Before I cut on my WP today...

[Japonicus]

Wow, didn't see this coming. Don't know what it is but can't be good that's for sure. What is it and remedy?
I have Phyton 27, but would prefer to buy pre mixed rather than fooling with the hazard.
Also, the green growth, I would like to get under control. Is there a good resource you can link me to
for disease and pest ID and treatment?

Same area on another WP in the ground has something different more lace like and dark brown to black and spreading, pic to come later.

 

[Japonicus]

In ground tree...
I was snapping a pic of the trunk (own roots I believe) this evening, and saw this as I began removing the top and adding cut paste
Well, I thought it was something different, maybe 2 things (one the same as above tree), or just more advanced perhaps?
I'm not sure this tree is worth fooling with as bonsai, needs serious redirection I am unable to give it...I think. Too advanced
of techniques for my hands on experience, but 1st things 1st, lets fix this issue/disease.
The zig zag line in reef keeping are tell tale signs of snail eggs. Different hobby lol.

 

[Japonicus]

So the tree as my avatar is the one I started the thread about, before I cut on my WP.
I would like to get some input here before I do to be sure timing and placement is correct.
The 2 branches planned for removal are inside curve branches, one as an anchor presently.
Let me know if there's a better code than BB code in the gallery as these are quite large.
TRT reef forum I was in, had tons more available gallery data available to members, than attachment data allowed.

So next picture, this is the 1st branch I want to remove. Good choice/placement for the task.

2nd branch not so fast there. Good hmm. It's in the inside of a curve yes, but internode distance will be stupid.
It's like I should've fixed this a long time ago removing more top/height of the tree.
I am open to suggestions. Branch/trunk bending beyond doubling up #14 or 16g wire is out of my comfort zone ATM.

Now I could remove the apex and NOT this 2nd branch.

 

[Wilson]

Just moss and lichen, no need to panic.

 

[Japonicus]

Just moss and lichen, no need to panic.

Thanks Wilson, is this best time to cut these branches?

I see moss on the soil. Is this bright green powdery looking stuff moss?
I am plagued with moss on most of my trunks. Spent many hours dealing with it last Summer, with tweezers, ugg.
I'm pretty sure the pale green almost bluish stuff is lichen but what is on the inside of the branches at the crotch looks like a colony?
I guess I'm asking which is which, sorry.
My wife kiddingly said it is crotch rot. This is her favourite tree I have, and she frowned when I said I was going to remove a couple branches
maybe the top.

 

[jriddell88]

Before you cut anything , actually I wouldn’t probably cut anything at the moment , I would probably open it so everything receives sunlight for the season coming, rebuild strength, let the tree grow very strong , then make these decisions . IMHO

 

[Japonicus]

Before you cut anything , actually I wouldn’t probably cut anything at the moment , I would probably open it so everything receives sunlight for the season coming, rebuild strength, let the tree grow very strong , then make these decisions . IMHO

I did remove a lot of needles this Fall, and got started wiring just before Christmas, then the weather went harsh.
I was uncomfortable removing down to just 3-5 bundles of needles per the Master series Book on Pines, because,
I'm hoping to try and get at least some back budding. I think 2 yrs ago I did a decent repot removing maybe 50% of the roots.
I read the apex can take a long time to develop so nows the time to be asking these questions.
By "open it" do you mean wire it more?

 

[TN_Jim]

It looks like the dust lichen, Chrysothrix. This species is harmless. Careful, fungicides can harm plants with prolonged doses.

 

[Japonicus]

It looks like the dust lichen, Chrysothrix. This species is harmless. Careful, fungicides can harm plants with prolonged doses.

Thanks Jim. Fungicide is not normally used on my trees. Been years since I used Cu.
What is the little brown colony 1st pic right in the crotch. Looks like buds only smaller and too dense for buds.

 

[jriddell88]

Ok I guess before I say anything else . I would suggest going and watching Colin Lewis wiring tutorials on craftsy.com

It’s free just have to sign up, study these videos and practice practice . Your wire gauges are not quite large enough to be effective on some of your branches , coils are too tight wrong angle , not trying to discourage only encourage to practice and get more comfortable, this well help you gain confidence on those larger gauges . Wiring branches down and laying the foliage out so everything gets equal amount of sunlight will help build your strength and promote backbuddig as well as give the tree a look of age , this is what we are trying to do replicate old trees in the wild , watch this videos and soak it up .

