Opinions requested on RMJ with tip blight

Hartinez

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Hey everyone. This tree has its own thread Here, but I wanted to request a more detailed opinion on an issue and a potential resolution.

After pulling from winter storage the tree had the standard winter foliage color across the board. The far left trunk though was slightly different. I still thought it was winter color. Well everything else greened ( or blued) up nicely while that far left trunk struggled and began browning at the tips. I think this issue is a leftover problem that I dealt with from my Disaster last year. I’ve had a steady rotation of daconil and infuse and I’ve got some growth pushing from that trunk. Mancozeb is not available where I live. But it’s awfully sparse. Some tips on the other trunks have browned but I pinch those out. Overall it seems healthy and the two trunks in the middle and right are pushing a ton of healthy growth.

Should I continue to treat and try to regrow the branches on that diseased trunk and continue down its current path?

should I completely remove that left trunk and restyle with the two remaining trunks, using the existing foliage to fill voids? The lowest branch on the main trunk was wrapped around to the right hand side and is quite long. It could easily be wrapped around to the left hand side to fill the space left.

will removing that entire struggling trunk improve the overall health of the whole?
 

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Hartinez

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This branch here could easily be brought from the right to the left.
 

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Hartinez

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I bet you could order mancozeb online. For what it’s worth, tip light is one of the reasons I’m swapping out foliage on my RMJs.
Maybe I need to find a specific dealer online. I’ve tried the big sites and they won’t ship it to my state.
 

River's Edge

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Maybe I need to find a specific dealer online. I’ve tried the big sites and they won’t ship it to my state.
One option may be to order the product to a PO Box in a nearby state or drive across the line to a neighbouring state to pick up the product. Another option is to have a friend purchase and mail to your address.
When I look over the pictures, there appears to be the possibility of mite damage, at least as part of the situation. I have found Juniper to be slow to respond when stressed. Particularly when switching climates.
I would focus on regaining full health before removing that side. If it survives, Juniper are one species that can be extensively rebuilt with back budding and grafting.
 

Hartinez

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One option may be to order the product to a PO Box in a nearby state or drive across the line to a neighbouring state to pick up the product. Another option is to have a friend purchase and mail to your address.
When I look over the pictures, there appears to be the possibility of mite damage, at least as part of the situation. I have found Juniper to be slow to respond when stressed. Particularly when switching climates.
I would focus on regaining full health before removing that side. If it survives, Juniper are one species that can be extensively rebuilt with back budding and grafting.
You could be right Frank. I did have a few other junipers get hit by mites, but the foliage and damage looked different. I’ve never dealt with mites before this season. I used malathion to handle those.
My thoughts on removing the trunk were less about the style and more about the health. Wasn’t entirely sure if having an entire trunk with suffering foliage from disease or pest slowed the entirety of the tree putting the seemingly healthy portions at higher risk. Also, am I right in pinching out the browned out tips leaving only healthy foliage?
 

sorce

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See .....

Promoting shady illegal actions is way worse than shit I do! LO capitol L! Nothing against my friend Dav4.

My ERC's had tip blight last year.
After I trimmed it back heavy, it began to do ok during spring. But when the one on a shallow rock got dry in the heat, it started exhibiting symptoms again. While the one in a wetter situation is still doing better.

I don't use cides and wouldn't recommend it.

What I know is under a 50% health capacity, they become susceptible to it.

More health, more water, less work.

Sorce
 

Pitoon

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Maybe I need to find a specific dealer online. I’ve tried the big sites and they won’t ship it to my state.
Meet someone at the border to pick up ;) I'm sure adjacent states would have it.
 

bwaynef

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Is this tree completely free of field soil? If I'm recalling correctly, you study with Ryan ...so not likely that you're in the transition period between HBRs (ala Boon). Still, the untouched portion of the soil could be causing the issues evidenced by/in the foliage. In the meantime, I'd consider propping the pot up on the weak side.

