Hi, Does anyone have a photograph of late summer/early autumn new growth on Tsuma gaki? I picked this tree up yesterday, it needs some real TLC..am pretty sure it’s Tsuma gaki, I saw a Tsuma gaki at a nursery I don’t visit often a year or so ago and am pretty sure it’s the very same tree..but it’s now lost it’s tag..it was a bit of a bargain at £50 given it has a 3+ inch trunk..there is quite a bit of dieback but there are plenty of buds all over so I am hopeful..you will see in the photo some dark brown sections..but they have buds above.it looks more black in the photos but that’s just the poor photo. I’m such a sucker for trees that need TLC! Tsuma gaki loose their leaves early so that’s another indicator I guess
Few pics of mine way back over various years , you will need to give this one plenty of shade to get the lovely spring leaf colour ,what it's known for
Me personally i wouldn't have bought this , think they have been carrying this on stock for a while and have just wanted to sell asap in case it doesn't make it through the winter £50 ooh !! , doesn't look to healthy no doubt someone else may offer you their opinion.
It looks like bark with smut on it to me. Pseudomonas syrangae is a bacterial infection that kills the cambium and it is from this death that the bark appears black(-ish). Further, the bark will be 'oozy' and/or 'punky' for a while and will easily slip until the celluar fluid goes away (where ever it goes, evaporation?). If, as it appears, is not oozy/punky/slipping, try scrubbing it with an hydrogen peroxide solution of about 1000 ppm (like 2 tableshoons in a quart of water) and a toothbrush.
Update on the basket case I saved from the burn pile from the nursery. Now repotted in a large oak barrel. I think its showing good prospects, give it a few years. I wasn’t even 100% sure it was TS when I picked it up!
One of my favourite, but here I lost a first one, then the second one had what I identified as fungal infection (?) soon after spring. I'm still looking for the best mix, the best exposure, etc. to keep it healthy. One of the problems is I think that my water is very hard and I think it needs another pH, something slightly lower than 7.
thanks Alain. One of my favourites too..your TG looks absolutely suberb..i can imagine a small specimen would make a fabulous bonsai. I spotted the tree at a small nursery I don’t often visit about 4 years ago, back then it was in superb condition, it was massive, and vibrant colour but they neglected it and had it in full sun. I will do what I can with this over the coming years. It will live in my potting area which is very sheltered and will only get sun until 11.30am..taking into account what you said I will water with rain water only. My Peaches and cream has come out with very red tips this year like TG..I will post a photo in the cheering us up thread
Update on burn pile Tsuma Gaki..has moved on massively in 12mths compared to above photos taken at the end of April last year:
And doesn't it look so very happy. You couldn't have it in a better position there Alain. Red fingernails with no browning. Perfect.
Indeed, it does. So far..."No browning" : that's the problem, each year the leaves look miserable at the end of the season. Fungal attacks ? Hot temperatures ? I don't know but it's hard to keep healthy until the Autumn. It's now in almost 100% shade. I wanted to treat with Bordeaux mix (there's one which is colourless) or "Nordox", but it keeps on raining every day. I'll see if there's at least one day next week with 12-24 hours without rain. I will also use some fertilizer with chelated iron, etc. because when I have to water from the hose, the water is sooo hard that it causes chlorosis, which weakens the plants.
Sequestrene sounds like a great idea, I should try it. Finally gave up on it looking good in a pot, and it's reached that annoying size, so I planted. Gets some mid-day and afternoon shade. But look how yellow. Has always looked the dog's dinner (but not that good) by mid-summer. I asked on FB about exposition and got the inevitable "mine's in full sun, grows like a monster!" responses...
This gets limited direct sun..seems to be loving life..albeit..something is eating holes in the leaves on this..more than other trees nearby..Ive never seen a snail on it but I do get those holesaw bees
I'm not sure about where this one likes to be tbh R. Though you seem to have yours in a good place. You have some amazing colouration of the leaves. I've been trying different placements for years and still can't get it right. D
Thank..I’m really pleased..this was 20/4/20 it’s come on leaps and bounds in a year (remember this was a neglected nursery burn pile survivor)
One of my top 5 in the spring, but here, it gets leaf spots and scorched leaves when in a sunny place. I repotted it last year, but it still has a few leaf spots, nothing serious though. But I find the Summer leaves of a rather dull colour compared to what they look in the Spring. I'll try to find a place where it gets the sun in the early hours of the morning and also in late afternoon next year. I suspect it also needs a more acidic soil...
I moved the half oak barrel under an Ash tree in July..the Tsuma Gaki only gets 2hours morning sun, then a small amount dappled after 4pm. Photo taken today
Well that looks good! By way of comparison, here's what happens when you don't put it in total shade. This one was just planted out this spring, and it does get shade during the worst hours, but then gets some late afternoon sun. As things grow up around it I hope that will be a bit of a relief. Weak stomachs turn away, heh. -E
It's so original, so beautiful in Spring. Like green hands with red fingernails... I will move mine to full sun for the remaining weks. So far, we've had a cool sunny weather and no rain, ideal for Autumn colours, but I'm afraid we'll have some rain next week, we'll see...
