SHIMPAKU ailment

[Rubberbandman]

HI everyone!!
First post on this site....was a member of another large bonsai site but they seem a bit drowsy over there so i will try here!
I am from the Sunny state of Virginia(usa)!
Got two shimpaku's that have developed this ...i have since moved them to a location that gets filtered sun after 1pm.

 

[sorce]

Roots or Mites I would guess...

Or an angry spouse who secretly puts a plate on top of your trees everyday who I you are gone!

Welcome to an Anything but Drowsy Crazy!

Sorce

 

[aml1014]

Mites

This would be my first guess. Fuck mites!

Aaron

 

[markyscott]

Is it just the growing tips that are brown? Can you cut an affected shoot off down to the base so we can see the color of the old needles? That may not be mite damage.

Scott

 

[Eric Group]

Spider mites are the first thing people say when a juniper gets brown, but that may not be the case as Marky said... How a bout a little more info.

Has the rest of the foliage faded in color or changed appearance at all? Was any wiring done lately? What are they planted in- pots and soil- and how often do you water? Too little water can kill a tree faster than Mites. Unless EXTREME, too much water would usually take much much longer to cause any damage... And normally doesn't hurt the tree at all.
Finally... Please tell me this 1. Is Not Grown indoors and 2. Doesn't have any glued on rocks!
Sorry, gotta ask those last two, being as this is your first it's and all we got was a little shot of the affected foliage, it is possible to judge where you are with the hobby and what you have done to the trees....

So, a bit more info and a wider pic would be useful. Perhaps some info in the work you have done in the past year to the trees- wiring? Repotting? Insecticides?

Good luck, hope they turn around for you and welcome to the nuthouse!

 

[Rubberbandman]

thanks everyone!!!!!
This is grown and overwintered outside(protected)....no glued on rocks. just some soil cover rocks to avoid dirt runoff.
the rest of plant did fade some but has come back with iron addition.
The soil mix is fast draining.
How does one check for mites before attacking them?
I usually water every other day unless its really hot and dry.
Thanks for the quick replies! it would of taken a week on the other forum to get this type of help!
Bryan

 

[M. Frary]

Hold it over a white piece of paper and give it a couple raps on the trunk. Stuff will fall onto the paper. If any of the stuff that falls onto the paper moves it's probably mites.

 

[Dav4]

I'm betting fungal aka a tip blight.

 

[Tieball]

Curious in the browning development.
Did you just recently replant or repot the tree? Cutting some roots?
Or.
Is this well established, no planting change and just started looking this way (the browning)?

 

[Rubberbandman]

Curious in the browning development.
Did you just recently replant or repot the tree? Cutting some roots?
Or.
Is this well established, no planting change and just started looking this way (the browning)?

Repotted last spring.(may).

 

[Cypress187]

I hope he makes it, welcome to the forum.

 

[markyscott]

Do the affected shoots look like this?



Young tips brown, old tips green?

Scott

 

[GrimLore]

I usually water every other day unless its really hot and dry.

You are in VA and it should do well in full sun and if I were there and it were mine it would get watered twice a day in the summer. My question I think may get us on track coupled with the watering...

Did you bare root it during that repot?

Grimmy

 

[Rubberbandman]

You are in VA and it should do well in full sun and if I were there and it were mine it would get watered twice a day in the summer. My question I think may get us on track coupled with the watering...

Did you bare root it during that repot?

Grimmy

wHAT DO YOU MEAN BARE ROOT DURING REPOT?

 

[M. Frary]

wHAT DO YOU MEAN BARE ROOT DURING REPOT?

Take all of the dirt off.

 

[don b]

wHAT DO YOU MEAN BARE ROOT DURING REPOT?

No need to shout dude.. Do you not believe in bare rooting or something?

 

[GrimLore]

wHAT DO YOU MEAN BARE ROOT DURING REPOT?

I mean did you take off all of the old substrate/soil when you did the repot in May

Grimmy

 

[Stickroot]

I'm betting fungal aka a tip blight.

Blight was my first thought.

 

[Rubberbandman]

im sorry for the caps lock!
no i didnt bare root repot on this one i went from nursery pot (small) to a larger pot.
And the pic above does resemble alot of my areas.
Bryan

 

[markyscott]

The picture I posted depicts juniper tip blight - a fungal disease. It's effects are often localized on a tree - when you see a slight yellowing that turns brown on tips in one area on a tree, it indicates a fungal infection. Tip blight is caused by a fungus called phomopsis. It'll show up in spring when temperatures reach 60F and above, especially with wet, humid conditions. Here's a link with more information.

It's effects are different than spider mites which affect broad areas of the tree and result in a general graying of the foliage. It might start on one branch, but it quickly spreads to the entire tree. Sometimes I'll notice it on one side of a juniper (usually the shaded side) or over the entire thing. Here's a comparison of foliage damaged by spider mites followed by healthy foliage after spider mites have been eliminated.


See the dull green color? That's spider mite damage - you can ID them by flicking the branch over a white piece of paper and you might see the little dots moving around. It looks different then what you have. Your problem looks more like tip blight.

Treatment for tip blight is:

1. Remove all affected foliage
2. Clean up all debris from the container
3. I've heard anecdotal reports of effective control using Mancozeb, Heritage, Ortho Garden Fungicide, or Zerotol but be aware that the only fungicide currently registered for phomopsis control is Benomyl (methyl 1-(butylcarbamoyl)-2-benzimidazolecarbamate; CAS #17804-35-2), so look for that on the label. It might be listed as benomyl or the longer chemical name and not all of the products above have it. I believe Heritage contains benomyl, but perhaps others can confirm that for me. Always apply when the foliage is dry. Do not use Daconil and don't apply when the foliage is wet.
4. Use Bannermax or Zerotol to sterilize the plant tissue and kill any spores that remain.
5. To prevent, keep foliage dry and in the full sun. Clean up the old foliage regularly to let light and air into the interior of the tree.

Treatment for spider mites is:

1. Physical control - spray regularly with a hard stream of water. Mites are easy to dislodge and a hard spray will knock them off. It's an effective population control if you use it regularly. Here's an example.
2. Chemical control - if you have an established colony of mites, it's best to spray. Bifenthrin (i.e. Talstar) or Malthion are effective, but a lot of insecticides are not. Remember that these are not insects, they're arthropods. So a lot of insect neurotoxins are not effective. Make sure you find one that is specifically labeled for spider mites like the two I listed above. Spray the entire foliage weekly for 3 weeks to ensure that you get the second generation.
3. Imidacloprid-based insecticides such as Bayer, Merit, or Zenith are ineffective against spider mites, so don't rely on them for control. Rely instead on the physical control above to keep populations from getting established.

Scott