Shimpaku - What you DON'T want to see after repotting

[Japonicus]

A sudden set back/rapid decline, and now disease, blight, mold IDK.

No doubt all the same thing, just started out showing up as very small tips browning.




Notice the small yellowing and browning tips overall...

Potted up for the 1st time April, 5th this year roughly 3 weeks ago.
Roots looked fine and dandy. No odd odors, nor odd colours or textures.
Weather has been fantastic for a fresh repot save for a lot of shuffling due to the forecasted winds,
but some sunny to mixed clouds to heavy clouds, and rain 8 out of the last 9 days.






There's been no frost on the foliage, and only one or two nights has it frosted outdoors (was misted well and brought into unheated sunroom prior to frost).
I've kept my 5 new repots misted pretty well. Better than ever actually.

 

[sorce]

Looks like pee.

Sorce

 

[bwaynef]

I've never seen that after a repot. If it was growing well before, I'd suspect it will outgrow whatever this is. Looks like you've already removed much of the blighted growth. I'd also recommend cleaning the tree of underperforming foliage. Growth that's hanging downward, within 1/4" of the crotches (and any crotch growth that you KNOW you're not going to use), and any interior growth that's obviously weaker. Don't remove any foliage on the tips.

This might seem counter-intuitive, but will alleviate some issues that could lead to disease, while promoting more air sunlight to reach the interior and preparing the tree for vigorous growth (by leaving the tips and removing the growth that's weak).

As long as you're seeing growing tips, I think your tree's going to be ok.

 

[Japonicus]

I've never seen that after a repot. If it was growing well before, I'd suspect it will outgrow whatever this is. Looks like you've already removed much of the blighted growth. I'd also recommend cleaning the tree of underperforming foliage. Growth that's hanging downward, within 1/4" of the crotches (and any crotch growth that you KNOW you're not going to use), and any interior growth that's obviously weaker. Don't remove any foliage on the tips.

This might seem counter-intuitive, but will alleviate some issues that could lead to disease, while promoting more air sunlight to reach the interior and preparing the tree for vigorous growth (by leaving the tips and removing the growth that's weak).

As long as you're seeing growing tips, I think your tree's going to be ok.

Yup I've begun doing just that, but what you see removed in these pictures are growth tips
for the most part. I will reduce over time (a week maybe) week interior growth. I started at the tips
that were "blighted" but there's more branches that share this black sooty fungus? It has been hit with copper and Daconil
as with my pines that have needle cast. I just hit everything, including deciduous.
So apple trees alternate years with juniper sharing a disease which I find an interesting companion disease.

"Cedar-Apple Rust:

This fungal disease of apple, crabapple and Eastern red cedar is caused by several species of Gymnosporangium. The disease not only affects Juniperus species including Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) but requires another host plant, apple or crabapple, to complete its life cycle. This disease spreads from junipers to the apple and then back to juniper. It can be a severe problem wherever these two are grown together. Eastern red cedar is the most commonly infected juniper.

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/juniper-diseases-insect-pests/ "
Found that interesting but doubt it is culprit. Sooty mold looks a lot like it, but I don't have insects secreting honey dew either.


I have 3 crabapple trees I got last year, 2 landscape. I also have needle cast and cant help but wonder if
junipers can be affected similarly to pines by mutation of the disease.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Never had CAR on a Shimpaku. Even with infected RMJ and hawthorns right next to them. This looks like something else.

 

[bwaynef]

CAR looks like large yellow-orange boogers growing out of the trunks of junipers. This is categorically not CAR.

Those fungicides you listed are great for pines (along with a version of thiophonate methyl of your choosing), but I've had mancozeb recommended as a great all around juniper (and all-around for that matter) fungicide if you are going to attack this with a chemical. (I'd spend more time determining what the actual disease is ...and make sure what you're spraying treats it.) Zerotol would be another I'd look at. (There's a version for the home-owner on Amazon if you're willing to search for active ingredients.)

 

[Japonicus]

Looks like pee.

Sorce

Does look pissy, but really, it has never been in reach of anything but bird poop.
I bought 2 of these 1g at Plant City and potted one of them up.
Looks like I will be waiting till August to pot the other one unless I can find a safe place in ground. Real estate at a premium now.

