Author Topic: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing  (Read 10709 times)

jbear822

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Hi Everyone,

I just purchased this beautiful fruiting barbie guava tree a couple of days ago. Within 24 hours of me transporting it to our balcony in Miami, the leaves started wilting and have this "becoming dry" feel.

I just repotted it into our new planter (48 hours after purchasing the tree) with organic soil and organic citrus fertilizer, but it still looks like it's wilting. Here are the ingredients:

-Nature's care potting mix

-Espoma Organic Citrus fertilizer (the ziplock bag one)

-White steel 14" square planter

We tried to grow a guava tree once before and it was totally brown within a week of purchasing it from an agricultural show in Ft. Lauderdale.

Is there something special I need to know about growing guava trees?

Millet

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2015, 05:27:52 PM »
jbear822 this is the citrus forum.  You will be better served posting you question on the Tropical Fruit Discussion where their members that grow guavas. - Millet

FruitFreak

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2015, 08:12:02 PM »
Just water the heck out of it! Big box guavas dry out quick in their nursery mix.  They are very resilient, water and it will be fine.  Only add fert after it is established in its new mix/pot, that much fert could kill a new plant.  If you're pot sits on scorching concrete every day the roots will bake. Use a platform with casters to elevate the pot so it stays relatively cool.
- Marley

Viking Guy

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2015, 09:43:04 PM »
Never fertilize a new potted or planted Guava.

I'd repot her immediately into your prepared potting mix with no extra fertilizers.  Many of those potting mixes already contain feed for 3-6 months, and adding more is a severe burn.

Give her much water at first to help with the burn.

FruitFreak

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2015, 09:50:19 PM »
Never fertilize a new potted or planted Guava.

I'd repot her immediately into your prepared potting mix with no extra fertilizers.  Many of those potting mixes already contain feed for 3-6 months, and adding more is a severe burn.

Give her much water at first to help with the burn.

Listen to the Viking . Repot immediately and flush with water.
- Marley

Doglips

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2015, 06:38:05 AM »
If it is wilty, you may want to reduce the sunlight a bit too until it recovers.

jbear822

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2015, 12:18:01 PM »
Thank you everyone! My poor guava tree leaves are still wilting, but I am giving it a ton of water (just enough to keep it in moist soil, not drown it). Should I be watering it every morning until it recovers to keep it moist or just 1-2x/week like my plumerias?

The potting mix does contain any add-in fertilizer, and before I got to this post, I did add in my own organic fertilizer (only a little bit - i used 1.5 huge bags of the potting mix).

Our balcony is pure west exposure and it's probably not getting a long period of direct sun. The balcony floor is tile, not concrete, and is generally quite cool. We have three plumerias and at least they are loving it.




FruitFreak

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2015, 05:33:11 PM »
It would be helpful to post some images.  Thoroughly water it and let it begin to dry. You don't have to water every morning in fact that may cause other problems.  Just water it every few days if it feels dry when you stick your finger into the soil.  It will take some time for it to recover if it was completely dry/baked. 
- Marley

jbear822

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2015, 08:24:53 PM »



It's been almost a week since I repotted it. It lost basically all of its leaves, many of them were still green when they fell off (but dryish). The fruit is black and the fruit that was about to grow seems like a no-go now as well.

However, the branch ends are still green, though the leaves on those ends are brown/black.

What's going on here???

Viking Guy

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2015, 10:21:47 PM »
They were already cut off from supply and were destined to fall off once they begin the wilt process.  As long as bark is still showing green, new growth should appear after this shock ends.

FruitFreak

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2015, 04:51:00 PM »
Is there any drainage in that pot?
- Marley

Viking Guy

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2015, 07:07:42 PM »
Is there any drainage in that pot?

Just noticed the square pots on ceramic floors.   If there is no drainage, then your tree is going to stay in trouble.  If there is, then your floors are going to stay in trouble.

jbear822

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2015, 12:42:28 PM »
Yes, the planter has a plug that I unplugged before planting as well as manually hammered a bunch of holes throughout the bottom of the pot.

I rather my balcony floors stay in trouble than my tree. :)

No new growth yet, lost almost all of its leaves, but branch ends are still green. We had some rain recently so the soil is still moist. I'm letting it be for now and just monitoring.


jbear822

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #13 on: April 27, 2015, 10:04:04 AM »
Looks like my guava tree survived. There is new growth and the ends stayed green. :) So just keep the soil a bit moist (like watering 1x/week) and it should be good to go?






Doglips

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #14 on: April 28, 2015, 06:13:52 AM »
Not quite out of the woods yet.  I've had one push and then die back further down the trunk before stabilizing.

jbear822

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Not quite out of the woods yet.  I've had one push and then die back further down the trunk before stabilizing.

