AusBonsai

Gday folks!

Does this look familiar?

I've got some tridents that have suffered a similar, if not the same, malady but they ultimately cured themselves. The newer growth in early summer was fine, I don't know what happened actually??

I get this problem with my Tridents when I over water them, usually if I have left the re-potting too late. Trident definitely do not like wet feet. The real problem is insufficient oxygen to the roots and they stop taking up water, they often will not show signs of root rot upon re-potting unless their has been persistant waterlogging, in which case there will probably be branch die back. I resolved the problem in my trident by carefully monitoring soil moisture and tilting the pot after watering, I stick a plastic pot under one edge and come back about 15 minutes later after dripping has stopped. Excessive salt/salinity causes the same symptons as it restricts the amount of water roots can take up. You would need a lot of osmocote for this to happen, or poorly draining potting mix, which brings us back to the first problem of lack of oxygen. Much better to fertilize with a liquid organic fertilizer,eg charlie carp, though I put osmocote on all my growing pots, never on those in bonsai pots.

Also it is OK to let tridents dry out between watering, but not to the point that soft tips wilt.

Paul

Osmocote is pure salt, don't think table salt, think nitrates and sulphates, their all salt. The manufactures make hard balls of salt and wrap it in a polyurethane coating. The coating is slightly porous, allows water in, which dissolves the salt, which then squeezes out of the pores. The permeability of the coating is heat dependent, ie it is more porous in hot weather than in cold weather, so in hot humid weather it dumps its contents. Cheaper brands of product are more variable in the rate of fertilizer discharge, some will dump their entire contents within weeks.

Too much osmocote could cause salinity problems, but it would require lots, almost needing to completely cover the soil surface.

The damage to your trident is called windburn. It most happens on hot arid windy days, young leaves are susceptable as they have not developed tough cellular structures to reduce dessication.

Paul

Rather be hung for a sheep than a lamb.... blasted the trident's soil with a gentle jet stream and washed out 2/3rds of the soil and replaced with fresh soil. Now the worst fertilizer contamination will be on the bottom but I felt I was pushing endurance by what I did and didn't want to move/remove any roots at this time of year. Today the tree is looking just as it was so there is no immediate death which leads me to believe it will not be offended by this treatment. I'll water carefully but continue to soak to try to wash out what I didn't jet spray out. And the roots that were exposed were lovely and healthy looking so the problem is not the roots - other than they don't like the diet. And for any who are worried - my trigger hose is ElCheapo and has a great shower spray but the jet is pathetic for normal needs but more like a heavy massage in this instance.

Paul, the problem is NOT leaf burn. I have a well protected garden and the trident sits where it gets morning sun to 1-1:30 pm. Leaf burn also does not curl and deform the leaves, it merely scorches them.

As soon as I can be given an overcast morning I will take a photo but today's brilliant sun doesn't work in my situation and bringing the tree into the house doesn't work either.

Is said the problem is called windburn (leaf burn, whatever), I didn't say it was the cause. It's a generic name for turned up crinkled, burnt looking leaves. Many horticultural diseases name the symptom and not the cause. With this problem young leaves will curl and be deformed as cellular structures dessicate from the plants inability to supply enough moisture, slightly more severe damage causes the edges of the leaf to die. Its a condition with varying degrees of symptomology.

Paul

Hi MelaQuin and everybody,

Please see the two photos below:





I hope this is the symptom that MelaQuin has described?

I do have this problem for several years in a row with this one particular
trident maple.

I have never used osmocote. I attributed it to the heat. But in light of
what everybody has said, I no longer think it is the heat or the wind. I
do think it is about the salt either -- I have more than 100 trident maples,
the problem is only with this one tree.

I will take better care of it next year to see if the problem recurs.

Almost two weeks later and the tree is still with me after its soil removal and replacement. A few leaves are starting to extend but so far no new growth but I now have good vibes around this tree so I am looking forward to the next growth spurt. I think I can look forward to being able to bench it next year in a club show.

Hi,

Since my post on the 18/Jan/2009, I have been keeping the trident maple in question sort of inside.

I have been giving it at least two drinks of SuperThrive and also two drinks of SeaSol.

The leaves have since been regenerated -- it is now in good conditions; the leaves are like that
in early Victorian spring.

I would attempt to say that the leaves burnt and deformed were due to the sun?

Regards.

Hi everyone,

I have just read the entire thread and I am glad that Osmocote has been cleared. I have been using Osmocote for about 25 years and never any cheaper varieties. I have never experienced anything that I would put down to "dumping" or toxicity and I have been known to push the boundaries on how much fertilizer you can use.

I have for instance top dressed nursery stock (Japanese Black Pine)with a layer of Osmocote, sealed it with a layer of Dynamic Lifter and watered it in with Maxicrop and Seasol.

I don't recommend you try but it was just an experiment.

Grant Bowie

Dam Grant I thought you had the answer

I have many tridents seedlings of various age because of a niebours mature tree that sends seeds all through our back yard. It is hard to keep track of wich ones have the issue and at what times. A trident forest I posted else were started to have some of this and it was very root bound. I will try to take more notice of what is going on!

I am back onto this problem. The Forest I last spoke of is doing great this spring. In fact I forgot it showed any signs. A larger tree I got late last season showed some signs after I cut it back not long after I got it, but it was in a poor mix. Now that is fixed maybe it needs time in growth to get right? It has just started growing and it is very obvious. I will take a picture tomorrow. It looks more like Lee's than any other pictures here.
How is everyone else's doing?
I sprayed with an insecticide two days ago.
I will keep a better eye on the soil. I think I could water less if I am more careful.

i think this could be a sun problem... i get it here in queensland with the one trident i have when it gets to much.
i have to move it round throughout the year to get the perfect amount of sun as if i dont i get this problem..
possible it is something else tho.. would humidity have any impact on how the leaves would form??

Sun may have something to do with it but why does it happen in low spring temps and to some and not others in the same area or even more sun?