 

[Japonicus]

Never had CAR on a Shimpaku. Even with infected RMJ and hawthorns right next to them. This looks like something else.

I agree 100%. It was just an oddity I found while researching juniper diseases, sharing the disease back n forth.
I learned something new today, but it didn't help identify the issue.

Bad mojo on this pot maybe? IIRC this pot was the original pot to the 1st JBP I had which has died...from needle cast.
I swear I think something else died in this pot but I really can't remember for sure, and the JBP died in a different pot I believe.

 

[Japonicus]

CAR looks like large yellow-orange boogers growing out of the trunks of junipers. This is categorically not CAR.

Those fungicides you listed are great for pines (along with a version of thiophonate methyl of your choosing), but I've had mancozeb recommended as a great all around juniper (and all-around for that matter) fungicide if you are going to attack this with a chemical. (I'd spend more time determining what the actual disease is ...and make sure what you're spraying treats it.) Zerotol would be another I'd look at. (There's a version for the home-owner on Amazon if you're willing to search for active ingredients.)

Yeh those buggers look like the CV19 pics they've been circulating on the news headliners. Easy diagnosis I would think.
Is there a preferred disease ID website I should be looking at that I haven't found yet?
I've spent a good deal of the evening searching and reading on different websites.

Sooty Mold on your bonsai?

Black leaves on your bonsai plant? Sooty mold is most likely being caused by aphids, scale or mealybugs.

www.bonsaimary.com

I'm going ahead and treat for insects ^ just incase I'm missing something and treat it as sooty mold initially.

 

[hemmy]

I’ve seen something similar on my prostrata. It happened last year on a small branch. I pruned it off never to return (until this year, see below pics). I pruned it off again this year. This one hatched a giant juniper aphid throng, so after reading your post, I’m thinking it could be sooty mold from aphid honeydew.

 

[leatherback]

Interesting read. It is not rust which looks very different.

I have had it on a small branch one spring several years ago. Removed it and placed that side of the tree to the sun for a while. No problems since.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I've had branches turn purple, usually it's due to frost/cold and limb damage (tearing). When the two are combined, the branch usually doesn't survive.
Sooty mold can be caused by aphids, but that would show through a thick black layer at least, and branches tend to turn greyish instead of purple.

I think the blight and repotting might be related. As in, I don't think it's blight because you'd see black spots on the brown tips, but the tips might be brown due to some root damage, or tip damage, during the repot.
I think the limb death is something mechanical. Maybe something snapped while transporting or repotting them. Or back in the nursery, something might've dropped on them.

 

[hemmy]

I’m thinking it could be sooty mold from aphid honeydew.

I recant. Without the influence of IPA, I now remember that if didn’t wash off and had a black oily appearance but was internal to the plant tissue not an external mold/fungus.

 

[River's Edge]

I've never seen that after a repot. If it was growing well before, I'd suspect it will outgrow whatever this is. Looks like you've already removed much of the blighted growth. I'd also recommend cleaning the tree of underperforming foliage. Growth that's hanging downward, within 1/4" of the crotches (and any crotch growth that you KNOW you're not going to use), and any interior growth that's obviously weaker. Don't remove any foliage on the tips.

This might seem counter-intuitive, but will alleviate some issues that could lead to disease, while promoting more air sunlight to reach the interior and preparing the tree for vigorous growth (by leaving the tips and removing the growth that's weak).

As long as you're seeing growing tips, I think your tree's going to be ok.

Inclined to think it is associated with repot and wet weather. I second the concept of removing all affected areas. Disenfecting tools and then thinning foliage to improve air flow throughout the canopy. Retain healthy outer growth and tips but do thin out. Use the left , right one on top routine to thin. Taking off the bottom hanging ones and any gray foliage. Would also allow to dry out between waterings. Perhaps tip pot to ensure no water sitting in bottom of pot. Quite often Juniper issues begin with too wet conditions and spiral from that point. Junipers can also be root dependant more than other species. Causing specific problems when certain roots are eliminated or cut back significantly.
I have found that dealing back on the watering or protecting from excess rain and improving airflow can make more of a difference than a lot of chemicals.
If you do need one then I would recommend mancozeb or Bonide Infuse!