 

[jriddell88]

Sounds like a broken record you will hear this advice on other threads but it needs to be embedded in our brains. I wouldn’t go word for word from those books, let the old needles Brown and fall off for now , pulling needles will weaken the tree and will affect an already weakened tree. Needle pulling is for balancing energy when we’re ready unless absolutely necessary

 

[jriddell88]

Edit post #10 sorry , craftsy.com

 

[Japonicus]

Ok I guess before I say anything else . I would suggest going and watching Colin Lewis wiring tutorials on crafts.com

It’s free just have to sign up, study these videos and practice practice . Your wire gauges are not quite large enough to be effective on some of your branches , coils are too tight wrong angle , not trying to discourage only encourage to practice and get more comfortable, this well help you gain confidence on those larger gauges . Wiring branches down and laying the foliage out so everything gets equal amount of sunlight will help build your strength and promote backbuddig as well as give the tree a look of age , this is what we are trying to do replicate old trees in the wild , watch this videos and soak it up .

Gotchya. Good point, I thought you may have meant to wire it more openly.
My angles are wrong too, oh dddear. Thanks I will look his videos up soon.
So is there absolutely nothing, growing anywhere on either of these trees, that is not a tree part, that needs correcting?
Just let the stuff go unchecked?

 

[jriddell88]

as soon as you watch all of those videos , watch them again....and maybe again , go out break a branch off of a tree and practice ..with aluminum if you have it ,

You will get it shortly there after , have one of those moments like “a ha!!” Lol

Now when you start applying it to your trees you will run it to problems where you will sit and scratch your head, I still have these moments but you will figure it out , you will find somewhere you messed up, don’t leave it , unwire it and do it again until right.

Now , part of that does look like lichen

The other .. if you rub it does it come off , is it powdery?

 

[Japonicus]

as soon as you watch all of those videos , watch them again....and maybe again , go out break a branch off of a tree and practice ..with aluminum if you have it ,

You will get it shortly there after , have one of those moments like “a ha!!” Lol

Now when you start applying it to your trees you will run it to problems where you will sit and scratch your head, I still have these moments but you will figure it out , you will find somewhere you messed up, don’t leave it , unwire it and do it again until right.

Now , part of that does look like lichen

The other .. if you rub it does it come off , is it powdery?

Well it's a wash right now. Rain through tomorrow morning. I didn't want to do anything
until I knew what, to do. Don't want to breathe it, or spread it ya know?
Yeh my wiring is on the rough side, as is most of what I do in the hobby.
I repot on the tailgate of my pickup truck. It works. Really will be a chore to bring out
diamonds in my roughs. Thanks again. I'll let ya know in a day or two on that brown colony like growth
if it's dusty. Wish I could take a pic through a magnifying glass

 

[jriddell88]

Honestly I’m not trying to discourage only help , these things will help you for the rest of your time in Bonsai, and are necessary to be effective . It is a life long learning experience . Enjoy it !

Understand though been nothing but rain all day here , ky trying to beat West Virginia right now !!! GO CATS

 

[jriddell88]

Looking at the pictures again it really looks like mold , or some strain of moss, try to grab it with tweezers and pull it off , moss changes colors in the winter too , I bet if you left it , it would green up come spring

 

[TN_Jim]

Well it's a wash right now. Rain through tomorrow morning. I didn't want to do anything
until I knew what, to do. Don't want to breathe it, or spread it ya know?
Yeh my wiring is on the rough side, as is most of what I do in the hobby.
I repot on the tailgate of my pickup truck. It works. Really will be a chore to bring out
diamonds in my roughs. Thanks again. I'll let ya know in a day or two on that brown colony like growth
if it's dusty. Wish I could take a pic through a magnifying glass

The darker stuff is harder to pin down with the image distortion. Does look like fungi. I put my 30x hand lens/loupe right against my phone and have honestly achieved some pretty shockingly good macrophotography. If you have one or something similar, would definitely try it.

 

[Japonicus]

Honestly I’m not trying to discourage only help , these things will help you for the rest of your time in Bonsai, and are necessary to be effective . It is a life long learning experience . Enjoy it !

Understand though been nothing but rain all day here , ky trying to beat West Virginia right now !!! GO CATS

Well I see who won that one. Hah, go Cats. Friend of mine's nice flag pole still in his yard
where he proudly displayed the Wildcats flag. 16-5 ea record now. I like Bob Huggins. Mountaineers...ok.
I used to ride bike and read at the Marshall plane crash memorial growing up, so Mountaineers...ok.

I do want to be effective, and acknowledge shall we say poor bonsai edicate when it comes to many aspects
wiring, some pot choices, weeding and just overall husbandry.
If all my trees gain a little more vitality as I learn each year, we shall have been effective,
so it couldn't be discouragement if a tree is more appealing

 

[Japonicus]

The darker stuff is harder to pin down with the image distortion. Does look like fungi. I put my 30x hand lens/loupe right against my phone and have honestly achieved some pretty shockingly good macrophotography. If you have one or something similar, would definitely try it.

Ok will do. I've tried that with my DSLR before with little luck , may try again.
Now the iPhone, never thought of that, good idea. Louping the iphone. Thanks