Pine Fungal and Bordeaux Mixture.

[Dreamcast]

Hello,

I have 2 big scots pine that i collected early this spring, both are growing and show no sign of stress since collected, except for what looks to be "Needle blight", "Brown Spot Disease" or "Needle cast" or a combo of some, or all 3...

Also my Eastern White Pine has the same thing, but much more of it, it has been very rainy and lots of cloudy days the last months, so pretty sure its fungal problem on all 3 pines.

They are all planted in well draining substrate, and in pots with many drilled holes on the sides, i pick of as many of the sick and dead needles as i can, and try to keep the moisture around them to a minimum.

But the problem has not stopped, so i need to spray something on them to help things along i think, and since i cant find Daconil or Mancozeb where i live (Sweden) i think Bordeaux Mixture is my only option, i have bought the right Lime and Copper Sulfate, but i find so many recipes that i get confused, can someone here tell me the best recipe for pines, and how to mix it?

Also will my trees and everything around them turn blue after spraying the mixture?

Here are some blurry phone photos, first 2 are of the EWP and the rest of the scots pine's.

 

[Dreamcast]

The whole trees if someone want to see

 

[Bill S]

Have all 3 had root work this spring?

 

[Dreamcast]

Hi Bill, thanks for replying

The 2 scots pine where collected from a cliff early this spring.
The one on the second photo i had to cut some very long thick roots on site since they where going down a crack in the cliff, then i just washed of alittle of the compact soil and losen the rootball alittle before planting into its pot with well draining substrate.

The one in the third photo had only one big taproot cut on site, and then like the other one washed some compact soil and losen the rootball, its growing very well now, best of the two.

The EWP was bought before winter from a plant school nearby for next to nothing since it was neglected and almost totally dried out, just washed it alittle and planted it in its new pot and substrate, i just took the chance hoping for the best since i always wanted a EWP and it was almost for free.

Did i do anything wrong that may have caused this (what it is) ?

And what do you recommend i do from now on?

I may also add that they all where submerged in a superthrive bath for some hours after i repoted them...

 

[Bill S]

Kind of joking kind of not, but Nick Lenz talks about superthrive not being a good thing for pines??????????????????

I have a jbp that looks similar to your yellowed up one and I did a pot up from a nursery can to bonsai pot, and the whole needle has yellowed on some shoots, I think it's shock from the potting, as it was fine before that. I have some that have some needle cast as well but that is a separate thing. I would try to have it looked at by a nursery before going overboard with fungicides, although some spraying after wet periods is common.

 

[mcpesq817]

I may also add that they all where submerged in a superthrive bath for some hours after i repoted them...

I could be mistaken, but I thought I heard that it was recommended not to use superthrive on pines as it will kill the beneficial mycorrhiza.

 

[Dreamcast]

Thanks Bill and Mcpesq817, then no more superthrive for my pines! i feel stupid to say the least...

So maybe superthrive can have caused this condition that looks like fungal style disease (needle cast, needle blight, brown spot disease)

So what do you guys recommend i do now, just wait and see?

Should i maybe go out to the place where i got them and collect some of the soil to reintroduce mycorrhiza that may have been killed by the superthrive bath?

Shall i spray with bordeaux mixture just to be of the safe side since its been very wet lately?

Would still like to know if anyone have experience with this mixture, recipe, how to mix it and more, also if it turns everything its sprayed on blue....

 

[tom tynan]

Although I see brown tips on my Ponderosa Pines from time to time - I tend to think that brown tips and dying needles are more the result of root work than a severe fungal attack. Cutting of roots on collected pines causes branches to die and the first sign is browning needles. Occassionally I see some scale on select needles and wooly aphids as well. The best treatement is to hope you have a enough fine roots collected to get the tree over the hump. If the tree opens and extends buds/candles that is a good sign. It may not this year depending on when you collected the trees. Well draining soil and good sunny location will also help. Pines do not really like shade.....good luck...Tom

ps. I see some of your trees have extended candles - these should open soon and that will be a positive sign.....Tom