New shimpaku, with fungus and mites. Need help

[s2kMark]

Not to scare you but those bulges on the trunk look bit like a symptom of pear rust... You'll get the suspicion confirmed or invalidated in spring when wet weather comes: look for orange slimey stuff (search Google pictures for "pear rust on juniper"). Hope I'm wrong.

Update: there is significantly less algae on the bark, and the black fuzz on the foliage is beginning to go away. I'm noticing piney foliage which I suspect is new given that most of the foliage is scaley. Some bark appears to be peeling where the algae was heaviest, but it might just be the algae flaking off. I still see the bugs move around when I apply white vinegar to the bark.

R3x, I had read about pear rust in the passed and was really worried about it, but it never seemed to ooze. I didn't know if those protruding bulges where branches that were cut stubby or not. I played with some and they seemed to be just weak wood material.

How can I confirm if its pear rust, and what can I do about it? I ordered tools online and was planning to use a concave cutter to remove the thinner bulges that look like tiny branches.

 

[s2kMark]

Ok, did some searching on treating pear rust.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=236

The royal horticultural society recommends the Bayer Fungus Fighter line and similar products.

http://lanohanurseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/OrnamentalPearRustFungus.pdf

The second source recommends mancozeb along with two other fungicides.

So, I'm about to order some mancozeb, and am considering using the concave cutter and cutting paste for a holistic approach.

Any thoughts?

 

[R3x]

Update: there is significantly less algae on the bark, and the black fuzz on the foliage is beginning to go away. I'm noticing piney foliage which I suspect is new given that most of the foliage is scaley. Some bark appears to be peeling where the algae was heaviest, but it might just be the algae flaking off. I still see the bugs move around when I apply white vinegar to the bark.

R3x, I had read about pear rust in the passed and was really worried about it, but it never seemed to ooze. I didn't know if those protruding bulges where branches that were cut stubby or not. I played with some and they seemed to be just weak wood material.

How can I confirm if its pear rust, and what can I do about it? I ordered tools online and was planning to use a concave cutter to remove the thinner bulges that look like tiny branches.

You confirm in spring when rainy season starts. When that orange slimey goo appears you can be positive it is pear (or other kind - cedar for example) rust.

 

[R3x]

Ok, did some searching on treating pear rust.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=236

The royal horticultural society recommends the Bayer Fungus Fighter line and similar products.

http://lanohanurseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/OrnamentalPearRustFungus.pdf

The second source recommends mancozeb along with two other fungicides.

So, I'm about to order some mancozeb, and am considering using the concave cutter and cutting paste for a holistic approach.

Any thoughts?

AFAIK there is no real cure for pear rust. If you have no pears in your garden and there are no pears in the vicinity of few kilometers there is no need to do anything. In spring when spores appear on junipers they get blown away by wind and need pear tree to continue its lifecycle (on leaves - usually quite harmless to the pear tree itself). Then in autumn other kind of spores are disseminated that infect junipers. Then in spring again the whole cycle repeats...

 

[augustine]

There was some discussion on mites and effective insecticides. Imidacloprid will not work on spider mites. I've never tried Sevin but will do so in the future. (I try to minimize use of imidicloprid because it is supposed to hurt the bees, but I am not writing to debate this.)

Other inexpensive solutions for spider mites are an oil spray whether it be neem or horticultural oil and insecticidal soaps. (But as stated do not use oil in the heat and definitely not in sunlight.)

There are specific miticides but they are very expensive.

 

[Paradox]

There was some discussion on mites and effective insecticides. Imidacloprid will not work on spider mites. I've never tried Sevin but will do so in the future. (I try to minimize use of imidicloprid because it is supposed to hurt the bees, but I am not writing to debate this.)

Other inexpensive solutions for spider mites are an oil spray whether it be neem or horticultural oil and insecticidal soaps. (But as stated do not use oil in the heat and definitely not in sunlight.)

There are specific miticides but they are very expensive.

Sevin works. I've used it for mites in the past.

 

[s2kMark]

Update:

So I figured out what the black moldy stuff on the foliage is. It's algae. I have been applying white vinegar with a brush to the trunk every couple of days and its clearing up.

