Spider mites?

[drew33998]

I'm wondering if this is spider mites. I doubt it since I just sprayed these with bonide 2 weeks ago. I fertilized them last month and they were wired and repotted this spring. They are in full sun most all day and we have been having very hot weather. Kishu shimpaku cuttings from Marc Comstock Any ideas?

 

[Saddler]

I doubt its spider mites. To make sure, put a piece of paper under the foliage and give it a shake. If anything that falls on the paper is moving, it could be spider mites. I think the tree is just dropping a branch it doesn't want. It happens to me regularly. It could have been damaged and died. Time to go Sherlock and look for what happened. Good luck Holmes!

 

[sorce]

That wire didn't knock it broke?

Looks knocked broke.

Looks like The wires fault.

Sorce

 

[StoneCloud]

Every time I wire a juniper I do this to some little branch.

Better than spider mites tho

That feeling when u bump a branch too hard and you're like "damn now I gotta wait and see if I killed it"

 

[Dav4]

Don't rule out mites yet.., it's that time of year. Keep checking for them weekly.

 

[sorce]

Daily.

Sorce

 

[Paradox]

doubt its spider mites because they usually dont isolate to one branch.
checking for them though in hot weather is always a good idea

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Yours is a broken branch.
Here is what spider mite damage looks like...squeemish folks, avert your gaze...

This was 3 years ago, and the tree is fine now, BTW.

 

[StoneCloud]

@Brian Van Fleet Thanks for sharing. Did the branches survive or were those lost as well on that tree?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

@Brian Van Fleet Thanks for sharing. Did the branches survive or were those lost as well on that tree?

Lost lots of foliage, but enough hung on that I didn't lose any important branches. But the tree was greatly weakened and is still not back to "strong". Here is a link to the tragic event:
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2017/04/15/shimpaku-styling-4/
I think this year will be much better; the growth is really good so far. This is a photo from about a month ago.

 

[StoneCloud]

Lost lots of foliage, but enough hung on that I didn't lose any important branches. But the tree was greatly weakened and is still not back to "strong". Here is a link to the tragic event:
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2017/04/15/shimpaku-styling-4/
I think this year will be much better; the growth is really good so far. This is a photo from about a month ago.
View attachment 145438

Damn, sorry to hear but at least it made it! The last two times they got to some of my junipers I lost the trees, its good to know the branches can make it. I have a never ending battle with them. They come in from my neighbor's horribly maintained trees (yard trees). I do have them fairly under control so far this spring though it's a daily task.

 

[Dav4]

They hit all my junipers every year. The tell tale sign is a general dulling of the overall foliage color, and it can be just one branch, a group of branches, or the entire canopy. The problem is that, once the foliage is visibly affected, that portion of the tree has been weakened severely. I've had trees like Brian's that have lost significant portions of their canopy, and I've lost a few entirely. That's why I recommend checking for them on a weekly basis. I've used many different remedies, but my latest attempt seems to be working better then the others by a mile... expensive but worth it if you keep lots of junipers.
http://www.pestrong.com/1344-sultan-miticide-16-oz.html

 

[StoneCloud]

@Dav4 Thanks for the recommendation. I'm going to look into this. My junipers currently have a yearly systemic, misting (more like light spray) a few times a day, and insecticidal soap every few weeks. It's been working but I feel like something is still holding em back......

 

[chicago1980]

Wired and repotted in the same season? I thought that was a bit much for a Juniper?

 

[discusmike]

Brian,was wondering what your treatment was for this tree?im surprised it survived having first hand experience with these pest.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

They hit all my junipers every year. The tell tale sign is a general dulling of the overall foliage color, and it can be just one branch, a group of branches, or the entire canopy. The problem is that, once the foliage is visibly affected, that portion of the tree has been weakened severely. I've had trees like Brian's that have lost significant portions of their canopy, and I've lost a few entirely. That's why I recommend checking for them on a weekly basis. I've used many different remedies, but my latest attempt seems to be working better then the others by a mile... expensive but worth it if you keep lots of junipers.
http://www.pestrong.com/1344-sultan-miticide-16-oz.html

I have some Avid, which knocks mites out right now. MRB was over last year and said the stuff was super toxic, like suit up and respirator toxic. Like cancer in 10 years toxic. So I haven used it lately. Sultan looks a bit less nuclear.

 

[Dav4]

Wired and repotted in the same season? I thought that was a bit much for a Juniper?

This one was wired out over the fall/winter and re-potted this spring. I've had this tree for 12-13 years and it's been healthy and growing well, which is the key for evaluating how much work can/should be done to an individual tree.

 

[Dav4]

I have some Avid, which knocks mites out right now. MRB was over last year and said the stuff was super toxic, like suit up and respirator toxic. Like cancer in 10 years toxic. So I haven used it lately. Sultan looks a bit less nuclear.

Yeah, it seems to be pretty safe, actually, and really does work.

 

[drew33998]

I think it is mites because on almost all of the plants I have 1 or 2 little branches that look like yours brian. My other older shimps don't look to be bothered.