Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Potted Oak Tree Problem

jackstadonMzCh0YOgjackstadonMzCh0YOg Posts: 3
in Problem solving
H, I have been growing an oak tree from an acorn since last november. It has been going well until a few months ago when I noticed a white residue, almost powdery like substance on some of the leaves. At first I just wiped them off but then it seemed to be on more leaves so I spoke to a man at a gardening shop and showed him photos and he said that I needed to water it less and to loosen the soil and just wipe down the leaves. I have done/ been doing these things but it seems to be getting worse. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as to what I can do as I would really love to keep it happy and healthy.  I am attaching pictures so that you can see what's going on. Thanks in advance!!


«1

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's inside. That's the problem - or part of it.  :)
    It also looks like it has very little soil to grow in. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited October 2021
    It needs to be outside in the ground, or failing that in a pot full of John Innes No 3 loam-based potting medium.  

    Don’t forget that the English Oak Quercus robur is deciduous so the leaves will be changing colour and falling very soon now. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SherwoodArrowSherwoodArrow Posts: 284
    edited October 2021
    Like @Fairygirl and @Dovefromabove say it should be outside.

    I did a guided seed hunt a few years ago to collect acorns to grow for a regeneration project, the guide said they are best grown in normal garden soil not compost.

    I’ve got 10 growing in pots about your size (outside), they are dropping the leaves at the minute so I wouldn’t worry about the powder.
    Nottinghamshire.
    Failure is always an option.

  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    A friend had done the same and the oak was growing in a pot for some years.
    He decided, as others have said, oaks need to be outdoors and in the ground.
    So he gave it to us and since planting it out it really does look like a small oak tree. It continues to thrive and grow upwards and outwards.
    He comes round to see it now and again!
  • jackstadonMzCh0YOgjackstadonMzCh0YOg Posts: 3
    Hi that's great thanks everyone. The plan is to plant it outside but we don't have a garden so we wanted to make sure it was big enough that we could plant it somewhere wild and it would grow! We have a balcony though so perhaps the solution for now would be to repot it in something larger and let it live on the balcony for a while until its big enough to plant as a small tree?


    Thanks again!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It's a lovely idea ... except there is nowhere that is 'wild' where you can just go and plant a tree ... everywhere belongs to someone be it an individual, a business, a charity or some sort of organsation that manages it ... it may be best to contact The Woodland Trust for a suggestion of where your tree would be welcomed and cared for when the time comes to plant it out.  https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/

    In the meantime it will be happier and grow much better out on the balcony  :)

    Good luck 🌳 💚

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • AlexPhilipAlexPhilip Posts: 1

    Press down firmly on the potting mix, put you fingers between the stem and and at the base and flip it and pull the pot off. Like a sand castle it should stay together and its easy to gauge how wet it is by smell and looks. If it smells like cinnamon burn it with fire.

    If its very wet and there isn't a big root system you can brush off the bottom 1/4 or 1/3 of potting mix and do a ninja repot. Then leave it alone or buy a moisture meter.

    https://minotaurfightstore.co.uk/brand/venum/ | https://minotaurfightstore.co.uk/brand/manto/

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    AlexPhilip said:

     If it smells like cinnamon burn it with fire.


    Eh?  :/
    As @Dovefromabove says - you can't just plant trees without permission. If you get it into a proper pot, with decent soil and drainage, water it appropriately, it'll be fine for a while.
    You could then offer it to a suitable organisation, or perhaps a friend who has room for a tree that gets to around 100 feet  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Explain pleas @AlexPhilip "If it smells like cinnamon burn it with fire" and what is a ninja repot?
  • jackstadonMzCh0YOgjackstadonMzCh0YOg Posts: 3
    OKay this is all brilliant. Thank you so much for your help everyone! 
Sign In or Register to comment.