Needle tips yellow on new growth on conifers

[Shogun610]

I hate to be the guy and ask if this is normal, but I only water every 2 days in fall so far and I watered with mist and fish emulsion fertilizer last night on foliage too.. It rained as well. Am I perhaps over watering, or is this normal for time of year. The needle tips on my pines and elongated species are yellow. Wondering if this is fungal … they are in pumice substrate or a substrate with pumice , lava , akadama of 2:1:1

Im careful about how I water, but could just one time have this negative impact , could it have been too much organic fertilizer.. I know ther is a diagnostic flow chart , and all I can think of is fertilizer burn or over watering or not to spray foliage w fertilizer cause I saw reside left over after evaporation

 

[Shogun610]

Sorry bumping cause I’d like advic

 

[TomB]

Yellow tips is often due to too much water. Water when they need it, not on a schedule. At this time of year they won't need much. I don't think I've watered my conifers for a couple of weeks, and I think my climate is a little warmer than yours.

 

[Shogun610]

Yellow tips is often due to too much water. Water when they need it, not on a schedule. At this time of year they won't need much. I don't think I've watered my conifers for a couple of weeks, and I think my climate is a little warmer than yours.

Yeah … I watered yesterday after two days around 75 as a high… and then w my luck it rained when I didn’t even see it on the weather report… and I do check soil and they looked dry cause the soil mix is inorganic .. but guess I was wrong

 

[TomB]

It's not a one-off thing though. A single watering won't make any difference. The soil surface in the round blue pot shows evidence of being too wet over a long period. Not criticising you, just pointing to a possible cause for your issues.

 

[Shogun610]

It's not a one-off thing though. A single watering won't make any difference. The soil surface in the round blue pot shows evidence of being too wet over a long period. Not criticising you, just pointing to a possible cause for your issues.

Hmm always thought that was just moss since I top dressed it w moss fines… is this a downward slope or correctable. I tilted all my pots

 

[Bonsai Nut]

too much organic fertilizer...

I was about to ask this very question. How much organic fertilizer are you using?

 

[Shogun610]

I was about to ask this very question. How much organic fertilizer are you using?

Fish hydrolysate once a week 2% nitrogen , 4 % P2O5 , 1% K2O

 

[Bonsai Nut]

It looks a little like fertilizer burn... but you are using really weak organic fertilizer. As long as you aren't mounding it on, I wouldn't think it would be a problem. Also, try to fertilize as far from the trunk as you can. Sometimes there are fine roots at the surface right by the base of the trunk, and if you pile the fertilizer right there, you may experience root burn even if the fertilizer, in aggregate, isn't too much.

 

[Shogun610]

It looks a little like fertilizer burn... but you are using really weak organic fertilizer. As long as you aren't mounding it on, I wouldn't think it would be a problem. Also, try to fertilize as far from the trunk as you can. Sometimes there are fine roots at the surface right by the base of the trunk, and if you pile the fertilizer right there, you may experience root burn even if the fertilizer, in aggregate, isn't too much.

It’s mixed w a pressurized sprayer and it’s misted around the trees. But I’ll admit sometimes I remember concentrated shot in one area … or using too much in my dilution. I’ll back off the fertilizer and water, since it’s cooler .. all the pines, firs and spruce have been tilted up .. it’s going to rain on and off next few days so I’m not watering obviously. I’ll admit this is the most challenging part for me is timing.
I check under the pots for moisture , and if no soil fines are touching my finger I water especially if dry… but it’s fall now so it’s difficult to time or even determine if water is needed. The terminal and internal buds on them are all set and fat. Thanks for the input just hope that I’m not going to kill them.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

It comes with time and experience. I looked at your first photo and immediately thought overwater and overfertilize. Why? Because you have algae growing on your soil particles. Algae won't grow if you allow the top layer of soil to dry out before you re-water, and the health of your moss is an indicator of excess salts in the soil. You don't say what your source water is. Well or city? Have you had it tested and do you know pH and hardness? It is always a dance with bonsai - rain water versus well water, fertilize versus not.

 

[Shogun610]

It comes with time and experience. I looked at your first photo and immediately thought overwater and overfertilize. Why? Because you have algae growing on your soil particles. Algae won't grow if you allow the top layer of soil to dry out before you re-water, and the health of your moss is an indicator of excess salts in the soil. You don't say what your source water is. Well or city? Have you had it tested and do you know pH and hardness? It is always a dance with bonsai - rain water versus well water, fertilize versus not.

Between pH 6.5-7 from a mountain spring. I do not know what the hardness is but the town next to mine provides there it’s a similar spring source
Calcium Hardness: 80.4 mg/L
Iron: 0.03 mg/L
Sodium: 1.9 mg/L
Manganese: 0.01 mg/L
Chloride: 12 mg/L
Sulfate: 10 mg/L
Alkalinity: 136 mg/L

 

[Forsoothe!]

I don't fert after Aug 1st. That which is not being used is being accumulated. Only fruiting trees bearing fruit need more P than N in any part of the growing season. I try to taper-off watering in autumn and by Oct 1st I only water lightly on the 3rd day without rain. Outside of these 4 items, I don't see any problems.

 

[Shogun610]

It comes with time and experience. I looked at your first photo and immediately thought overwater and overfertilize. Why? Because you have algae growing on your soil particles. Algae won't grow if you allow the top layer of soil to dry out before you re-water, and the health of your moss is an indicator of excess salts in the soil. You don't say what your source water is. Well or city? Have you had it tested and do you know pH and hardness? It is always a dance with bonsai - rain water versus well water, fertilize versus not.

Chance they’ll still make it ?

 

[Shogun610]

I don't fert after Aug 1st. That which is not being used is being accumulated. Only fruiting trees bearing fruit need more P than N in any part of the growing season. I try to taper-off watering in autumn and by Oct 1st I only water lightly on the 3rd day without rain. Outside of these 4 items, I don't see any problems.

So basically reduce watering and no mor fertilizer, And it should bounce needles back or at least prevent from worsening ?

 

[Forsoothe!]

You won't see any change this year. The damage is done. I can't guess what next year will bring.

 

[Shogun610]

You won't see any change this year. The damage is done. I can't guess what next year will bring.

Right but from what you can see , is it a prelude to severe foliage loss or death of plant. It doesn’t seem as extensive like other examples I’ve looked up for over watering / fertilizing

 

[Forsoothe!]

Only someone with SPF expertise can tell you that, not me.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I think you're on time with the diagnostics and tackling of the issue.
So with the right adjustments, they're going to be fine.

I did notice some needle cast on the pines. Nothing to worry about now, but something to think about in spring to treat pro actively.