thats almost definitively chlorosis. Thats some hard water. Damn. Have you tried using a water basin and leaving water sit a few hrs to bring the ph down? You can also use soil amendments for ph. They can take a few weeks to set in.
 

SantaFeBonsai

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Have you seen this chart?
View attachment 153112
It's old but still helpful for predicting pH related nutrient deficiency. I have noticed a big improvement in the color of some plants when I drop the pH of my tap water from 7.8 to around 6.0

I was waiting on buffer solution to calibrate the pH meter and it arrived Friday PM, Saturday watered at 6.5 pH on a basil plant. You wouldn't believe me how much of an improvement it's made in 48hrs. I've been growing basil for 20 years and I don't ever remember a basil this green. Looking at my nectar plants I see several that might be suffering the same problem.


My guess would be chlorosis. If the leaf is yellowing from outside in with green veins thats almost definitively chlorosis. Thats some hard water. Damn. Have you tried using a water basin and leaving water sit a few hrs to bring the ph down? You can also use soil amendments for ph. They can take a few weeks to set in.

I will be watering the maples and junipers with 6.5pH starting this am. I'll post updates.
 

Smoke

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How about a picture of the whole tree and where it sits at noon during the day. I see much greener leaves in shaded portions of the canopy. Tridents can tolerate a lot of sun, but have mechanisims to counter the brite sun.
 

SantaFeBonsai

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How about a picture of the whole tree and where it sits at noon during the day. I see much greener leaves in shaded portions of the canopy. Tridents can tolerate a lot of sun, but have mechanisims to counter the brite sun.

i placed it in full dabbled shade after starting this thread. It doesn't seem to be getting better. I don't believe it's over-watered.

The first two pics are recent growth

IMG_0834.JPG IMG_0835.JPG IMG_0836.JPG
 

Smoke

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I don't see any problem.
 

Smoke

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The brown tips are fungal but not bad at all. Spray with daconil weekly and remove old brown tipped leaves. The rest of the leaf is due to sun and the plants ability to photosynthesize at will. The more shade you keep it in the greener it will be but that comes at a price. More sun and shorter internode but lighter leaf color. You need to find the sweet spot in you yard for maples. Took me years to figure it out. Of course you could always move to Oregon where you can leave them in full sun year round.
 

ConorDash

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I was waiting on buffer solution to calibrate the pH meter and it arrived Friday PM, Saturday watered at 6.5 pH on a basil plant. You wouldn't believe me how much of an improvement it's made in 48hrs. I've been growing basil for 20 years and I don't ever remember a basil this green. Looking at my nectar plants I see several that might be suffering the same problem.




I will be watering the maples and junipers with 6.5pH starting this am. I'll post updates.

I've always had a leaf problem with my Acer P (maple), and they are watered with tap water. My area is in the highest zone for hard water. Wondering if all my problems are just linked to my tap water....
 

SantaFeBonsai

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Spray with daconil weekly

Daconil website says not to use when over 95deg and hot dry winds. We're hitting 100 almost daily now. Do you think I should wait till the temps drop?

Conor, I've been adjusting our water to pH6.5 for two weeks now but with the summer heat these maples are getting beat up pretty bad. Can't really define any improvement, just trying to find a rhythm with correct amount of water and shade.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Have you seen this chart?
View attachment 153112
It's old but still helpful for predicting pH related nutrient deficiency. I have noticed a big improvement in the color of some plants when I drop the pH of my tap water from 7.8 to around 6.0

I missed this chart when it was originally posted. This is a really important chart for people to understand, particularly in combination with testing the pH of your water out of the tap.

Our water district here in Southern California, for example, reports the pH of our water at 8.1. You can see why acid/iron fertilizer is so critical here - while it might not be needed at all in other parts of the world.
 

Solaris

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I've always had a leaf problem with my Acer P (maple), and they are watered with tap water. My area is in the highest zone for hard water. Wondering if all my problems are just linked to my tap water....
How viable is a rain barrel for you? I have some pretty hard water, but my trees can get everything they need from a couple 10-gallon (that's 38ish liters) buckets set out to catch rain from the gutters. I just make sure not to let them get stagnant or fill up with mosquito larvae.
 

SantaFeBonsai

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The fungal issue never went away and eventually consumed the whole tree. Started on the tips until the whole leaf was brown. The pale green leaves were from under fertilizing. It was repotted in early February. I used a sulphur spray a month after a neem oil application. I also used cleary's 3336F as a systemic.
 

ConorDash

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How viable is a rain barrel for you? I have some pretty hard water, but my trees can get everything they need from a couple 10-gallon (that's 38ish liters) buckets set out to catch rain from the gutters. I just make sure not to let them get stagnant or fill up with mosquito larvae.

I have 2 large barrels that were here when we moved in to this house. I did use one for watering for a while then was convinced and moved over to tap water. Can’t keep up with watering, as it will run out.
Rather than change between 2 sources, I feel it’s better to stick to one.
 
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