Jacaranda - Help needed

[Rhiannon]

Last week I moved my bonsai outside and had some leaf-burning issues as described here. The affected leaves quickly started wilting, so I pruned them back. I tried not to take off too many leaves (i.e., stuck to the dying ones) cause I didn't want it to not be able to photosynthesise. Since then, I've moved the table it was on against the house so that it doesn't cop the sun from about 1-2 onwards, have given it a feed of miracle gro and have wired it as advised.

I was watering it tonight and noticed some discolouration in the leaves:

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As I was inspecting those, I noticed these on the back of the leaf:

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I don't know what they are, nor if I should be concerned, nor how I should treat it if so.

Lastly, I've noticed over the last week the slight browning of the main primary branch:

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I wasn't sure if that was normal or not, so thought I'd chuck it in this post too.

Thanks in advance guys.

[EDIT] It just occurred to me that whatever it is must be from the rose bush - we didn't spray it with pesticides cause I use the leaves for my cake decos and we thought that ugly leaves was much less of an evil than food poisoning haha.

[Greth]

I think the browning is natural, as the branches go woody after their green shoot stage.
I would reckon the spotty thing on the back of the leaf is a type of scale, cure is white oil, but if there aren't many just scrape it off. Scale insects often live in association with ants, treat any ant problems around the tree.
Discolouration, hmm, could be a nutrient deficiency, keep up the fertilizer waterings, but could also be that the leaves are getting a bit tired and ready to drop.Maybe it just feels insulted a bit after the slight scorching. In either case, keeping up the fertilizer won't hurt it.

Congrats on being such a keen observer, you are obviously looking at your tree very carefully and thinking about it, that says a lot of nice things about you!

[Jamie]

the browning looks a bit like burning? as greth has said though it could be a number of things. you are doing everything right so dont stress. dont overwater as this can cause the browing too. as fur the bug/egg, it looks minimal unless it is on a lot more leaves, just wipe it off with ya finger tips, spraying with white oil can cause drama's as it can clog the leaves pores.

concentrate on getting it and keeping it healthy mate it will all come and as greth has said you have a keen eye and you are watching the tree closely so thats a good thing keep it up

jamie

[kcpoole]

Browning on the branch is just age
Normal I think
Ken

[Greth]

Thinking Rhiannon is worried about the patch of brown along the branch, maybe caused by wiring or the sun, but not a big worry. This part has just turned woody a bit earlier than the rest of the branch because of some slight insult, but isn't dying.

[Rhiannon]

Thanks for all the help guys. I've brushed off the little black thingers, there was probably half a dozen of them scattered around the leaves. I removed the two really brown leaves (well, not leaves as the whole structure is one compound leaf, but I think you know what I mean?). If it's an ant problem, should I be laying down some Ant Rid around where the table is? I haven't noticed an over-abundance of ants, but I may not have paid enough attention to that over the years. My mum and her fiancée have terribly neglected the garden over the years, so I wouldn't know what kinds of pests could be lying around the overgrown trees.

The wiring was done just yesterday (with much panic as I'd never done it before haha), but that brown was there before so it wasn't from the wiring (however, I did slightly damage the very base of the trunk with the wire, but that's another story). I noticed the brown on the primary branch after it got burnt, but I can't be 100% sure that it wasn't there before. When I first got the tree it had a brown area right at the base of that primary branch, so I wasn't sure if it just turned that colour as it goes woody or not.

I am terrified of over-watering. I've watered it once a day except for one day this week where it rained basically non-stop and the soil remained fairly soaked. I always check to see if the soil is dry enough but am worried I am getting this wrong? Should I be watering less? I was gonna give it some more Miracle Gro this Sunday as it says to use it every 7 - 14 days and I was told to do it once a week in summer, and once a fortnight in winter. Is that too much? I don't want the nitrogen to burn it or anything.

