Japanese Black Pine Issue

Lionheart

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I'm worried about my Japanese Black Pines. They are showing partially browned out needles. The needles are half brown, half green, and it would appear eventually turning all brown. I'm worried.

I don't know what soil they were in when I bought them but it was well draining. Early this Spring I slipped them into these baskets, and back-filled with Bonsai Jack conifer mix. I had intended to do a proper re-pot this spring.

The tree was moved recently (maybe a month ago) to an area that gets more sun but tree sits upon a bed of pine bark mulch. We've also had extended dry hot periods followed by extended wet periods.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.
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Anthony

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Might just be -old needles - how old is that section as needles go?
Good Day
Anthony
 

Anthony

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Look up - Adair M and Vance Wood, Bananaman, and Leo from Illinois, for
deeper help with J.B. pines.
Found in - Members - listing seen above.
Good Day
Anthony
 

0soyoung

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You've got many needles showing the classic sign of needle cast - browning in the mid-length of the needles. You likely need to apply an anti-fungal. Needles are most susceptible to infection as they emerge in the spring. You may be able to remove the affected needles (they are now just a spore source) and spray to contain the issue. Otherwise, you'll need to use a systemic fungicide (i.e., sprays, for the most part cannot enter the leaf sufficiently to kill the fungus growing inside).
 

Lionheart

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You've got many needles showing the classic sign of needle cast - browning in the mid-length of the needles. You likely need to apply an anti-fungal. Needles are most susceptible to infection as they emerge in the spring. You may be able to remove the affected needles (they are now just a spore source) and spray to contain the issue. Otherwise, you'll need to use a systemic fungicide (i.e., sprays, for the most part cannot enter the leaf sufficiently to kill the fungus growing inside).

Thank you (and Anthony) so much for the replies.

Can I use both a spray and a systemic? I will cut off infected needles first. I don't wanna lose the whole bunch.

Is there a chance to save this tree?
 

garywood

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You've got many needles showing the classic sign of needle cast - browning in the mid-length of the needles. You likely need to apply an anti-fungal. Needles are most susceptible to infection as they emerge in the spring. You may be able to remove the affected needles (they are now just a spore source) and spray to contain the issue. Otherwise, you'll need to use a systemic fungicide (i.e., sprays, for the most part cannot enter the leaf sufficiently to kill the fungus growing inside).

Naught is spot on with the needle-cast. Because of the localized nature, I would look for maybe a larger male dog close by also. You never know about the territory ;-)
 

0soyoung

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Is there a chance to save this tree?
Don't give in to despair quite yet. As long as there are handful of good needles and a bud, a branch will almost certainly live. The only sure sign it is indeed dead is the buds are hard/dry.

If you are going to spray and apply a systemic, I suggest you consider spraying with 2 tablespoons of 3% peroxide (from the grocery/pharmacy) in a quart of water. It is a broad spectrum and will nix most any spores that are laying around at the time. Keep up the remove infected needles and spray routine every 3 to 5 days until you systemic is in effect. The commercial anti-fungals are effective against just certain types of fungi but leave a residue that will nix spores that show up after spraying.
 

Lionheart

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Don't give in to despair quite yet. As long as there are handful of good needles and a bud, a branch will almost certainly live. The only sure sign it is indeed dead is the buds are hard/dry.

If you are going to spray and apply a systemic, I suggest you consider spraying with 2 tablespoons of 3% peroxide (from the grocery/pharmacy) in a quart of water. It is a broad spectrum and will nix most any spores that are laying around at the time. Keep up the remove infected needles and spray routine every 3 to 5 days until you systemic is in effect. The commercial anti-fungals are effective against just certain types of fungi but leave a residue that will nix spores that show up after spraying.

You give me hope.

I'm about to start. Shall I cut infected needles first followed by the hydrogen peroxide wash? If not, then wash first then clip?
 

0soyoung

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You give me hope.

I'm about to start. Shall I cut infected needles first followed by the hydrogen peroxide wash? If not, then wash first then clip?
I put the peroxide solution in a little hand sprayer; but, yes, spray after removing infected needles. The idea is to also kill spores that may shake off/out of them. Any spores already there will still be there and will also be nixed by peroxide applied afterward. In a few days, spray again, even if you don't find any more infected needles and, as I said before, keep it up until your systemic is activated (it takes some time for it to get distributed though the tree's tissues).

Keep your towel and your copy of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (i.e., DON'T PANIC!) ;)
 

Lionheart

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Update:
I worked on the tree last night. I cut some needles and pulled others. I was just concerned that pulling needles could potentially pull off latent buds. Interesting observation, some of the infected needles seemed limp and weak, others not so much.

I ordered the systemic (Bonide Infuse). It should be here tomorrow, and I won't waste any time putting it down.

I have 4 other JBPs of similar size. I plucked one other one last night and sprayed both with hydrogen peroxide solution. I'll do the other two tonight. This one was the worst.
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Wires_Guy_wires

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When working with infections, it's best to go from least infected towards most heavily infected. Just like you clean the kitchen before you clean the bathroom and not the other way around.

To some, that's common sense. But I've worked in both the elderly home care 'industry' as well as in agriculture, and people seem to forget it sometimes.
 
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