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Sad and sorry looking

hartleyharehartleyhare Posts: 81
in Plants
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 I have been given the plant and the tree in the hope tht I can save them - although with my limited experience I'm not sure that this is possible but I am hopeful image Could someone tell me what the plant is please? And give me some advice on how to  ' save ' them. Both need repotting and the tree will eventually be put into the ground when I've found a place for it. I have a large pot for the tree in the meantime ( old water butt cut in half ). Should I cut the brown branches off or not ? Thanks image

Posts

  • landgirl100landgirl100 Posts: 655

    I very much doubt if the tree will recover, conifers don't reshoot when cut back or damaged. I think the houseplant is a schefflera, but not really my subject - someone else will be along in a minute!

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053

    I'm not sure that either of them looks worth saving! The tree looks severely pot bound. Tip it out of its pot, tease the roots out and plant in a bigger pot with fresh compost. A dose of liquid feed would help. Keep it in a semi shaded spot and water regularly (without over watering). Lots of tender care may save the day. Ditto with the plant but I have no idea what it is as I can't enlarge the photo. It looks a bit like a house plant schefflera.

    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • hartleyharehartleyhare Posts: 81

    Thanks both. They were free and I have lots of compost, liquid seaweed, so its not going to cost me anything to try.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,128

    Commercial Christmas tree growers prune lateral branches to promote bushy growth, so there may be a chance for it yet, but what are you going to do with it then?  Norwegian Spruce grow and grow and grow - do you have the space for it?  

    In time it will grow to 60ft or more tall and 20-40ft wide - if that is planted in your garden either you or someone who comes after you will have an expensive bill from a tree surgeon to take it down. http://www.norwayspruce.com/

    Sometimes things are free for a reason image

    Don't say you haven't been warned! image


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





  • hartleyharehartleyhare Posts: 81
    Mike Allen wrote (see)

    Sorry to disagree.  Conifers will and do regenerate from lateral pruning.  Strange as it may seem.  Taking out the growing point of almost any conifer.  That will end it's upward growth.  It will now rapidly grow outwards.  Whereas in most trees etc.  To cut out the growing tip, will usually result in a side bud developing and in time growing heavenward.

    IMHO.  I would be inclined to cut and come again.  Basically.  The root of each is obviously alive and well.  Take a chance and cut it off say four to six inches above soil level.

    So if I understand you correctly you are advocating basically cutting the fir tree back to  a point where it will have no branches at all left, it will just be a stump ??

    .
    Dovefromabove wrote (see)

    Commercial Christmas tree growers prune lateral branches to promote bushy growth, so there may be a chance for it yet, but what are you going to do with it then?  Norwegian Spruce grow and grow and grow - do you have the space for it?  

    In time it will grow to 60ft or more tall and 20-40ft wide - if that is planted in your garden either you or someone who comes after you will have an expensive bill from a tree surgeon to take it down. http://www.norwayspruce.com/

    Sometimes things are free for a reason image

    Don't say you haven't been warned! image


    I already have one huge xmas tree. We have a large front garden.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,128

    That's fine then image


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





  • sunnysarahsunnysarah Posts: 62

    They look starving to me, can only go two ways so worth having a go at saving them image

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