All trees act different though. This is a manufactured species that I have heard it stated by Walter Pall it would never survive in the wild? He as others have had trouble with fine ramification dying back. Brent states any troubles he has heard of has been cured buy more sun? I have been told that the stage this tree is now at is when the die back will show so I am looking forward to see how it goes next season.
The bark can be very easily damaged. I don't think to the point of ill health anymore, What I am experiencing may even be a natural regeneration of the bark but it seems to me the bark soaking up water is speeding the process. I have conceded that I will lose most now but where it has gone the bark underneath is perfectly healthy it just does not give the aged look that is so appealing about this tree.
I managed to chat with Leong who supplied the tree about this recently. He said don't take the bark of it will take a long time to grow back. When I explained that it was falling off he stated that it will grow back. Pretty straight forward
He also suggested that the amount of zeolite I use in my mix may be staying too damp. Hmm I would have thought that as it was needing water once to twice a day this would not be the case. Possibly it is the zeolite on the surface that is holding more moisture than is optimum and that is what he is getting at? Anyway he has me keen to try a simple pine bark and rock grit next year to see if it is any better. I find this mix often leads to a gravel surface through the year so it may very well solve any issue that may be there. The thing is any surface moisture translates to the very porous bark also being wet. I will also keep the Moss/lichen at bay just in case.
I am keen to try that spag moss wrap technique on something else though.
