Question From:
in County St. George, Petit CValley International
Nature of problem:
Brown leaves on 4 month old Jacaranda saplings and branches falling off…..
Type of Plant (if known):
Jacaranda
Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself):
The leaves on especially the lower branches are turning brown and the branches are falling off; the tips of the new shoots at the top of thge plant are turning grey/black and wilting
Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type:
Potting Mix and silica sand
How often do you water the plant:
Pots have rope feeders for continuous watering; top of soil feels damp at night but can feel dry at midday in the sun. The 10 mm dia ropes are anchored in a 20 litre pail which is refilled once every 10 days and the ropes always feel wet but not dripping wet.
How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day:
Plants get about 7 hours of direct sunlight daily
How long since you planted it:
Planted seeds in Seedling Mix in small paper cups mid January 2020; sprouts took about 7 days to appear and when sprouts were about 2 – 3 cm high, the small paper pots were placed into 12″ dia pots 3/4 filled with a half-half mix of potting mix and sliica sand.
Have you fertilised? If so, with what and when:
Used Miracle Grow “Quick Start” when seeds were potted and 7 days later when sprouts started to show. Used Miracle Grow All Purpose Fertilizer when paper cups were placed in pots around mid-February 2020. No further fertilizer use.
Is the plant indoors or outdoors:
Outdoors; receives direct sunlight from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Is the plant in a pot or in the ground:
Pot
What other treatments have you given the plant:
When the appearance of the brown leaves became extensive, I used a 5% Copper Sulphate solution to spray the plants and soak the soil around – no effect on the browning 2 weeks later
Upload photo if available:
Other Comments:
There are ten plants in total and the pots are in close proximity to each other on a tabletop. There are two 20 L pails for water each feeding 5 plants.
Answer:
Thanks for the great pics. I have never been to Trinidad and Tobago, so I don’t understand your climate. I have a gut feeling that you are loving them to death. I could be too late, but I would pot them up into a normal pot with drainage at the bottom. Water them every 2-3 days. I suspect that they need to dry out between waterings, and maybe they need more sun. Good luck, Don