Mugo: Cause for Concern?

[ERClover]

Evening all,

From the beginning this tree has given me the most cause for concern. It’s certainly a bit of an odd duck now having done some drastic pruning since earlier this year it seemed like some of the extremities weren’t doing so hot. Having read that conifers take a long time to slowly die hasn’t given me much comfort either. Since the pruning it has actually grown very well and the backbuds closer to the main trunk started as little more than a solitary needle and have grown to what they are today heading into winter. However, over the last couple weeks I’ve started noticing the yellowing tips. It started on older needles which I figured it may shed anyway so I wasn’t overly worried but it is migrating up to newer needles as well. Anyone thinking anything off the bat after a visual inspection? Potter in 100% 8802 or whatever the oil absorbent part number is, can’t think of it off the bat, it’s out in the shed and it’s cold out . Any advice is appreciated.

 

[River's Edge]

Evening all,

From the beginning this tree has given me the most cause for concern. It’s certainly a bit of an odd duck now having done some drastic pruning since earlier this year it seemed like some of the extremities weren’t doing so hot. Having read that conifers take a long time to slowly die hasn’t given me much comfort either. Since the pruning it has actually grown very well and the backbuds closer to the main trunk started as little more than a solitary needle and have grown to what they are today heading into winter. However, over the last couple weeks I’ve started noticing the yellowing tips. It started on older needles which I figured it may shed anyway so I wasn’t overly worried but it is migrating up to newer needles as well. Anyone thinking anything off the bat after a visual inspection? Potter in 100% 8802 or whatever the oil absorbent part number is, can’t think of it off the bat, it’s out in the shed and it’s cold out . Any advice is appreciated.

Based on your substrate and the appearance of the terracotta pot I would suggest that it is staying too wet. Try allowing it to dry out a bit between watering.

 

[ERClover]

Based on your substrate and the appearance of the terracotta pot I would suggest that it is staying too wet. Try allowing it to dry out a bit between watering.

Thank you Frank, I will see that it is given the opportunity to dry out more often. During the height of summer watering along with the likes of my deciduous seemed to be ok it I imagine as temps have cooled that could have caught up in a bad way. I will also scrape away the algae as I imagine that is adding to retention.

 

[James W.]

Or too dry? I lose the tips of the needles on mugos if I let have them go too dry.
I have not had good luck with pure DE (NAPA 8822), I have trouble controlling the moisture.