Wonky needles on JBP candles

[Drew]

Any ideas what would be causing this on my Japanese Black Pine? just noticed it the other day, its effected a fair few candles over the tree. I have seen a wonky needle here and there in the past but this is new to be... any ideas what this is? is it some sort of fungus maybe?
:

 

[MrWunderful]

I get a few a year across all my pines, it always felt like they were stunted because the sheath didnt release 100%. I personally havent seen that many in one spot. Is the tree healthy overall?

 

[Adair M]

You didn’t perchance try using Roundup to paint the weeds in the pot did you?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

It seems to be the sheaths, if you cut those open they'll develop as usual.

 

[Drew]

You didn’t perchance try using Roundup to paint the weeds in the pot did you?

No not a all. I pull all my weeds out with tweezers (too my wifes amusement) It has effected quite a few of this springs candles too maybe 50% of them.. you think its some sort of fungus?

I I add 2 teaspoons of organic fert to this pot one a month and stray (the soil) with diluted fish emulsion once a week.... all my other pines seem fine...

It seems to be the sheaths, if you cut those open they'll develop as usual.

I can't imagine a needles sheath would be able to bend a needle like this?

 

[Adair M]

No not a all. I pull all my weeds out with tweezers (too my wifes amusement) It has effected quite a few of this springs candles too maybe 50% of them.. you think its some sort of fungus?

I I add 2 teaspoons of organic fert to this pot one a month and stray (the soil) with diluted fish emulsion once a week.... all my other pines seem fine...


I can't imagine a needles sheath would be able to bend a needle like this?

There is a mite that can cause this kind of disfigurement.

 

[Drew]

do I just cur off the effected candles to old needles? just pull the bent needles or just leave them alone? I have sprayed the tree anyway

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I can't imagine a needles sheath would be able to bend a needle like this?

You don't have to imagine it, you have pictures. Needles are pretty soft when they develop. If they develop somewhat slow, they don't push the sheath very hard.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have seen similar twisting and stunting, though not as bad as what you are showing. I initially thought some sort of fungus or insect... but now I wonder about fertilization regimen or pushing growth to weak buds(?) It seems to happen more frequently when I am pushing strong growth to inner weaker candles, or else taking a new tree that I received in a weakened state, and fertilizing heavily. I get what looks like strong growth, but the growth is twisted or disfigured. It has not been a permanent or recurring condition for me... usually once I have had the tree in my care regimen for a year I never see it again, which is what leads me to believe it is care related - and not caused by an external pathogen.

You are at the time of year to be removing your candles on JBP (assuming you are at the refinement stage). I would just cut them all off.

 

[Drew]

You don't have to imagine it, you have pictures. Needles are pretty soft when they develop. If they develop somewhat slow, they don't push the sheath very hard.

I have had another look and it does seem the sheath is still attached to the tip of the needles and the bottom of the needles and pushing out behind it...

I have seen similar twisting and stunting, though not as bad as what you are showing. I initially thought some sort of fungus or insect... but now I wonder about fertilization regimen or pushing growth to weak buds(?) It seems to happen more frequently when I am pushing strong growth to inner weaker candles, or else taking a new tree that I received in a weakened state, and fertilizing heavily. I get what looks like strong growth, but the growth is twisted or disfigured. It has not been a permanent or recurring condition for me... usually once I have had the tree in my care regimen for a year I never see it again, which is what leads me to believe it is care related - and not caused by an external pathogen.

You are at the time of year to be removing your candles on JBP (assuming you are at the refinement stage). I would just cut them all off.

I've had this tree for years and was allowed to grow out last year. It was cut back quite hard in feb to inner growth so you could be onto something. It has also had a repot and been fertilised well so far this year so that could have contributed to the accelerated growth of the inner buds?

 

[sorce]

. It was cut back quite hard in feb

That's it.

I'm surprised it wasn't brought up already.

It's a stress response, they throw thick short needles to quickly get solar panels out. If we could measure the active surface area of those needles, it would prove much greater than regular needles.

After that, the rest of your needles will probly grow long AF.

Note...you shouldn't have sprayed it. The spray may have the needles fall off, then you never can pinpoint what was wrong. There are no less than a few shitty collections because of that phenomenon.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

@AndyJ @MaineBonsaiEnthusiast this is the "desperation Growth" I have been talking about.

I think it's important to note that these curled leaves don't facilitate buds in the center as usual.
So you may never get buds from where this growth is present.

That's why it's quite important to consider the effects of drastic pruning, if the resulting growth is intended to use for design.

Sorce

 

[August44]

Have you used Daconil recently?

 

[Lynn E]

Host specific spider mite belonging to Eriophyidae family. Seldom fatal but do spray.

 

[PiñonJ]

I had something similar on my Japanese Red pine. It caused needle curl in random spots - base, middle, or tip. I sprayed once with a synthetic pyrethrin. Should’ve done it much earlier. At first, the disfigurement didn’t seem to affect needle health, but now there are calloused spots on the affected needles. Tree still seems super vigorous, though. I’ll spray again when temperatures warm up next year.