Thanks for your kind words as well! I feel like I'm doing a terrible job and that it's getting worse as the days go on! Mum keeps telling everyone I'm treating it like a baby haha.

[Jamie]

ants are generally associated with scale. they basically farm the scale as a food source! so if you have ants on the tree then it is generally scale. there is generally only a few ants on the tree unless it is infested by heaps of scale. from what your saying it isnt so i wouldnt stress to much!
i have been heavily feeding my trees so i wouldnt stress bout nitrogen burns unless the tree has been repotted recently
if you stick with the directions of miracle gro for potted plants you should be good

and treating ya tree like a bub isnt a bad thing, i am very cautious with mine aswell, as much as i guard the trees i still take care of my kids though


jamie

[Rhiannon]

I haven't seen any ants on the tree itself, and I've been checking it a few times a day (anything to get away from Uni assignments! ) so I guess it's not a massive problem at this stage. I'll keep an eye on it and post back here if it gets worse. Might do some research on it meantime so I understand it better. I gather I should keep going as is in relation to taking care of the tree, and if the browning/burning of the leaves gets worse then worry?
I have absolutely zero knowledge of pests and diseases, so I get a little panicky haha. I actually had my first bonsai casualty today but it wasn't plant related - the little horse ornament my sis got me with the bonsai had an accident. It's now unipedal.


The only other thing I was concerned about, which I didn't notice til I took the picture showing the black bitties on the back of the leaf - but those tiny brown spots... are they in relation to the burning, or something else?

Once again, thanks all for so readily volunteering information. Us newbs are lucky to have mediums like this to ask more experienced people. =)

[redeye]

White oil shouldn't be used any more, pest oil is much easier on the plants esp. young ones. Its organic where white oil is petroleum based.

[Jamie]

redeye is correct there, like i said white oil can clog the pores of the tree.


as for the browning yes i beleive it is just a bit of burning, and the poor horse, have you taking it to the vet yet :rolls: (i know that wasnt very good )
just keep your keen eye on the tree and keep taking care of it, if things get worse let us know and we will help any way we can!

good luck mate


jamie

[Rhiannon]

Note to self: avoid white oil. For curiosities sake, by pores are you referring to the stomata, or is this something else?

Haha, I think it's beyond repair. I'll have to replace it on the weekend. They're only $3 so no great loss. I felt pretty bad, though.

I moved it against the house so it wouldn't get burnt any more lol. Do you think the burning is from when it was out in full sun? Or could the light be reflecting off the house bricks and making it worse? I'll have to find something to stop the little guy from getting so burnt. I'm running out of options haha.

[Greth]

It could drop leaves early, remember I told you it is deciduous, and then come back to life in Spring. The deciduous tree's answer to any insult is to drop leaves and wait until the next growing season, so it probably is sulking, not dead. It may well live, but don't treat it as dead. Could be too late already in summer for any new growth, so it might just look like a stick for the year.
The test for life is to scrape the bark with a fingernail, and see if the cambium layer beneathis green or at least moist and healthy looking.

[Jamie]

the small brown spots could be from water droplets magnify the sun (i know some people dont beleive this can happen but i have seen it first hand ad beleive it to be the case) so not to stress.

like i said just keep doing what ya doing, try and keep it healthy, the first thing to bonsai is to keep the tree alive, when you can do that successfully your are half way there


jamie

[Rhiannon]

The cambium layer is definitely green - I accidentally scraped off some bark when wiring it. As I was bending it the wire rubbed some off.

It was still shooting as of a few days ago - on that main primary branch it just keeps getting new buds. A second primary branch has just started growing on the opposite side. I noticed that on Friday and got all excited because it's only had one branch this whole time. I guess the next week will tell if it's stopped for now or if it will continue to grow.

The idea of it sulking makes me feel like a terrible mum.

[Greth]

Im a mum, have been for nearly 16 years, and its not your fault if they sulk. As long as there are no fundamental problems, they will get over it.

If its green and shooting, it is certainly still with you, keep it going!