Some other fungicides that list Phytophthora (the most commonly blamed Tip/Twig blight): (A few of these are organic, though that doesn't seem to be a concern.)
actinovate.txt Phytophthora
agriphos.txt Phytophthora
agriphos.txt Phytophthora Root
bacillus-amyloliquefaciens.txt Phytophthora
bacillus-subtillis.txt Phytophthora
biophospro.txt Phytophthora
biosafe.txt Phytophthora
chlorothalanil.txt Phytophthora
copper.txt Phytophthora Mildew
daconil.txt Phytophthora
gardenphos.txt Phytophthora
gardenphos.txt Phytophthora Root
mancozeb.txt Phytophthora Twig And Bud Blight
mefenoxam.txt Phytophthora
mefenoxam.txt Phytophthora ramorum
mefenoxam.txt Phytophthora spp.
phyton27.txt Phytophthora
phyton35.txt Phytophthora
potassiumsalts-PhosAcid.txt Phytophthora
potassiumsalts-PhosAcid.txt Phytophthora Root
subdue.txt Phytophthora
subdue.txt Phytophthora ramorum
subdue.txt Phytophthora spp.
zerotol.txt Phytophthora (Blights, Rots)

Usually County Extension Offices provide a service where samples can be lab tested and positively identified. If you haven't looked into it, that might keep you from chasing your tail on this issue. Locally, its about $25 per sample/test.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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True tip blight will produce spots on the scales of the foliage.
I don't think it's tip blight, because I don't see those spots.

I'm putting my money on spider mites combined with local (compartmentalized) root or sapflow issues. My junipers get blight-like symptoms when the soil isn't up to par. Usually after a heavy repot or after some harsh weather and poor/over watering.
I see a large section of deadwood, so maybe it's not the roots but the vascular system.

RMJ specifically, makes those weird needles in dense clusters when they're damaged by insects - in my posession at least. Never got to the bottom of it, because I burned my only adult RMJ. Didn't like the smell and especially disliked the rash it gave me compared to other junipers. RMJ stings for days!
 

Hartinez

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Is this tree completely free of field soil? If I'm recalling correctly, you study with Ryan ...so not likely that you're in the transition period between HBRs (ala Boon). Still, the untouched portion of the soil could be causing the issues evidenced by/in the foliage. In the meantime, I'd consider propping the pot up on the weak side.

Some other fungicides that list Phytophthora (the most commonly blamed Tip/Twig blight): (A few of these are organic, though that doesn't seem to be a concern.)
actinovate.txt Phytophthora
agriphos.txt Phytophthora
agriphos.txt Phytophthora Root
bacillus-amyloliquefaciens.txt Phytophthora
bacillus-subtillis.txt Phytophthora
biophospro.txt Phytophthora
biosafe.txt Phytophthora
chlorothalanil.txt Phytophthora
copper.txt Phytophthora Mildew
daconil.txt Phytophthora
gardenphos.txt Phytophthora
gardenphos.txt Phytophthora Root
mancozeb.txt Phytophthora Twig And Bud Blight
mefenoxam.txt Phytophthora
mefenoxam.txt Phytophthora ramorum
mefenoxam.txt Phytophthora spp.
phyton27.txt Phytophthora
phyton35.txt Phytophthora
potassiumsalts-PhosAcid.txt Phytophthora
potassiumsalts-PhosAcid.txt Phytophthora Root
subdue.txt Phytophthora
subdue.txt Phytophthora ramorum
subdue.txt Phytophthora spp.
zerotol.txt Phytophthora (Blights, Rots)

Usually County Extension Offices provide a service where samples can be lab tested and positively identified. If you haven't looked into it, that might keep you from chasing your tail on this issue. Locally, its about $25 per sample/test.
Thanks for the reply. Man I wish I studied with Ryan! Financial restraints unfortunately have not afforded me to study with anyone. Todd Schlafer has come to town a few times but that's it. I did repot this tree in the spring, partially due to my thinking that the color was due to winter color not health and a repot would be just fine. I removed a good amount of field soil but def not all. The intention was to repot then just leave untouched for the year to recover, possibly wiring in fall. You and @Wires_Guy_wires may be on to something though with foliage issues being more related to root and soil issues. I'll give the prop up a shot for a while. Im thinking just leaving that trunk for the time being will be just fine until I see signs of better health or ultimate death. There is a quality design in this tree without that trunk so it wouldn't be a total loss, but I like the idea of keeping long term
 

Hartinez

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True tip blight will produce spots on the scales of the foliage.
I don't think it's tip blight, because I don't see those spots.