 

[bwaynef]

If you do need one then I would recommend mancozeb or Bonide Infuse!

Infuse Granular is thiophonate methyl. Infuse Liquid is Propiconazole. From a quick comparison of diseases/conditions treated, the granular seems to treat more issues affecting trees. (There *is* considerable overlap though.)

 

[River's Edge]

Infuse Granular is thiophonate methyl. Infuse Liquid is Propiconazole. From a quick comparison of diseases/conditions treated, the granular seems to treat more issues affecting trees. (There *is* considerable overlap though.)

Agreed the granular is the formulation I have used and recommend! I should have specified.

 

[Japonicus]

Interesting read. It is not rust which looks very different.

I have had it on a small branch one spring several years ago. Removed it and placed that side of the tree to the sun for a while. No problems since.

I should not have shared my new learn. I just found the characteristics of CAR so unique
that I had to share my learn in or out of amazement. Pretty amazing to me how the two different species alternate years to fruition.

I recant. Without the influence of IPA, I now remember that if didn’t wash off and had a black oily appearance but was internal to the plant tissue not an external mold/fungus.

IPA?

I’ve seen something similar on my prostrata.

Your picture is so similar to what I'm experiencing.
It all started maybe a week 10 days after repot, and just yellow then brown ends but sparsely.
FFWD another week, and the tips are accelerating the decline, but keeping decent green growth on the interior mostly.
At this time too, two weeks in, the branch began to add an off colour to it but not sure I'm seeing purple. Perhaps it was more a gray.
Definitely not frost burn.

Causing specific problems when certain roots are eliminated or cut back significantly.

Perhaps a "Bingo!" moment there, but perhaps not. I did remove at the least, 50% of the roots.
I would rather expect browning and limb death from that injurious insult, not black, but I could be wrong.

Inclined to think it is associated with repot and wet weather.

I agree, but will still treat for insects.
I'm working on thinning it some, but that FFW's me at least 1 year, something I wasn't prepared for. Normally keep thick 1st year.

Infuse Granular is thiophonate methyl. Infuse Liquid is Propiconazole. From a quick comparison of diseases/conditions treated, the granular seems to treat more issues affecting trees. (There *is* considerable overlap though.)

This reads currently unavailable, but I ordered it Thursday and was available then. Says it will be here ~May 10th.
My Phyton27 is old and have ordered an replacement from Phyton Corp ~$10 less than Amazon.
I'm working on...

 

[River's Edge]

not black, but I could be wrong

agreed I suspect the black to be more associated with moisture and lack of air movement!

 

[River's Edge]

I'm working on thinning it some

Looks much more open, should improve the outcome if you are not dealing with a weird fungal issue.

 

[Japonicus]

Looks much more open, should improve the outcome if you are not dealing with a weird fungal issue.

A little maybe, thanks Frank. I be treating for fungal and insects nonetheless.
I plan to work on the structure of the foliage some over the week ahead
but like I say, I normally wait till the following year. Never had this happen before.
I've been questioned on my torquing the anchor wires (why so much torque?) and right now
it is paying off as I dig through the thick foliage. Sure I could have thinned it some right out of Winter
in anticipation of this, prior to potting up, but I've never had such an occurrence.
I suppose over torquing could also exacerbate over root pruning too...

Thing is though, you hear @sorce preach rain and wane, others, potting up in a rainy season helps
to establish a juniper better than if dry, so we also mist every time you walk by it after repotting, and the list goes on.
Rained some this morning, so 9 of last 10 days or 10 of 11, and we add onto that more for tomorrow.
I want it outside for what UV it can soak up, that's why we leave the wild runners and why I get bushy growth
the year prior to repotting a specific tree. If I keep it out of the rain, it will miss even more Sunlight it has missed
doing the shuffle to the Sunroom to avoid the winds post potting. Ugh!!!!! Sorry, rant over LOL.
I will dodge tomorrows rains shuffling, but the rest of the week? Depends on the wind forecast.
Thanks again for the helps Frank!