Recently, I posted several photgraphs of a black pine I have on the
gallery. Several of you remarked on its relative lack of health and had
several suggestions on how to proceed with improving its health.
Following those recommendations, I repotted it yesterday.

I have the following observations and questions. I was hoping someone
with more experience than I on black pines could speculate on whether what
I observed was root rot or something else?

There was a hard core of old jet black soil compacted under the base of
the tree.

I repotted it yesterday in a heavy gravel mix that I sifted out of
bonsai soil mix. It's 1/4 inch. I worked as much of the old soil out
as I could with a chopstick. There were many fine feeder roots, but
there were few immediately visble white roots, but the majority by far
were black some of which had exposed white sections along their length.

HERE'S THE RUB. The black roots did not fall off despite washing them
at times with a hard stream of water. I broke a few to see if I could
discern if they were rotted. They stretch a little, then snap and leave
a stark white end. If they were rotted, shouldn't they just break off
like dead brittle wood and shouldn't they be grey or some other color
than stark white? They were flexible, elastic in quality. I expected
them to be mush, like rotted wood lying in a forest.

The medium was a jet black potting mix. Is it possible the roots are
discolored because of that or is it root rot? Should have taken a
picture. They didn't stink at all. Smelled like fresh dirt.

In any event, I lightly misted the roots with a copper fungicide, put the
tree in a much larger pot, secured the tree so it can't move, watered
with Shultz's transplanting solution (diluted), put the tree on a
seedling mat and placed it under my 400 W metal halide fixture. There is
a humidifier a few feet from the tree that keeps humidity levels around
60%.

Thoughts?

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In a message dated 2/3/2003 1:33:42 PM Eastern Standard Time, writes:

I repotted it yesterday in a heavy gravel mix that I sifted out of
bonsai soil mix. It's 1/4 inch. I worked as much of the old soil out
as I could with a chopstick. There were many fine feeder roots, but
there were few immediately visble white roots, but the majority by far
were black some of which had exposed white sections along
their length.

My Friend:

1. Root rot is easily identified. If you cut a root and the core of the root is black, not the exterior, the root is rotten and needs to be cut back until a white core emerges.

2. It sounds like you have initiated the proper corrective action by removing the potting soil--a soil that is likely to hold far too much water for a Black Pine.

3. Given the fact that the tree is repotted at this time, it would be a good idea to soak the potted tree in a fungicidal bath for 15 minutes. This will help to mitigate damage from root rot (if indeed root rot is a problem with the tree).

4. I have not seen your Pine. Discoloration can be the result of many difference conditions: excessive heat from the summer, extreme cold in winter, root zone problems (rot or damage from uncontrolled freezing), inadequate fertilizing, fungus, and or i
nsects.

Look to see if you have new buds on the tree. If the buds are present, pinch one in half and see if the core and green and resinous. If you see this condition, all should be well.

As for indoor growth: your Japanese Black Pine wants to be outside. Make every effort to move it to the exterior during the next growing season.

Cordially,

Michael Persiano
members.aol.com/iasnob/index.html

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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++