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Yellowing tips on potted pine seedlings

9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago

Why is this happening.. Is this normal for a recent pot up tree? Got 3 Japanese black pine seedlings and most are turning yellow on the tips. Im definitely not overwatering. I potted it about a month ago. And I reported it today again

Comments (5)

  • 9 years ago

    If you potted a month ago, why are you repotting again now? What size is that pot, it looks too big for that seedling. How often are you watering? You almost can't over water with the 5-1-1. I'm more concerned with it drying out in that oversized pot.

    I would guess this is stress from being moved again, especially bad because it's probably not dormant anymore...

    All you can do at this point is leave it alone, proper watering, and it should be fine.

  • 9 years ago

    Because I realized that I haven't loosened the roots when I first potted it and I just stuck it in the pot with the 5-1-1 mix. So I took it out and made it semi bare root since the old mix was kinda Peaty. I use a bigger pot so I don't have to repot into a bigger pot every single year

    And I repotted it just yesterday after realizing the Yellowing tips so it shouldn't be from that

  • 9 years ago

    Yea, I had it backwards on the larger pots drying it. The concern is actually the opposite, that since there are so few roots to soak up the water, that it will stay wet. I don't think this will be as much of a concern for you, since you are using a fast draining media.

    Conifers are more forgiving, but bare rooting a tree that is not fully dormant can cause stress on the plant. I don't know why the tips were yellowing to begin with, but the last thing you want to do is introduce additional stress onto a plant that is having issues. There is no rush on these things. Worst case, you didn't bare root and the media in the middle was more peat based, retained more water. It would survive, and you could address the issue in late fall, or even more ideally late winter shortly before it's dormancy period ends.

    I have killed a Japanese Maple by bare rooting after it had leafed out, and caused major stress leaf drop in others before I learned my lesson. When the plant is active, they are not trilled about that type of activity.

  • 9 years ago

    Oh also, I pulled out some of the yellowing needles.. is that bad? Do needle pulling cause more stress for them?

  • 9 years ago

    Could just be transplant shock. Unless the needles fall off when brushed, I'd leave them on. Even browning needles still have carbohydrates to give to the new buds.

    tj