I'm putting my money on spider mites combined with local (compartmentalized) root or sapflow issues. My junipers get blight-like symptoms when the soil isn't up to par. Usually after a heavy repot or after some harsh weather and poor/over watering.
I see a large section of deadwood, so maybe it's not the roots but the vascular system.

RMJ specifically, makes those weird needles in dense clusters when they're damaged by insects - in my posession at least. Never got to the bottom of it, because I burned my only adult RMJ. Didn't like the smell and especially disliked the rash it gave me compared to other junipers. RMJ stings for days!
I think that maybe explains the fact that the issue is relegated to a single portion of the tree. Everything else has extended like made and is the most lovely blue.
 

River's Edge

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You could be right Frank. I did have a few other junipers get hit by mites, but the foliage and damage looked different. I’ve never dealt with mites before this season. I used malathion to handle those.
My thoughts on removing the trunk were less about the style and more about the health. Wasn’t entirely sure if having an entire trunk with suffering foliage from disease or pest slowed the entirety of the tree putting the seemingly healthy portions at higher risk. Also, am I right in pinching out the browned out tips leaving only healthy foliage?
I understand your concern re health and that is a judgement call. You have to do what you are comfortable with. I would definitely remove affected foliage leaving only healthy foliage. This is also a good way to track progress or regression visually!
From a design perspective, I value movement in a juniper as a focus along with deadwood as key attributes. So the loss of the left trunk would be significant and thus my hesitancy if it can be turned around.
Still boils down to a judgement call for the owner😉
Soil issues are a strong possibility if native soil or filed soil remains in that portion.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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I think that maybe explains the fact that the issue is relegated to a single portion of the tree. Everything else has extended like made and is the most lovely blue.
It do be bluetiful!
I had some of the same tip death going on one of my junipers after I removed a very large trunk and left just a few smaller branches. Some parts were actively growing, so they evaporated more water than they could physically draw in. Back when the larger trunk was still there, this wasn't much of an issue because that huge trunk was drawing so much water that it would eventually end up in those smaller branches too. After its removal the system kind of collapsed. Took three months to bounce back.
I see some damage on the first part that exits the minor left trunk, which hints towards the possibility that this branch by itself might have a reduced sap flow. Add the large deadwood part that looks kind of fresh, and it might just be enough to pin down a probable cause. Throw in some minor spider mites, or aphids in my case (my RMJ was riddled with them) and it's likely to end up looking like it does.

It would explain the locality of this issue. If the soil was truly bad or watering wasn't right, I'd suspect the other branches to behave the same.
My guess is that fungicides wouldn't stop this issue, but time will. In my case it took about a year for RMJ. My other junipers restore faster but that's just because I had been treating my RMJ terribly.
 

Hartinez

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It do be bluetiful!
I had some of the same tip death going on one of my junipers after I removed a very large trunk and left just a few smaller branches. Some parts were actively growing, so they evaporated more water than they could physically draw in. Back when the larger trunk was still there, this wasn't much of an issue because that huge trunk was drawing so much water that it would eventually end up in those smaller branches too. After its removal the system kind of collapsed. Took three months to bounce back.
I see some damage on the first part that exits the minor left trunk, which hints towards the possibility that this branch by itself might have a reduced sap flow. Add the large deadwood part that looks kind of fresh, and it might just be enough to pin down a probable cause. Throw in some minor spider mites, or aphids in my case (my RMJ was riddled with them) and it's likely to end up looking like it does.

It would explain the locality of this issue. If the soil was truly bad or watering wasn't right, I'd suspect the other branches to behave the same.
My guess is that fungicides wouldn't stop this issue, but time will. In my case it took about a year for RMJ. My other junipers restore faster but that's just because I had been treating my RMJ terribly.
Encouraging! Thanks for the reply’s!
 

Paradox

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Maybe I need to find a specific dealer online. I’ve tried the big sites and they won’t ship it to my state.

If they wont ship to your state, its probably because its banned for purchase in your state.
I have the same problem here with a lot of fungicides and pesticides
 
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