Question
QUESTION: My Norfolk pine's branches are dry and curling under. The soil is moist so I know its not under watered. I recently repotted it because it was infested with fugus gnats. I think thats probably the reason, I just don't know what to do about it. Please help. Thank you!

ANSWER: Jena,

The branches curling under and the fact that it had fungus gnats indicates that you have been overwatering it for a long time. I suspaect that when you repotted it (which you did too early in the year, you should wait until after April 1st when the days are a bit longer) there were very few roots on the plant or at least fewer than the laswt time you repotted it. Keeping it to wet causes the roots to rot. When that happens there are not enough roots to absorb water and the branches start curling and shriveling as you are seeing even though the soil is moist.

You should never water your pine until the soil is very dry half way down the pot. Insert a bamboo skewer into the soil and cut it off an inch above the surface of the soil. When you think it is time to water pull the skewer out and if it is dry at least half way down you should water it. But if it is wet over half way up do not water it. Wait 2 days and check it again.

It may be too late to save your plant now that the branches are curling, they do that just before they fall off. Invest in another one and be very careful not to overwater it. Also do not put it in too large a pot or it will take longer to dry out. Only repot between April 1st and June 30th and only move any plant to a pot with a diameter 2 inches larger than the old one.  Good luck with all you plants in the future.

Darlene

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QUESTION: I bought it from Walmart with the gnats. I've had it sense christmas and it was doing really good. I have a lot of other plants and didn't want them to get infested. I looked up gnats and stop the watering for a little while until it needed it. This still didn't help with the gnats. I felt my only choice was to repot. I cleaned all of the soil off the plant with soap and room temp. water (soap to kill the gnats). The roots looked really good. I repotted it about a couple of weeks ago and its having problems. Is there anything more you can tell me. I really appreciate your help. Thank you so much.

Answer
Jena,

You were a little drastic with your repotting. All you really needed to do was change the majority of the soil and your new potting soil should have had extra perlite added to make it drain better and have more oxygen in it. That would help it grow more roots faster. You probably lost a lot of the fine hair roots which are the feeder roots in that repotting.

Make sure you follow my watering instructions: You should never water your pine until the soil is very dry half way down the pot. Insert a bamboo skewer into the soil and cut it off an inch above the surface of the soil. When you think it is time to water pull the skewer out and if it is dry at least half way down you should water it. But if it is wet over half way up do not water it. Wait 2 days and check it again. Also an hour after you water it empty the drain tray under the pot so it is not sitting in water constantly. It is not a swamp plant and that will further rot the roots.

Good luck.

Darlene