Juniper issue

[coachspinks]

This a procumbens nana of mine. I put the paper towel behind the branch so you can see the foliage. A few weeks ago it started to brown out in the middle. The tips are still growing and most are green. I suspected either too wet with poor soil/mix or spider mites. I found no spider mites but I have still rinsed the foliage every few days. A few weeks ago I went ahead and repotted it in an inorganic mix. It is the same mix I use on my other junipers. No problems with them. A little history.....it was healthy last year but was in a location where it wasn't getting enough light. I moved all my trees to a better location. It pushed out a lot of new healthy growth. Very typical. I noticed the browning from the inside. That is when I decided to wash the foliage and eventually decided to repot. Thoughts? Blight? Was it week from too little light last season?

 

[Cable]

Looks like too much water but can't be sure. Can we see a pic that shows the soil?

 

[coachspinks]

It is just about dark. I will get a pic tomorrow. That was my first thought too so I repotted it into a well draining inorganic mix a few weeks ago.

 

[coachspinks]

I hope to take a picture of the soil this evening but I can tell you that it is very well draining inorganic mix. Prior to this however it was in an older mix that was close to worn out. It has been repotted in the new mix now for almost 4 weeks. Should it be responding by now? Does it look one of the blights I have read about?

 

[coachspinks]

Here is a picture of the soil mix.

 

[coachspinks]

anyone?

 

[Cable]

Sorry man, I’m too new to be of much help. Those soil components look large to me but you said it works fine for your other junipers. You said you repotted, did you mess with the roots much?

5e frustrating thing about foliage issues like that is that so many things can cause it. Lack of water, too much water, poor soil, too little nutrients, diseases, pests, etc.

I wonder if either the large particles are allowing in too much air and keeping it too dry or if the new inorganic soil doesn’t have enough accumulation of nutrients for the tree?

Where’s @sorce, I bet he could help?

 

[coachspinks]

thanks for the reply. The process had begun before I repotted it. It seemed to stay wet too long so I went ahead and did it. It has only been in the new mix for a few weeks. The tips are still growing but it is browning out from underneath. When I repotted I found an inner mass of what seemed like traditional houseplant type potting soil. I took us much of that soil out without disturbing too many roots. I cut probably 10% of the total root mass off. I couldn't identify and rotten roots. Based off limited experience but from the evidence I have so far I am thinking Cercospora blight. If it is this the tree is probably doomed. I have found preventative measures but nothing on curing it once it has set in.

 

[Silentrunning]

One thing I would do is get it as far away from your other Junipers as possible. It is probably nothing contagious but why gamble?

 

[coachspinks]

That is what I have done. It is in timeout.

Barring any different ideas I will probably cut it back and leave only healthy looking foliage and give it fungicide. Probably a lost cause but I can try.

 

[TN_Jim]

I wouldn’t cut it back at all. If it’s blight-doomed anyway, than why cut? If it’s not blight, cutting could be the thing that actually kills it since junipers derive strength from leaves.

I could be wrong, but finding that nice dapple-shady spot and leaving it alone aside from only watering until: it either dies, or pushes new growth...

 

[sorce]

I dont know well enough...

But it seems a bit of regular old Browning...

And some abandonded branches due to ill timed cuts?

Sorce

 

[coachspinks]

I wouldn’t cut it back at all. If it’s blight-doomed anyway, than why cut? If it’s not blight, cutting could be the thing that actually kills it since junipers derive strength from leaves.

I could be wrong, but finding that nice dapple-shady spot and leaving it alone aside from only watering until: it either dies, or pushes new growth...

That makes sense too.

 

[coachspinks]

I dont know well enough...

But it seems a bit of regular old Browning...

And some abandonded branches due to ill timed cuts?

Sorce

It hasn't been cut on in over a year.

 

[fore]

Phymosis/blight only affects the tips. Older die off is usually root related. Try tilting the pot, say on a 3/4" piece of wood. That should help with drainage and reestablish good h2o to O2 exchange.

 

[Adair M]

Is the problem mainly confined to this one branch? Or widespread over the entire tree?

When you want a diagnosis of a problem like this, it’s better to give us a lot of pictures, rather than too few. It’s hard to put the problem into context.

The foliage behind the problem branch seems fine. (Or at least less affected). Is it on the same tree?

 

[coachspinks]

it is spread throughout the tree. I will try to take a picture of the whole tree this evening.

 

[coachspinks]

Here are some shots of the tree.

 

[Japonicus]

Recently repotted a few weeks ago...but the issue was already underway, lends to the moisture excess issue, but...

Have you fertilized this bonsai since repotting???

Well draining soil, and inorganic, it is possible that being potted a few weeks ago, that the roots took a dry spell
which could be disastrous. It's really important to not let the new feeder roots dry and mist the foliage often
during the 1st 6 weeks.

What's the composition or make up of your soil mix?

Ran upon your thread searching for diagnostics and fungicides. I have a sergeants juniper in ground with yellowing
but looks different. Best of luck Coach!

 

[coachspinks]

Recently repotted a few weeks ago...but the issue was already underway, lends to the moisture excess issue, but...

Have you fertilized this bonsai since repotting???

Well draining soil, and inorganic, it is possible that being potted a few weeks ago, that the roots took a dry spell
which could be disastrous. It's really important to not let the new feeder roots dry and mist the foliage often
during the 1st 6 weeks.

What's the composition or make up of your soil mix?

Ran upon your thread searching for diagnostics and fungicides. I have a sergeants juniper in ground with yellowing
but looks different. Best of luck Coach!

Thanks for the reply.
I have not fertilized since repotting. I did not want to fertilize a tree whose roots might be in distress. I have some cakes and a couple of other slow release fertilizers. Should I give it a shot?
The mix is akadama, lava and pumice. Equal parts of each.
it is possible that there was a day or so that they got real dry but what is happening now was happening before. I can water pretty much at will. I have repotted 30-40 trees/plants this spring. In some cases I was super aggressive with the roots (but not in this case) but I have been really careful with aftercare. So far zero losses.

Here is where I am in my thoughts - not enough sun late last summer so the tree weakened and became susceptible to a blight or overwatering and with the right conditions it will bounce back. I was a little encouraged when looking at it yesterday.