Additionally, I had to keep the plant indoors during the hurricane and didn't water it for a few days. It didn't like that too much. I also applied white vinegar to the algae on the foliage only once.

So, there is new foliage at the tips growing green, but the inner foliage has been going brown. My guess was that the plant was underwatered. I am watering the soil every 2-3 days, but not so much that it comes out of the drain hole. I also starting misting the foliage at least twice a day since last weekend, after I noticed how dry the foliage is to the touch. It's getting better in terms of how the foliage feels.

As for the algae, there is less of it on the foliage. I have been using a tooth pick to remove algae from the heavier areas, and I can see thats its actually green when I do this. Also, I noticed that whitish-clear flakes have starting coming off the foliage. I think it may be related to the vinegar treatment or the algae drying and falling off.

I found a dead spider looking guy in the foliage last night. Very small, had some red to it. I also find strings of what looks like webbing, but it could even be lint. I applied some Sevin last night after about two weeks since the last spray. I haven't sprayed any fungicide for about the same amount of time, but I have received a bottle of mancozeb concentrate, maybe for later use. (Btw, one use of copper fungicide on my adeniums got rid of the rust disease no problem).

Any thoughts? The algae problem is getting better but now I have the browning leaves to tackle. My guess is the underwatering . . . .

 

[GrimLore]

My guess is the underwatering . . . .

Spot on... If the substrate drains through quickly water it at least once a day, twice here and keep it in direct sun with good air movement.

Grimmy

 

[s2kMark]

Update:

The leaves went from brittle to feeling soft again, as if proper moisture has returned. All the leaves are brown despite this. Also, I scratched a piece of bark with my finger and its red still.

I know not to expect an immediate return to green, and im not giving up just yet. I noticed the soil is a bit clumpy. It retained a lot of moisture from a watering two days ago. I attribute this to a rainy day with no sun yesterday so I haven't rewatered yet.

So, I ordered some bonsai soil from repotme.com which has an amazing selection of orchid mixes, and they will do custom mixes too.

I'm considering a repotting as a form of life support. Is this advisable? I've seen suggesting this.

Also, the plant was indoors a few days during the hurricane with improper light. Cluld the plant have been tricked into dormancy?

 

[sorce]

I'm considering a repotting as a form of life support. Is this advisable? I've seen suggesting this.

You can Probly get away with it down there in this season....
But not likely with this tree.

I am watering the soil every 2-3 days, but not so much that it comes out of the drain hole.

This method of watering will bring troubles.

If water isn't, hell, even if water IS pouring out the drain holes....
The entire root mass and soil may not get wet.

I have a blue rug juniper that I fuck rooted last year...
I put it in small DE soil, which is to small so it stays wet, so I only hit it every couple days as I don't care about it.
Only since beginning to water the shit out of it has it started growing again.

I have nursery J's that would REQUIRE dunk watering if I gave a shit about keeping all the roots.

And upon recent observations of fall water usage in Junipers...
Get this...junipers which...
"Like to be on the drier side"

That's fucking bullshit!
I killed near 30 procumbens Nanas underwatering.

I Must water my Junipers twice a day right now.

Everything else....pine,elm, everything....
Could go a day without water....
But I water them anyway.

Water more....

Much much much much much much more!

Sorce

 

[s2kMark]

Ok, so I believe its time to call the time of death. I found a mushroom growing in the soil.

I'm thinking of defoliating it completely and finding a way to preserve the trunk for whatever use I can think of. Maybe I can just leave it as a deadtree, and replace the soil with black sand. Any tips?

On a side note, I bought a mame-sized juniper in a cascade style for $20 from a new bonsai store I found. Its potted in lava rock mixed with another type of rock that is supposed to help with growth (I forgot what it's called). Hopefully this guy makes it, lol.

Again, thank you all for the tips. It was a great learning experience.

 

[defra]

Hmmm i got mushrooms in some of my pots too to me it means good soil!

Also agree with @sorce my trees seem to drink even more than in summer 0.o