Shimpaku pale green

[M. Frary]

a certified applicator

Me. I can get anything.

 

[GrimLore]

I have to slightly disagree: Scale in Michigan especially Pine Scale will hit in may and again in July. There seems to be a scale that attacks the Junipers as well and must be closely related as it acts the same way.

There are of course something like 8,000 types of scale. When I post I post what happens here so people can compare and design a proper regiment for themselves.

Grimmy

 

[Dav4]

So, I've had issues w/ mites since I moved here 7 years ago. Every spring, I'd find them on one of my junipers and the chemical spraying would commence. Rotating mitacides and spraying every 5 days for 3 treatments almost every month, dormant oil sprays in late fall and late winter....the bastards always come back. I've suspected that they resided in my landscape trees, and sure enough, I found them there last week. I've got landscape junis everywhere and there's NO WAY I'm going to nuke them with chemicals. I've always avoided the water spray approach due to the various fungal issues I sometimes see, but have decided it's not so big an issue compared to the mites. Anyway, this thread has convinced me to do the bi weekly water jet spray under the foliage as a routine and save the chemicals for any tree that's actually being harmed by the bastards. Stay tuned....

 

[Paradox]

You don't have to "defy" anyone as no one suggested you try to do that. No one suggested you could remove all the scale from all the nooks and crannies with water. Basic reading comprehension. For those situations, chemicals are appropriate.

I comprehend what you wrote perfectly.

You seem to have had a continual, recurring problem with scale and/or mites for at least 3 years now. How many trees have you lost?

You dont seem to comprehend that it is a problem you're going to have every year and you continue to do reactionary actions rather than preventative ones.

If you're trying to use imadacloprid as a systemic and you apply when you see the scale, it's almost too late. It takes time for the tree to uptake the compound and incorporate it into the tissues. If imadacloprid is in fact effective you would need to apply it a month ahead of when you would typically see the scale.

However if you are trying to use things that are less harsh on the envionment, sevin is a much better alternative because it doesnt stay around in the environment as long as imadacloprid and it is much less toxic to bees.

Imadacloprid is banned for sale where I live for those reasons.

Good luck

 

[coh]

I'm sorry if you thought I was referring to you personally coh. I don't pretend to know your feelings on the subject. It was a general statement released into the ether. Apologise for the misunderstanding

OK, no prob. Certainly there are some who fall into that category.

 

[coh]

I comprehend what you wrote perfectly.

I don't think you do.

You seem to have had a continual, recurring problem with scale and/or mites for at least 3 years now. How many trees have you lost?

Where the hell are you getting that? Talk about misinterpreting or over-interpreting the written word (see above regarding reading comprehension).

Let me spell it out for you in simple terms. I have not had a continuing problem with scale and mites. I have lost one tropical (gardenia) to scale, it came with a scale infestation and I was unable to eliminate them in time despite use of chemicals and oils.

I have had a significant mite attack on one or two trees in the past 5 years. In both cases I eliminated the infestation using water sprays.

I spray other trees in my collection with water once or twice a week as a preventive measure.

Does that help?

 

[Dav4]

Fwiw, I've seen scale on my JBPs on/off since moving here...never treated for them and the trees grow well regardless and the scale appears sporadically, at best. In my experience, healthy trees are generally less affected by pests then those that aren't, and good horticulture is the most important defense against disease and pests.

 

[Nybonsai12]

So, I've had issues w/ mites since I moved here 7 years ago. Every spring, I'd find them on one of my junipers and the chemical spraying would commence. Rotating mitacides and spraying every 5 days for 3 treatments almost every month, dormant oil sprays in late fall and late winter....the bastards always come back. I've suspected that they resided in my landscape trees, and sure enough, I found them there last week. I've got landscape junis everywhere and there's NO WAY I'm going to nuke them with chemicals. I've always avoided the water spray approach due to the various fungal issues I sometimes see, but have decided it's not so big an issue compared to the mites. Anyway, this thread has convinced me to do the bi weekly water jet spray under the foliage as a routine and save the chemicals for any tree that's actually being harmed by the bastards. Stay tuned....

I have similar issues in that trees in the landscape get bugs every year. Adelgids especially like the eastern white pines in my yard. Oddly enough they work on one tree hard, but skip another. Both trees look the same but maybe there is more going on underneath that I can't see that makes one weaker. I'm with you though in that I won't treat any landscape trees.

But that does lead me to believe why I have the return of the adelgids. So i have to be vigilant and start picking em off when i see them or treat when necessary if it escalates.

Lucky me I have no spider mites.

As for scale, I've had them at the start of every season for several years. I've tried a couple approaches. oil sprays when time to winter them and again in early spring. Water spray did nothing at all, those buggers hold on tight. I've also had very healthy tree sustain an what seemed to be the start of an infestation that led to me sitting for hours picking them off one at a time followed by a chemical treatment for safe measure. The way i see it, with other trees and plants in the landscape we will never be able to completely avoid some sort of attack.

 

[coh]

Fwiw, I've seen scale on my JBPs on/off since moving here...never treated for them and the trees grow well regardless and the scale appears sporadically, at best. In my experience, healthy trees are generally less affected by pests then those that aren't, and good horticulture is the most important defense against disease and pests.

Agree for the most part, though there are some species that just seem more susceptible to certain pests. Scale seems to really go after gardenia and ficus. If I don't keep up with the systemic, my ficus trees always come in for the winter with some scale. I guess you could argue they aren't as healthy as they could be and I wouldn't argue against that...it's hard to keep tropicals at peak health in this climate.

I've got a couple of pines in the ground that have been attacked by pine scale and fungus, despite treatment. But we have a big problem around here with landscape pines, many are dying off due to a combination of fungus, borers, etc...so there is a lot of that stuff in the environment. My potted JBP have been unaffected but I do treat them with imid and fungicide periodically.

 

[CWTurner]

So I moved this tree away from my other conifers. I shook it over a piece of paper and saw no bugs even at my loop's maximum magnification. Gave it a good blasting with the hose.

Here's a pic of the foliage. See anything that I am missing?

CW

 

[coh]

Looks good, the new growth looks healthy. If that older pale foliage is in fact from spider mites (and it probably is), it will never turn green again. You may have had an infestation last season that died off during the winter which is why you can't find any mites now.

Keep a careful eye on it, you may want to treat with chemicals as a preventive (your choice) or regular water sprays (my choice). Spider mites can build up huge numbers in a short time, so damage can happen quickly.