Monkey Puzzle care

[GraemeP]

We bought a Monkey Puzzle tree in February this year; it's about 12 inches tall. Over the winter, we kept it in the conservatory and, when the weather improved, we moved it to the garden in early May, having re-potted it into a ceramic pot 1ft x 1ft. However, it has become drier, browner and more brittle as the weeks go by and I can't find any information on what to do with it.

We live in Sutton, Surrey so nowhere need the coast and the climate's typical of the south-east. The tree is positioned so that it gets sun in the early morning and again in early evening; the rest of the time it is shaded by a Black Elder. It's neighbours are, all in pots, a Chestnut, an Acer and an Olive, all of which are thriving. It has a fence behind it and is sheltered quite well from the wind.

Any advice woud be graefully received.

Thanks

Graeme

[armchairarborist]

did you re-pot it in early may too? has it had enough water, been quite dry this year i keep trying to remember to water my potted oaks but keep forgetting..

[GraemeP]

did you re-pot it in early may too? has it had enough water, been quite dry this year i keep trying to remember to water my potted oaks but keep forgetting..

Yes, it was re-potted in early May. It gets watered as often as the other pots, which is every 1-2 days depending on how much rain we've had. Not a lot at present!

[Joy Yeomans]

if its dying in the pot , like it sounds it is, check the roots, have they been attacked by a vine weevil or similar - which can come in through infected compost? otherwise it sounds like its dried out??

[nepia]

Too much root disturbance at re-potting? I could be wrong here but something's rattling at the back of my mind (as ever) to the tune of they resent disturbance.

[Joy Yeomans]

Too much root disturbance at re-potting? I could be wrong here but something's rattling at the back of my mind (as ever) to the tune of they resent disturbance.

 

thats a possible, im not an arb expert (mrs Logbaron)- Mr. Logbaron is the Arb, im hort.- will check with him, but thats true for alot of plants i.e. peonies dont like disturbance

Edited July 3, 2010 by Joy Yeomans
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[Czlowiek Drzewo]

they don't take well to been moved around a lot. plant it and leave it.

[GraemeP]

Thanks. I soaked it over the weekend and will make sure that it doesn't dry out. I didn't realise they drank so much. No improvement yet

As for checking the roots, other posts say that disturbing the roots could have been the cause so I'm a bit reluctant to do so again

[GraemeP]

Thanks. Do you know if the damamge can be repaired?

[GraemeP]

Thanks. A couple of other posts have the same cause - hopefully it can be fixed