JBP weak growth with brown tips

[MSU JBoots]

So I got this JBP last fall. I haven’t don’t anything but water and fertilize it. It has had quite weak growth this year with short candles. Also some of the tips are brown. Here is the tree as purchased.

Here it is today. I had planned to reduce the shoots at the whorls off the trunk since each one has 4-5 shoots all from the same spot. I don’t think I should do anything at this time but was wondering if I should be concerned about the brown needles at some tips. Others are fine but a few look unhealthy for sure.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated!

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Looks like its put on some mass, has a bit of mechanical/freeze? damage and the start of needle cast. Yet the photo resolution is a bit blurry. So I’d hit it with copper fungicide as a starter. Cover the media jic.

Also is a bit due for a bit of pruning to develop a top sacrifice branch so it can run . So this would be a good time to do a bit of pruning and needle plucking to clear out the rough parts.

Finally it seems wise to get more media and up pot it in the next size nursery can, or whatever you choose.

Im sure other folks will chime in with their take.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Shibui]

Initially looked like no new growth this spring but I can see some new shoots in the close shots so it is growing but not as strong as I would expect for JBP. Not sure why the short growth without knowing much more about conditions and care watering position, sun, nutrition, etc, soil mix, etc
Possible dothostroma (yellow spots and stripes) on the previous needles so definitely worth the fungicide application recommended above.

Developing JBP can be pruned any time of year without hurting the tree. Response is quick after spring and early summer pruning but usually takes longer after late summer -winter pruning but they will still bud and grow the following spring.
Excess shoots can be removed any time of year. Leaving those massed whorls will cause reverse taper in a single season but even that does not matter if you have lower shoots to chop back to make a new leader and this one has plenty of options below that top whorl so you could even treat that section as a sacrifice section to thicken the trunk.

Not sure about the brown tips. We do not get cold enough to cause freeze damage on pines so I have not seen that. Pine bud moth worms can also kill tips of shoots but we don't have that here either. Physical damage from rough handling or falls can cause something similar. Too dry or wet should kill more tips so unlikely in this case.

 

[MSU JBoots]

Thanks for the responses @Shibui and @Deep Sea Diver I’ll definitely treat with the fungicide. I was just afraid to reduce anything due to weak growth. Since I had just gotten it last fall I wasn’t sure how aggressive to be as I foolishly didn’t inquire about any recent work to the tree. Although the seller was Flower Market I believe at the local bonsai club show so the individual selling the tree may not have had any actual knowledge anyways. Now that I recall they couldn’t even tell me if it was scots or JBP. I had to ask on the forum after I bought it.

 

[namnhi]

The brown dead top of some branches look to be pine moth larva. Cut the off and inspect to see if there are burrows/trails to confirm. The tree looks fine to me other than some physical damaged needles.

 

[bwaynef]

I concur that it looks like pine tip borer/moth damage on this year's candles. Thats the one reason I treat with systemics preventively.