Palafr01's p. Densiflora globosa

[palafr01]

Here with a new tree and ready to document its progress.

Purchased it last month and did a light repot before the seasons close. While not the ideal time, I was worried about potential root rot since my area gets significant rain both in early fall and in late winter and I have lost trees during this time.

I also removed the central leader to begin tackling the whorl on the tree and to start opening it up. Everything has gone well but I have noticed that the needles have a very pale film on them reminiscent of powdery mildew on the tree. I have also seen some insects (see pic) that also concern me as well despite their low numbers. I did spray for bugs and fungus when I got the tree initially, but am not sure which I should treat first. I have read that some chemical treatment can effect pine needles, so I am a bit unsure what I am looking at.

 

[palafr01]

Continued.

For clarification I used copper fungicide for the fungal treatment and an insecticidal soap containing potassium salts for the bugs. Both were/are sprays. I do have neem oil that i could use to treat both potential problems. The reasoning for my initial sprays was due to the presence of yellowing 2/3 yr needles (not sure which) that had the bugs. There went many of these needles, but I decided to play it safe and treat for both.


Light repot = 0.5-1 inch combing of roots on sides and removal of 1-2 inches off the bottom

Long story short, What's your opinion of the fuzz on the needles? Is it powdery mildew, a residue left by those bugs, or a decoloration caused by my spraying?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Cuticle wax.

 

[palafr01]

Update: The tree survived the winter but it has not had an especially good year. The photos below are about 10 days old now but they show what I believe to be a watering issue. Since I really didn't change much of the old soil I believe the soil hasn't been completely drying out in between waterings /rain. To combat this I have watered it less and it seems to have worked. I don't have the pics yet, but the candles seem to be extending at last. Given its weak response, I plan to keep it sheltered in an unheated garage for the upcoming winter to prevent future root issues. If all goes well I may consider a more thorough repot next year.

 

[palafr01]

As an aside, has anyone else encountered stalled growth like this? If so how long generally did it take for your tree(s) take to rebound?

For context: Most of my pines had started pushing growth back in April and finished leafing out by mid to late May so this tree about 2 full months behind.