URGENT Monkey puzzle advise needed!
Breenfingers
Posts: 8
hello sorry to barge in demanding help but I'm a bit desperate!
I have a small (just under 1m I'd say) monkey puzzle, in a half barrel so quite large container, in sandy soil, plant food occasion watered regularly (ish).
last summer some of the bottom branches started turning brown, it seemed to stop over winter and I hoped whatever was upsetting it had magically gone. Now this summer the brown started up again and in the blink of an eye it's covering almost the whole tree.
My neighbour kindly told me I had neglected it, but didn't say why or offer a soloution.
Could it have a mite? Or similar? How would I tell if so?
a lovely brush bush near to where it is planted just didn't come back after the winter and is dead, cound there be a link?
The pot is large so I feel it isn't that?
My garden is south facing and it is VERY hot and sunny, could it be scorched?
Please help I would like to prove my neighbour wrong, and I can't stand seeing the tree suffer.
Any questions ask away. I attach photos if I can....
Many many thanks!
Caroline
Posts
You say it's in sandy soil ... tell us more ... where did the sandy soil come from?
I would plant a tree like this in John Innes No 3 loam based compost, with the addition of one part grit to 4 of John Innes, to improve drainage.
How often is it watered, and with how much?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi,
I really can't remember which soil we went with as it was a few years back, but I remember reading up and trying to get what sounded most appropriate and then we added some sand too to help drainage.
I'm 100% honest I'd say its under watered rather than over as I do forget quite often, so it gets rain water and water when I remembwe
I have a history of over wartering and found when I kept out of it and stopped fussing things seemed better off!
should I water it every night?
HI Mike,
We have very strict rules in our gardens and are not allowed to plant trees, I am trying to get permission to plant in our main garden. I wouldn't of ideally planted in a pot, I hoped it would be fine (and it has been for two years) as many things I've read said that as they are so slow growing they are ok in large pots, I had my husband cut a barrel he had in half to achieve the largest possible pot we could.
The soil is well draining with added sand and we add food.
If I could transfer it to open ground today I would, but I can't. If it comes to it I suppose i'll break the rules here and plant it anyway but I'd like to try to fix it first.
I feel like every time I ask for help with it, either here or at home I'm just met with a telling off! I really did read up on them and am quite upset it is unhappy.
Please let me know constructive changes I can make, whilst I work on getting permission to plant it.
Unfortunately, they aren't the ideal pot specimens. They come from high up on Chilean hillsides, so - hot and in a pot is probably the worst situation! If you can get it into more suitable soil, as Dove suggests, and keep it in a more shaded position while it's so hot, keep it well enough watered (which you must do ) you might be able to save it. If you add some bark or gravel to the top of the soil after watering, as a mulch, that will help to keep the moisture in.
Wooden barrels aren't the best type of container either, as they suck up moisture. Can you transfer it into a glazed pot or something? That will help a bit too
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sorry if you feel you're being 'told off' ... that's not our intention .... but you did ask what we thought was wrong ...
To check whether it needs watering, I recommend the 'Finger Test' ... stick your forefinger in the soil up to the first joint. If the soil down there is dry it needs watering.
Give it a good soaking, several buckets full, keep watering until the water is running out of the drainage holes in the bottom (it has got drainage holes?
) and let it drain.
Do the Finger Test every day, but don't water again until the soil is dry at that level.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi,
i am am grateful for the advice thank you
I'm a bit touchy because my retired neighbours are very good gardeners but have no manners and are always telling me off for not putting the hours in but I work full time and have a baby so it's tough!
ok so it seems like it number 1 problem could be soil and the pot. I will on that first.
Thank you!
Bless you ... I'm surprised you have any time at all for gardening!
Don't be afraid to come and ask questions here ... we'll try to have better manners than your neighbours ... who knows, with a bit of help from here you might astound them!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
As Dove says - we never have the intention of telling anyone off if they need help. I wish this forum had been available when I started gardening - it would have saved a lot of errors end expense!
One thing I would say is - pots are always more work than plants in the ground, as they need all their requirements from you, so if you can get a basic background of plants/shrubs in the ground to give you a green space, you can keep pots of suitable planting for near the house where it's easier to maintain them. I think the damage to your tree is largely superficial and probably sun scorch and a bit of drought, and with a bit of luck and addressing those problems, it will come back. They're incredibly tough plants, and grow well up here (Scotland) as we have a climate which suits them really well.
I remember when my girls were small, how tricky it was to juggle things, so opt for plants which are 'easy' for now, if you can, and concentrate on just keeping everything tidy. Before you know it, you'll have more time to spend on them and can develop your interest more, and grow stuff which needs a bit more cossetting and attention. I have that approach now, because I work full time and my girls still live with me. The maintenance of the house and garden are all down to me, other than getting them to do the washing or cook a meal here and there!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Fairy
to quote a friend of mine, the problem is, no-one knows if you've done your housework, but everyone knows if you've done your gardening ! 
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dove - how true!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...