Posted by Tee
on 11/9/2008, 3:15 am, in reply to "Re: Please help with my Eucalyptus Globulus"
82.38.250.75
WOW thank you very much for the quick response Gus it's really really appreciated. 
i think i will do as you say and leave it outside during the day (wheather permitting) and bring it indoors during nights
just a few more quick questions if thats ok with you
you say that
About temperatures, E. globulus seems to start reducing its yearly growth rate when temperatures go regularly below 10ºC. If by day they do not go over some 5 to 7ºC, it almost stops. But it can take light frosts without any problem even in such a case, to -3ºC at least, especially if those drops do not last long. Below that there will be frost damage to the broad juvenile leaves (they will turn purplish, "wine colour", and some will develop burning). Below -5ºC frost damage gets generalized.
are these temperatures that you state above ok even for my young tree, bearing in mind that it's only about 18 months old and in my opinion still a sapling, there are already some leaves that have already turned purplish in the centre, do you think it could be worth trying to keep the roots warm by wrapping some sort of insulation around the planter
"The browning and shriveling is very likely caused by keeping it away from light, these type of eucalypt loves it. It is either that, or that the roots have already filled all available space in the bigger pot, which means water uptake becomes difficult."
at the moment the soil is still damp after watering and feeding two weeks ago and the tree is not drinking nowhere near as much as it did in the summer, i could give it a gallon of water it every few days in the summer and it would dry out in no time, or is it still damp because it has slowed down because of the cold and only needs little watering during the winter, i have also noticed in the last couple of days that the shrivled up parts are starting to smell similar to that of dried autumn leaves that have fallen from trees, incidentally i use Miracle-Gro All Purpose Soluble Plant Food to feed it and as you have seen by this years growth it loves it
Any option involving harvest/"bird pruning"/loss by frost of this year's growth will give you the chance to perform root pruning next spring without huge risk of dessication (no leaves to dessicate!). Not a too severe pruning of the roots, and trying to work out where the fine roots are first, so as to leave a good chunk of them. But enough as to remove the thickest roots. This way you can keep the plant for a longer time in a container, as you give some room for the root system, and you add some new susbtrate and some nutrients for it. But if this is done, the plant should not be planted out later and let grow to tree size, or might have stability problems (you remove the "main anchorage" roots with the root pruning).
in the spring would it be ok if i could cut around the inside diameter of the planter shown in the picture and transfer it to a slightly larger square planter taking most of the root ball with it, and then when it outgrows that planter in a year or so do a root prune then or would you recommend to do a root prune in the spring and put it back into the same planter,
also in you reply you give no mention as to why you think the leaves are dropping off, yesterday when we took it outside at least 80 or so leaves fell off (it doesn't sound that many but for a small tree it's a lot) do you think it's a combination of the cold room and the lack of sunlight causing this
You put it inside the birdcage? If you did, it will disappear quickly, the keets are good "pruning" eucs Look at what they did to those E. gunnii branches!
LOL it wasn't inside the cage, i had it inside on the window sill last winter and the birds found it when i let them out for a fly about, you mention the E. gunnii branches, could you please point me in the right direction so that i can read the thread
i'm so sorry about the questions again Gus but your answers have got me really intrigued now
once again thank you very very much
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