[Need urgent input[ - My Guave tree leaf is curling

[mr_mat1]

Hi folks,


I got a Guava tree from a local seller (I brought the plant in my car) and it was in a 5-gallon pot. It looked healthy and nice. After 5 days, I noticed that the leaves started curling. I immediately repotted it to a 10-gallon pot with new soil but I still notice the curls. The curls keep getting worse day by day.

The leaves on the bottom of the tree are fresh and curly but the leaves on top are dry and curled. Some leaves on the top can even be crumbled. I got a moisture meter yesterday and I am going to water based on the reading.

I am not sure if I will be able to save this plant! Any help would be recommended. I don't think I have much time with this one. Right now the solid is moist (I used the moisture meter) and in partial shade.

My location: San Jose, CA (9B)



 

[mr_mat1]

Update:

The leaves all dried up so I took down the leaves and this is how it is now:

[fruitnut1944]

For a big plant to go downhill that fast it's usually from being too dry. Throw away the moisture meter. Most don't work that well. Soak the rootball in water for a few hours. and keep in full shade.

A rootball that dries out can become hydrophobic. The water just runs right through. A good soaking can get it wet.

Ask the former owner how much he was watering. Here a big plant like that in a pot would need a good watering at least once a day.

The other possibility is it was damaged in transit. Like broken.

Disease won't likely take it out that rapidly.

[Aiptasia904]

The other possibility is it was damaged in transit. Like broken.

Wind damage from thrashing around in the back of my truck severely damaged an apple tree of mine once. I should've laid it down flat in the truck bed. I put it in the ground and it slowly dropped all of it's leaves on me.

This resembles transplant shock to me. You have to water plants pretty hard and sometimes protect them from sunlight if they haven't been hardened off sufficiently. 

[Seanny]

I have a saucer under the pot of a guava tree.
I flood it once a day.
On hot day like today I flood it twice.
It grows well.

[mr_mat1]

The other possibility is it was damaged in transit. Like broken.

Wind damage from thrashing around in the back of my truck severely damaged an apple tree of mine once. I should've laid it down flat in the truck bed. I put it in the ground and it slowly dropped all of it's leaves on me.

This resembles transplant shock to me. You have to water plants pretty hard and sometimes protect them from sunlight if they haven't been hardened off sufficiently.

How long do I keep watering and then decide if this plant will survive? Its been more than 5 weeks now.

[brian]

I had a guava that completely defoliated after I sprayed it with too high a concentration of hort oil.  A month or so later it put out a bit of new growth from near the base of the tree.  Then it died a few weeks later, but I wouldn't give up immediately.  Occasionally scratch the surface of the bark and if you still see green let it be.  They seem to be prone to root suckering also which is good for you if it is a seedling or airlayer.  If it is grafted, the scion will probably die

[mr_mat1]

I had a guava that completely defoliated after I sprayed it with too high a concentration of hort oil.  A month or so later it put out a bit of new growth from near the base of the tree.  Then it died a few weeks later, but I wouldn't give up immediately.  Occasionally scratch the surface of the bark and if you still see green let it be.  They seem to be prone to root suckering also which is good for you if it is a seedling or airlayer.  If it is grafted, the scion will probably die

I think this was from seed. Its been more than a month now and still no new leaves, but the main bark is still green when I scratch it. Should I remove all the smaller branches which look dead?

I was also thinking of removing the plant and dipping the root in water for 2-3 hours and then try repotting it again.

[brian]

I think this was from seed. Its been more than a month now and still no new leaves, but the main bark is still green when I scratch it. Should I remove all the smaller branches which look dead?

I was also thinking of removing the plant and dipping the root in water for 2-3 hours and then try repotting it again.

Removing dead branches won't matter either way.  Not sure what your goal is with the root dip/repot.   I would just leave it and see if it puts out new growth, as long as it has green under the bark it is still alive.  Doesn't mean it won't eventually die anyway, but no reason to give up on it yet.