Dear Bob,

You seem to have hit the nail on the head (Carpenter -wise) with
your plumbing suggestions. Bad roots usually means bad leaf tips. Too far
from the water source to ‘prime' the ‘pump' and ‘pipes’ all the way to the
leaf tips.

And like you I have salt build up and pH changes due to hard
water. Some plants need frequent ‘flushing’. Usually a summer outdoors
gives them enough rain water flushing to last for a long time, but watch
out. Pots get crusted with calcium deposits and need heavy cleaning and
brushing before reuse.

I’ll keep this hand plumbing vocabulary in mind for the future.
Best Jim

(dwarf conifers) calls “the pump” is not working properly. The area
farthest away from the roots, the leaf tips, is the first to show signs of
inadequate hydration.

flushing the potting mix (with water) from time to time to avoid salt
build-up, and the effect salts have on root hydraulic conductivity.

James Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd
Kansas City, MO 64152-2711
USA
Phone 816-746-1949

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