Least Favorite Part ( Pest and Disease )

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Hi All,

Have been a bit of a Nervous Nelly as of recent. Dealing with pests and diseases has got to be my least favorite and least knowledgeable subject regarding horticulture. It would be great to establish this thread as a catalogue for all pests and disease issues and identification.

Here's my most recent potentially overreaction to things I have noticed on a somewhat sad looking JBP;

Recently the needles have began to drop and have what looks to be some needle casting. Will be spraying with a copper based fungicide today to began controlling the issue. After a closer inspection and reading recently an article about bores, I noticed a clump of sap and some blue-ish discoloration on the trunk in 2 places. Bores, I have read, typically carry the blue stain fungus and a usual indication that there is a bore is when there noticeable clump of sap. The pictures show sap leaking for this potential area and a blue looking substance on the trunk.

I'd like to open the floor to the forum...
 

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sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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Argh Bump.

Graft? I'd try to get it on its own roots.

Bugs....?

Sorce
 

0soyoung

Imperial Masterpiece
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Bohne posted a logic tree for diagnosing pine problems, based on the appearance of the needles. It is still the most useful single post ever.

You don't, however, mention anything about your tree's foliage, but the bits I can see in the photo look healthy. All the instances of pine borer I can recall reported in bonsai forums indicated borers were in foliated stems or spring candles. This isn't to say they won't bore into the trunk of a sapling, but it ould seem to be less likely.

Were it my tree, I would try to gently work off one of those areas of blue-ish stuff to better see whats going on. I notice in one view that there is a bulge high up like I would associate with a high graft or the affects of a wire tourniquette. Appearances are that you recently removed wire from this part of the trunk. Might this just be the result of a little wiring damage?
 
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Osoyoung, very good catch. I removed annealed copper wire last fall. Never realized that copper would discolor the wood though. The bulge was from wire cutting in a little before removal. I purchased this from Julian Adams at the Potomac Bonsai Festival 1 year ago. Here's link to his website, http://www.adamsbonsai.com/adamsbonsi2013_011.htm . He has great material and all of this black pines are from seed.

The foliage I mentioned in a previous post a few days before, so here's a picture of that below.
 

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iant

Chumono
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I think you're right that the needles may have some very early needle cast.
The bluish white stuff at the bottom trunk could be dried sap.
With borer's in JBP I've seen a little hole that just won't stop dripping a little sap. Follow the hole and you'll find your little bugger. If you don't have a bb sized hole that's dripping sap you're probably okay.
I have to admit it was hard to get past the reverse taper bulge in looking at this tree. Kindof like standing in front of Salma Hayek and trying to discuss her hair color.
The good thing is that this trunk is still small so you should be able to grow through it.
Ian
 
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Rimshot! haha! Iant, that was beautifully put. Thanks for the input on borer's! There is a very small spot where the sap is leaking (way less then a bb), so I'm going to sleep ok tonight.

I think the reverse taper will subside in time. It's still a very young tree and maybe in 4 years it will actually sees it's first legit pot. The wire had cut in a little more in that one particular area then expected, but I think it will mellow out in a few years. Hopefully the colander will help fatten the trunk a little. I'm looking for roughly twice the size, which for a tree this size should not take too too long.

Thanks again for the input. Once I've calmed down from this ordeal I'm sure I'll be blast posting another disease I.D and freaking out that all my trees are dying.
 
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