Possible needle cast

dkraft81

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I'm wondering if my ponderosa has needle cast? I noticed it on one branch last week, now im seeing more and more branches with needles looking like the pictures below. If it is needle cast, is the best method to deal with it just spraying with daconil? I read three treatments in three week intervals. It also said wait until may? Thanks for the help.
 

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Dav4

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I'm definitely seeing the classic yellow stripe across some of the needles, so I do think you have needle cast. An appropriate fungicide like copper sprayed every few weeks during the spring will help...getting rid of the affected needles is also a good idea. I'm seeing that some of the needles also have entire ends that have browned. This can be secondary to the cast, or it might indicate a root problem. Make sure your soil mix fast draining and inorganic. I suspect that soil particles on the larger side are the way to go, though someone else might confirm this. Good luck with the tree.
 

dkraft81

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Thanks the tree was collected last spring and was planted in 100% pumice. I will start treating it and get the affect needles off. On the plus side I am seeing the buds moving already and they are plentiful.
 

youngsai

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I thought I saw a white shell in your first picture like the kind my scots pine had, I thought it was a type of scale. It gave me the same type of yellow spots after they sucked down the sap on a part of a leaf but didn't kill it, Do you see other white shells like that?
 

Eric Group

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I am no expert on needle cast, but I have a couple JBP that have what I guess is a mild case of it, and the needles look a little like that. Discoloration/ yellow splotches on old needles, some have the rings on them close to the end of the needles... It is a likely candidate.

It appears to be a mild case on mine I say because the trees sure are healthy! Both are pushing massive numbers of new buds... It is funny though- planted in the ground right next to each other and one has new candles developing that are probably 3 inches +... MASSIVE for this early in the Spring, and the larger one next to it hasn't got a candle much over an inch on the entire tree... Guess they are slightly different varieties... Sorry for the aside-

Yes. Bet Needle cast is a good bet, or some type of fungus- copper is good for control I am told, but you have to go nuclear to get RID of it... I forget what the stuff was called- something with numbers... 636...??? Maybe someone who knows can chime in...
 

dkraft81

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I thought I saw a white shell in your first picture like the kind my scots pine had, I thought it was a type of scale. It gave me the same type of yellow spots after they sucked down the sap on a part of a leaf but didn't kill it, Do you see other white shells like that?

I will take a closer look tomorrow.
 

jkd2572

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I have a white pine grafted on black that has browning needles on last years needles. I have been spraying with fungicide. It's never done this. Just to make sure it was not a root problem I also slip potted it into a larger container surrounding the rootball with pure pumice. I'm pretty worried about it, but it's pushing candles so I have hope. It's on my list of 10 of my favorite trees out of 40. :(
 

0soyoung

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