Dwarf Hinoki Cypress, what has happened?

[hawkeyes]

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This is June this year.
Now

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A lot of dried fronds. Any suggestions what I can do to correct. Keep in shade, sun? Your comments would be appreciated.

[Boics]

Hi there.
Please discuss in detail your care regime for this tree.
How much/little water.
What type of soil / substrate you use.
Fertiliser program.
Sun/shade/location.
When it was last repotted.
If anything has changed since the first photo.

[hawkeyes]

Thanks for your help Boics. I have been using Thrive and Seasol usually every week. Purchased in March this year, tree was very healthy, kept in shadehouse. Repotted in June in a mixture of diatomite, zeolite, mini pine bark, Searles potting mix.
All plants were moved into usually full sun, but since the weather has heated up, this Cypress was enjoying part shade and full sun in afternoon. Noticed about 3 weeks ago, that more than usual, of fronds dying. Any ideas.

[Daluke]

Hi,

I live in Victoria and have lost 3 out of 6 Hinokis. I am as bad with Hinoki as I am with white pines.

My trees were treated similarly as yours.

They were 4 - 5 years old.

I've found that they are not responsive to hard wiring, general pruning and repotting. Anything done leaves them sulking. Some bounced back-50% didn't.

They like heavier feeding and treatment with Epsom salts.

Pruning of heavier green leaves (fans) seems to be good, as long as they are cut back to healthy looking foliage on the branch. Thinning out the hard feeling branches which are the strong shoots seems the thing to do.

When fans look dark green and thin they are dying/dead.

I've found leaving em in full sun for a few days then putting them in shade for a few days keeps them nice and green.

Also, I've found the foliage dies off when there are exposed to cold winds and frost. Sheltering at night seems to do wonders.

I hope this helps you save your tree so it thrives.

[CraigM]

My first Hinoki had the same after repotting, I wired as well at the time. Tree continued to weaken, my thinking at the time was stress and too much water, with reduced foliage tree wasn't using as much and I was then over watering.

My latest tree I repotted couple months back when new growth was pushing, pruned unnecessary growth and repotted, so far looking good. Was placed in sheltered position for first 3 weeks, now growing with the rest on the shelves in full sun.

Not sure what to suggest to help your tree recover, I was unable to turn things around once it started losing vigour. Perhaps stop all the treatments and reduce water, place tree in a sheltered position and see what happens. Good luck.

[hawkeyes]

Thanks for your thoughts. I really am dumbstruck as to why this has happened. It is a shock as to how this has gone downhill.

[Boics]

I wonder..
Do hinoki even grow up north?
Maybe it's a weather/lack of dormancy thing?

Tell us more about your watering?

[hawkeyes]

This Cypress is approx. 5 years old. Watered with a hose and shower setting on nozzle. (not a watering can), either every day or 2nd day, depending how hot it has been in Brisbane. Not much has changed in my routine. AT the moment, it is sitting in semi-shade with little sun, to try and recuperate, where it continues to sulk.
In early October this tree had new shoots coming, but 4 weeks later, this deterioration. I had checked for scale, insects etc. nothing I could see.

[Boics]

Has the tree been in your possession for a total of 5 years?

IF so then I can only assume that your watering regime is decent.
I've actually got a small Hinoki who seems happy to be pretty wet for the most part.

I'm most confused as to what the problem is.
I do wonder if it's a bug / infection thing - I'd be having a really really good look.

Sorry I can't be more help.

I'm still interested in the dormancy thing though..
I understand that Black Pines and Japanese maples slowly deteriorate over time up north.
I'm wondering whether this is experiencing a similar fate?

[Charliegreen]

"I understand that Black Pines and Japanese maples slowly deteriorate over time up north."

This forum is anti learning, anti excellence, par hopeless.
What a load of BS re JBP. Dont bother growing maples in QLD, Hinoki similar.
Your keeping that stick in a tiny pot hoping for vigor, gimme a break.

Seriously depressing seeing post after post of this stuff

[treeman]

Black pines are grown with success in Hawaii. Black pine is a coastal plant not a mountain plant. Heat and humidity is not a problem for it.
The Hinoki IS a mountain plant. It's quite sensitive compared to some other conifers. I have no idea whether it will grow in Qld or not. Ask someone that knows up there or look around the neighbourhood.
The #1 thing with them is they do not like being stripped of too much foliage at any one time. This can set them back for 2 years or more. They do not like being messed around with. Repot only every 3 years. They cannot stand dry roots and they must have semi shade during the summer (at least down here)
Spray the leaves as often as you like. They are slow growing and need respect.

[63pmp]

I have several hinoki . The cultivar is important the drwfs like shade all year round. These are kosteri and flabellaformis. Mid sized plants (cant remember name but common for bonsai) enjoy afternoon shade.

[63pmp]

Nana gracilis and gracilis. Looked them up. Being mountain plants they are ammonium soecialists. Try and use a low N fertlizer.

Paul

[hawkeyes]

Thanks guys for your suggestions, yesterday, I gave it a squirt of diluted epsom salts and a feed of Nitrosol. Placed in filtered shade, keeping it moist. Watching for any bugs. I will mention that at an October Bonsai club meeting, I took this tree along and was advised to thin out the fronds, which i did with scissors. 1 month later and this tree sulked and some fronds which had dried up, so I removed. I will keep an eye if any improvement happens and post.

[63pmp]

I wire and prune in winter, like any conifer. Dont repot and wire/prune in the same year. They do sulk if you get care wrong. Essential to keep green growth close to trunk as they do not shoot from old wood. And inner branches are shade sensitive. This puts hinoki in the difficult tree for bondai category.