Rescuing a Dying Cork Bark Pine

[junmilo]

Hi All,

Some of you guys/gals may have read my other post about my Cork Bark JBP issue. So it's middle of the summer now.

The Candles are continuously pushing out. However, last years needle and the year before are all solid brown now.

So the only green needle i have on the tree are the new ones that are pushing out.

Any suggestions that I can save it?

Thanks

 

[Dav4]

Full sun, judicious fertilizing, and don't overwater...there's no magic bullet to save ailing plants, just good horticultural practice and time.

 

[Paradox]

Full sun, judicious fertilizing, and don't overwater...there's no magic bullet to save ailing plants, just good horticultural practice and time.

This and dont do any pruning, candle cutting or bud pinching this year.
The tree is weak. You do anything to it other than what Dave mentioned and you could finish it off.

 

[junmilo]

Can i cut off or remove the dead needles? so that the new needles that's pushing out can get sun and not being blocked by the dead needles?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Cut them off with scissors, do not move it around, and follow Dave's advice. New growth is a positive sign; don't remove anything green this year. Take photos so you can share a success story with us in a year or two!

 

[bonsaibp]

I would remove the dead needles.

 

[junmilo]

My concern is how to over winter it?

 

[Paradox]

My concern is how to over winter it?

How did you overwinter it last year (if you had it then)?

An unheated garage or shed should be fine. My JBP wintered in my garage last year with no problems.
Youll still need to check on them and water when they need it which will be much less than in the growing season.

 

[junmilo]

I over wintered it in my garage last year...actually all the pines I over wintered in the garage last year either are dead or in a bad shape that are like this cork bark...only new needles pushing out and all the old needles dead...

The Japanese red pine and white pine I over wintered in the ground last year all survived and healthy...

 

[0soyoung]

I over wintered it in my garage last year...actually all the pines I over wintered in the garage last year either are dead or in a bad shape that are like this cork bark...only new needles pushing out and all the old needles dead...

The Japanese red pine and white pine I over wintered in the ground last year all survived and healthy...

I cannot help but infer that you didn't water the pines in the garage. Am I right?

 

[Judge]

DO NOT OVER FERTILIZE give them a little each watering.

 

[junmilo]

I cannot help but infer that you didn't water the pines in the garage. Am I right?

Well, yes and no...I do go check and the top soil were moist. So I did not water.

 

[Eric Group]

I over wintered it in my garage last year...actually all the pines I over wintered in the garage last year either are dead or in a bad shape that are like this cork bark...only new needles pushing out and all the old needles dead...

The Japanese red pine and white pine I over wintered in the ground last year all survived and healthy...

Pines should be very cold hardy- in the ground, I doubt you would have much issue even in Canada... The roots are about as protected as they could possibly be when in the ground, unless you live in straight up arctic tundra, the ground is about the best insulator possible and the roots are the primary concern. The branches of pines are made to withstand extreme cold quite well, and snow tends to build up on needles which adds some insulation... So, it is no surprise that the trees you have in the ground were fine.
You don't want WET feet or your trees to be soaked all winter... That can lead to root problems, but getting too dry will kill them a LOT faster and a lot more reliably than keeping them too wet. Some trees love being wet all the time, but they ALL love being at least moist most of the time. People have- in my opinion- become far too concerned with the dreaded root rot! Trees need WATER, air, sun and nutrients to live. ESPECIALLY WATTER. Even in the winter you need to be sure they get enough and despite all the freak outs about root rot, I error on the side of OVER watering in my hot climate. If you have soil that drains well, it is very hard to over water to the point of damagi the health of your tree. If you tree is in "mucky" potting soil.. Well then water less obviously, and repot to a little better draining mix the first chance you get (IOW, once the tree has regained some vigor).

 

[sikadelic]

Since we're discussing overwintering in the garage and watering, about how often do they need water? I know they need it "when they need it" but on average, how often can one expect to be watering in an unheated garage when winter comes? My mix is thirds pine bark, turface, and pumice.

This winter will be my first time keeping trees through a real winter in zone 6b.

 

[Dav4]

Japanese Red Pine and Japanese White Pine are extremely cold hardy and should do fine in the Toronto landscape. I'm not so sure about a cork bark Japanese Black Pine. JBP aren't as cold hardy and probably need a fair amount of protection as a potted tree in Toronto, and cork barks are wimpy compared to the species. I think an unheated garage is perfect if you can keep it cold all winter. In my opinion, keeping the soil frozen for as much of the winter as possible is the way to go...I did it with my trees for 10 years.

 

[junmilo]

I am thinking about burying the Cork in the soil this winter. I will be building a cold frame for them as well..so hopefully it will work.

The issue with garage is the temperature sometimes reach above zero...that means the tree may not go fully dormant...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

My buddy in Iowa over winters his trees in a climate-controlled garage, keeping them at a constant 38f or 3c...has for 20 years with good results. If you can do that for your JBP, you'll have healthier trees each spring.

 

[amkhalid]

The issue with garage is the temperature sometimes reach above zero...that means the tree may not go fully dormant...

No it doesn't. As Brian said JBP don't need to freeze to go dormant. I keep my JBP in the garage in winter and it only freezes when it gets like -20C outside. Otherwise they sit between 0-5 Celsius for the majority of winter.. I've never had any health problems with them. Right now my uncut JBP have 12" candles. My cut JBP were candled around June 1st and are pushinf their second flush. I let them see a few hard frosts to make sure they are dormant before garage time. Usually late November.

I'm not sure why you are having these health issues with your trees. As some mentioned it might be a watering issue. Maybe bring them to a Toronto bonsai society meeting to have the soil looked at.

 

[Paradox]

Since we're discussing overwintering in the garage and watering, about how often do they need water? I know they need it "when they need it" but on average, how often can one expect to be watering in an unheated garage when winter comes? My mix is thirds pine bark, turface, and pumice.

This winter will be my first time keeping trees through a real winter in zone 6b.

No one can answer this question for you. It depends on your soil and your climate, how dry your air gets in the winter, how cold, how much precip, where you keep the trees. Lots of variables.

In short, you need to monitor them and water when they need it.

 

[sikadelic]

No one can answer this question for you. It depends on your soil and your climate, how dry your air gets in the winter, how cold, how much precip, where you keep the trees. Lots of variables.

In short, you need to monitor them and water when they need it.

I guess that question was worded poorly. I understand the idea of watering when they need it and I can easily tell when my trees are dry in the summer. Is it that easy in the winter?

For instance, if you use pure inorganics, are you watering weekly give or take a few days...biweekly, etc.?
If you have some organic material mixed in, does it go to monthly, give or take a week or so?

This is very hard to answer but I'm just asking about an estimate.

And sorry for sidetracking the thread.