Curious Black Pine needle color issue

[Adair M]

Pine bark, especially as it breaks down, tends to hold a lot of water. So, it might work well the first year, but the second year it's too water retentive.

Truely, with pines and needle color issues, the first thing I would suspect would be the soil.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

When I repot I will use lava-rocks only, in the interim I will back off on the watering and increase the fertilizing....and use some iron pellets.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Dav4]

Goomba, just a thought, but this may be worth some time reading...http://bonsaitonight.com/2015/08/04/why-is-my-tree-yellow/

 

[markyscott]

When I repot I will use lava-rocks only, in the interim I will back off on the watering and increase the fertilizing....and use some iron pellets.

Thanks for the help!

It would be good to look at the base of the needles. Yellowing at the needle base is important for diagnosing overwatering. Like this:



Scott

 

[Skinnygoomba]

I will post another photo tomorrow, but I did not see any of that sort of yellowing.

The yellow is limited to the new growth only, all of the older growth remains dark green.

I'll take a closer look at the soil, but did not see anything that looks like root aphids.

 

[Paradox]

A friend of mine had all the needles on his pine last year turning yellow. He was very careful with watering and he fed the tree and it improved.
It really improved this year after he repotted.

Two of mine had their new needles a bit pale earlier this summer. I fed them a bit heavier and they colored up better.

That said, I agree that it could be a combo of both though.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Funny that you should bring this up. I am having a "yellow needle" problem with some of my black pines. I will take a photo tomorrow of two trees in 100% pumice, right next to each other, both receiving the same water and the same fertilizer. One is dark green, one is very light yellow.

 

[MichaelS]

I agree with twisted trees. Check the pH of the lava. If it is above 7.5 the tree may not be able access iron no matter how much you put in. Also, I think the pots are too wide and shallow for trees this size. They will stay too wet without sufficient root activity. Half as wide and twice the depth would be better IMO. Generally, trees should dry out in 1 or 2 days to stay healthy

 

[Eric Group]

I suspect a nutrient deficiency. Get some bat terds. I bought a tree online with needles that looked like that when I received it, a few doses of bat poo and it was back to dark green.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I was having a problem with one of my JBP as well, and stumbled on Jonas' blog on root aphids that Dave mentioned. I treated twice by submersion in malathion, and the tree greened up. Documented it here; the color was startling. These shots are 18 months apart:

God luck with yours.

 

[GGB]

I just remedied this problem on one of mine this year. It came from a bonsai nursery, so I trusted the soil was good (woops). The needles looked sickly all summer until I repotted it in august, completely bare rooted it and stuck it in lava rock, as opposed to the mud it was in. The needles darkened up almost over night.

 

[ysrgrathe]

I treated twice by submersion in malathion, and the tree greened up.

Any chance you remember what the application rate was?

 

[Nybonsai12]

Any chance you remember what the application rate was?

Not to respond for BVF, but Jonas did 1 tsp/gallon.

I dealt with what I believed was root aphids last year. I did the soaks to a lot of trees. As it was fall when i was doing it, it was tough to tell how things were rebounding since growth was already slowing. I believe it took care of most of the problem, but if there were any remnants of anything at the start of this year I think bayer granular tree and shrub was the answer. It worked very well for me this year keeping bugs away and I did not notice any negative effects.

 

[namnhi]

It would be good to look at the base of the needles. Yellowing at the needle base is important for diagnosing overwatering. Like this:

View attachment 119675

Scott

Scott,
I have a few pines with the yellowing at the base. I thought that just because it hasn't harden off yet. Are you saying this is due to overwatering?
Thanks,
NN

 

[markyscott]

Scott,
I have a few pines with the yellowing at the base. I thought that just because it hasn't harden off yet. Are you saying this is due to overwatering?
Thanks,
NN

Hi namnhi - light green needles with yellowing at the base is a typical response to overwatering. Try tipping the pot a bit by putting a block of wood under one side. That will improve drainage when we get these really rainy spells until you have a chance to repot.

Scott

 

[Skinnygoomba]

Update,

I fertilized two days back and they're already starting to get much greener. Thanks fellows for the help! I feel I am wearing the dunce cap now after that bone-headed move.

For those curious, I turned the pots up to see how the roots are doing (nice advantage of a grow pot) and they're growing like mad, having filled the container and some were even growing through into my pavers. There are no aphids from what I could see, but I did spray some pesticide just in case.

If they turn green and appear normal, should I continue with my regularly scheduled fall work, or leave the trees along until next year?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Here are my examples. Two Japanese Black Pines, right next to each other on my bench. Repotted same month (two years ago). Large pond mesh baskets. 100% pumice. Both getting same water, same organic fertilizer (composted chicken manure). The yellow pine has four fellows to the left that are just as yellow... and I have other JBP that are just as green as the one on the right. I am going to try the malathion dip on two of the yellow pines and see if it has an impact.

And just to be clear - these two pines have been sitting next to each other for two years with the exception of when I have been working on them.

 

[Jack Earley]

Have a JBP that is new to me, if the soil is too wet, at this time in the year in Illinois, what is the safest method to reduce the effect of too wet.?

 

[0soyoung]

Have a JBP that is new to me, if the soil is too wet, at this time in the year in Illinois, what is the safest method to reduce the effect of too wet.?

In ascending order of panic intensity:

1. tip the pot
2. cover the pot (surface of the substrate)
3. take it out of the pot (just set the root 'ball', covered, on a hard surface)

And, if it is really a problem, next spring, put it in a free-er draining substrate.

 

[Jack Earley]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my situation. It seems to me that one problem may be that the previous owner has allowed the tree to become rebound . Rather than being too wet, I am coming to believe that the routes may be so tightly packed but the tree may not have good nourishment from water and food. Any suggestions on emergency reporting, I am in Champaign Illinois, zone five. The other two trees that I purchased from a friend in the club, seem fine but are in looser soil. I removed the old needles from all three trees in early September, which is common for this area. Thank you for taking your time to respond, Jack