You're totally right. I noticed that even though some branches have new growth lower on the tree's branches, the ends have mostly browned as well (they used to be green). Just keep watering when the soil is dry? I'm quite nervous!

Viking Guy

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She doesn't sound to be getting enough light.

FruitFreak

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She doesn't sound to be getting enough light.

With pure West exposure this is probable.
- Marley

jbear822

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Here's a visual of my guava tree. It's getting a good 6 hours in - I confirmed that today with a check-up every hour. My plumeria a wouldn't be thriving on less than 6 hours so this makes sense now that I think about it (they're behind the guava for reference.

I water it about once a week just to keep it moist - no soaking the roots. No fertilizer yet though - should I be using it?

Why did the ends turn brown? What about the growth lower on the branches?








Viking Guy

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May be time to feed it with a little nitrogen.

Also, 6 hours of "good" light is OK but not enough.  They prefer full sun, so indoor growing you'll need to possibly add some additional lighting.  Also, check temperature.  They love heat, and if it is too cool indoors, they won't thrive as well.

phoenixtropicals

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I think the other responses that say you shouldn't have fertilized it are correct.  You should only start to fertilize a plant once it starts to grow and then in moderation.  Planting with a bunch of fertilizer is always a bad I idea.

Doglips

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If it stressed out don't fertilize, almost a guarantee to kill it!

Viking Guy

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Looking at that 2nd photo, all of those plants look rough--either dead or dying.  Something isn't right in that scenario.

jbear822

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@Viking Guy: The plumerias directly behind the guava tree are actually doing very well and flowering. The fig tree to the left my husband took care of (or didn't) and have just been trying to revive it - not sure it's possible. I didn't have a chance to replant the gardenia bush so unfortunately it didn't take a liking to that. Otherwise, everything on the outdoor balcony would be hunky-dory.

Should I use a little fertilizer?

Could the brown ends be revived back to green, growing branches?
« Last Edit: May 18, 2015, 06:40:12 PM by jbear822 »

Viking Guy

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Only once new growth is evident, and then a light application.  Maybe some foliar spray with nitrogen. 

jbear822

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Sorry to get details, but when you say new growth, do you mean the leaves starting to sprout (as per my photos) or the branch ends turning green again?

Viking Guy

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Yes.   Once new growth has emerged AND spread open for light, then hit it. 

jbear822

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Done. The highest nitrogen number I was able to find from organic options was 6%. This seems low to me - any organic high N suggestions?

Millet

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My suggestion would be to purchase a real fertilizer.  Remember nitrogen is nitrogen is nitrogen. - Millet

jbear822

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #29 on: June 04, 2015, 09:44:23 AM »
I took another photo as an update today (now that I'm back from Madagascar). The current growth looks like it's fairly lush, but a couple of the leaves have brown around the edges and whatever new growth there is looks tiny:



Also, in terms of an N fertilizer, I cannot use bloodmeal or a red meat/poultry-based fertilizer...and it should be organic. What do you recommend?

Doglips

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #30 on: June 05, 2015, 08:13:50 AM »
I took another photo as an update today (now that I'm back from Madagascar). The current growth looks like it's fairly lush, but a couple of the leaves have brown around the edges and whatever new growth there is looks tiny:



Also, in terms of an N fertilizer, I cannot use bloodmeal or a red meat/poultry-based fertilizer...and it should be organic. What do you recommend?
I'd leave it be, it justly nearly died, and in all likelihood not from nutrient deficiency. You may well torch it by fertilizing. It is not like it needs much of anything at that size. Patients.

Viking Guy

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #31 on: June 05, 2015, 04:28:48 PM »
Only thing I'd suggest at this point is to add a pinch of epsom salt and prune off the dead branches.

It appears to be recovering well.

jbear822

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #32 on: June 05, 2015, 04:55:36 PM »
What does epsom salt do?

Viking Guy

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #33 on: June 06, 2015, 10:12:49 AM »
http://www.saltworks.us/gardening-with-epsom-salt.asp

Here is a solid read up for you.  While "some" of it is inaccurate about Epsom salt, 95% of this article is spot on and quite informative.

jbear822

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #34 on: June 17, 2015, 08:59:44 PM »
I will definitely have a look at the epsom salt, thank you! And it looks like it's taking a liking to the fish-based fertilizer. I see that it actually created new green "branch ends" (small for now). I guess it's getting better. :)










Viking Guy

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Re: URGENT: Barbie Guava tree wilting leaves only 2 days after purchasing
« Reply #35 on: June 18, 2015, 12:36:14 AM »
Looking good.  Keep it up.