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Christmas tree dying ?

salopian11salopian11 Posts: 7
in Problem solving

imageimageI was given the tree by a friend it out grew, he's had it years and has never reported it so the 1st thing i did was put it in a bigger pot, the roots were just a tight twisted knot so i thought it would thrive but in the month ive had its become worryingly brown and I'm afraid its dying ..

What if anything can be done or isit too late ? 

Last edited: 01 February 2018 15:52:49

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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,160

    Did you tease out that tangle of roots to encourage them to grow out into the new compost?   If not, it won't have been able to benefit from all the lovely new moisture and nutrients and may well have started to rot in the extra moisture.

    In my experience, once a conifer gets brown it's an irretrievable goner.   I hope someone else can help.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • salopian11salopian11 Posts: 7

    imageHi, Yes roots were untangled or what roots there were, its been on such a small pot there's very few of the fibre roots and just 1 jump of a larger root curled into a tight ball,

    Ive just been out to it and took it out the pot but there's no signs of the root rotting.

    Last edited: 01 February 2018 16:30:57

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,160

    Try some microrhizal fungae then - helps grow good roots that take up food and moisture.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • salopian11salopian11 Posts: 7

    When i repotted it id used old soil mixed with some horse manure and added  fishbone/bonemeal for the roots to get through to summer when i was going to buy proper compost, but im wondering if if put too much fishbone in ... ?

    I was quite lberal with the fishbone

    Last edited: 01 February 2018 16:44:25

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,160

    Re-potting was likely to be a shock anyway but you really should have used fresh compost, preferably ericaceous.   It could be a problem with something in the old soil, too rich manure or too much bonemeal.   Going from starving to feast in one fell swoop is not good for plants.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • salopian11salopian11 Posts: 7

    Yes i think you're right, so earlier when i took it out of the pot to see if the root was rotting i removed the soil and put in some of last years compost i'd had in pots and saved, Thinking either the soil or to much fishbone was the problem ...

      We'll see how it goes ..

       Thank You for your help.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,160

    One of the problems of doing that is that you may have removed most of the very fine, invisible root hairs that actually take up the nutrients and water from the soil.   Time will tell.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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