Soursop tree help - I don’t know what I’m doing

[FirstTimeGrower]

I bought my tree online and have had it less than a week. Truth be told, I know almost nothing about gardening or growing food. I want to learn though. Please see the pictures of my soursop tree below and tell me if there’s something wrong. It came in a box so I’m assuming some of this can be stress from the shipping. I’ve followed the directions on how to pot it. I’m just concerned it’s not looking healthy. I’m hoping someone can give me insight. Thanks in advance!!

[johnb51]

It's a cold-sensitive tree so I guess you intend to grow it in a pot, right?  And take it inside when it gets cold?  In which case you're going to have to keep re-potting to a bigger pot on a regular basis.  Just keep the potting soil moist, and see what happens.  I'm not sure if I've ever heard of anyone growing soursop in a pot and if they get fruit.  Anyway, have fun, and don't stress out about it.  I'm a big fan of soursop and have grown two trees (in the ground).  A really wonderful fruit.

[brian]

There was a post on this forum where somebody fruited an indoor container soursop. 

Your tree in the picture doesn’t look so good right now, but it might recover and thrive. 

[Nyuu]

I bought my tree online and have had it less than a week. Truth be told, I know almost nothing about gardening or growing food. I want to learn though. Please see the pictures of my soursop tree below and tell me if there’s something wrong. It came in a box so I’m assuming some of this can be stress from the shipping. I’ve followed the directions on how to pot it. I’m just concerned it’s not looking healthy. I’m hoping someone can give me insight. Thanks in advance!!

What kind of soil do you use because kind of seems like it's burned with fertilizer

[FMfruitforest]

I bought my tree online and have had it less than a week. Truth be told, I know almost nothing about gardening or growing food. I want to learn though. Please see the pictures of my soursop tree below and tell me if there’s something wrong. It came in a box so I’m assuming some of this can be stress from the shipping. I’ve followed the directions on how to pot it. I’m just concerned it’s not looking healthy. I’m hoping someone can give me insight. Thanks in advance!!



Well draining soil rich in organic matter, i just repotted some sops. My soil mix was about 60% peat moss 40%compost then add 15% perlite to fluff it up. I also mixed bone meal, bloodmeal and all purpose organic fertilizer in with the soil. All the trees pushing mew growth with recent rains.

What kind of soil do you use because kind of seems like it's burned with fertilizer

[Nyuu]

I bought my tree online and have had it less than a week. Truth be told, I know almost nothing about gardening or growing food. I want to learn though. Please see the pictures of my soursop tree below and tell me if there’s something wrong. It came in a box so I’m assuming some of this can be stress from the shipping. I’ve followed the directions on how to pot it. I’m just concerned it’s not looking healthy. I’m hoping someone can give me insight. Thanks in advance!!



Well draining soil rich in organic matter, i just repotted some sops. My soil mix was about 60% peat moss 40%compost then add 15% perlite to fluff it up. I also mixed bone meal, bloodmeal and all purpose organic fertilizer in with the soil. All the trees pushing mew growth with recent rains.

What kind of soil do you use because kind of seems like it's burned with fertilizer

If you overdid it with bloodmeal that can burn your tree because it has very high nitrogen

[FirstTimeGrower]

Oh no!!   I used some organic planting mix and something called root rocket. I bought these from the site where I bought the tree from. I also used some regular potting soil.  Is there a way to fix this?  Maybe adding more potting soil?  I don't want it to die!

[Daintree]

Dont panic. Root rocket won't hurt your new plant.  It is designed for transplants and seedlings. Just give it some time to adjust to its new home. Keep the soil slightly moist, don't drown it or let it dry out, and it will settle in.

Cheers,
Carolyn

PS - I am one of the folks with a fruiting soursop in a pot in my greenhouse 

[Nyuu]

Most nurseries don't grow organically so most likely have fertilizer with it and adding bone meal would have been way too much nitrogen .
What I would do it's remove the soil at some new soil without bone meal and water heavily
To help it go through the stress

[FirstTimeGrower]

ok.  What would have contained the bone meal? I know I didn't specifically add that. Could it have been contained in the organic planting mix or root rocket?
I'm sorry if this sounds silly... I really am new to all of this and am trying to learn 

[FMfruitforest]

My post confused the thread, I posted how i stepped up my soursop recently and i posted my soil mix 60%peat  moss 40%compost then 15%of that perlite then i added bone meal, blood meal and organic fertilizer.

I posted my soil mix formula for the original poster. It was mixed up in the quotes.

[Nyuu]

Yes sorry . I like know how often are you watering because letting it drying out too much

[FirstTimeGrower]

Watering... welp, watering when I see it drying. The site I bought it from said something about not keeping it too wet and making sure it has good drainage - which it think it does. So maybe part of my problem is not watering enough. Yesterday I did add some soil to it and watered it... I praying it recovers.
I live in Louisiana where it's hot and humid. How often should I be watering it?

[canesgirl821]

Watering... welp, watering when I see it drying. The site I bought it from said something about not keeping it too wet and making sure it has good drainage - which it think it does. So maybe part of my problem is not watering enough. Yesterday I did add some soil to it and watered it... I praying it recovers.
I live in Louisiana where it's hot and humid. How often should I be watering it?

My small trees still in containers outdoors (in full or partial sun) need water every day. Not sure if that’s the case for yours. You should be able to do a finger test a few inches into the soil; if it’s dry, it needs water.

I’m certainly not an expert, perhaps others will chime in. Good luck!

[Jaboticaba45]

Like Canesgirl said water if the top few inches of soil is dry... Make sure not to overwater as this can cause root rot. I just leave my tree in partial shade and it does fine no special care required.

[Guanabanus]

If plants are several days in a box or a closed truck, they are already starving by the time they get to you--- starving, not for fertilizer (which is not really plant food, just mineral supplement), but for glucose, from photosynthesis.

[FirstTimeGrower]

Thank you all for your help!!! I'm so thankful for a community that has been so helpful and responsive.
I don't think I was watering enough... but I have been watering more regularly the least few days. I'm hoping I don't lose this tree but only time will tell. I guess I should have done better research because I really want to help this tree thrive. I've never grown anything or owned plants but something in me wants to learn to do it.  I also have a young mandarin tree and a meyer lemon tree and those seem to be not as sensitive...they're doing pretty well.

[FirstTimeGrower]

spotted some new growth today  So excited!

[Guanabanus]

You could trench 2-3 feet deep just inside your property line, and install a root barrier.