Late Larch re-pot

[hamme1rl]

My once beautiful European Larch is flagging. It emerged well from winter this spring. In Mich it is still spring, very wet and cool. I experimented with varying watering and amounts of sun exposure. In mid May brown tips were visible. Rest of tree seemed healthy. I clipped off brown tips but others formed. I was still pinching vigorous candles until last week when tree faded. Yesterday it became droopy. It's gone I thought. This morn I emergency re-potted by slipping tree into bigger pot w/ minimal disturbance of roots; I didn't even compress new soil around old, just soft placed it. After I pulled it there was some muddy decayed clay material in the bottom that may have inhibited draining a little. Deepest roots were wet. I have tree indoors for now to get it out of wind and hot sun today.

 

[hamme1rl]

Photos 1-3 were early to mid May. Remaining photos from yesterday and today.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I have tree indoors for now to get it out of wind and hot sun today.

Full sun, sun-up to sun-down, water every day it doesn't rain. Your pinching is what you do to shape a healthy tree. Not healthy, stop pinching. Kepping a tree out of a summer wind is also counter-productive. Lots of wind means lots of transpiration. That is part of the process of evaporating gases out of the leaves which draws fresh replacement liquids containing water and compounds from the roots to the leaves that are used to produce sugars that are used to grow. The more fluids transpired, the more growth (within limits). I don't know what your tree's problem is or was, but good practices are always helpful.

 

[parhamr]

Oh, damn! I hope that beauty pulls through.

The pic named 5old pot surf.JPG appears to show a damping fungus or bacteria. It could be Rhizoctonia spp., Fusarium spp., or Pythiumspp.

How to prevent seedling damping off

Damping off is a disease of seedlings and infected plants rarely survive to produce a vigorous plant. Quite often a large section or an entire tray of seedlings is killed.

extension.umn.edu

 

[Vance Wood]

All soil based fungus infections need stagnate soil air circulation to flourish. By renewing the soil keeps the air circulation in good condition.

 

[GGB]

I had an American larch suddenly lose and entire branch this spring, looked similar. The tree has since been totally fine but it was odd, and not exactly the branch I would have chosen to remove. Good luck, I was only left with questions.
And I see someone beat me to the "full sun" advice. If I can keep mine in full sun at 6b you'll be fine in 5b

 

[hamme1rl]

Oh, damn! I hope that beauty pulls through.

The pic named 5old pot surf.JPG appears to show a damping fungus or bacteria. It could be Rhizoctonia spp., Fusarium spp., or Pythiumspp.

How to prevent seedling damping off

Damping off is a disease of seedlings and infected plants rarely survive to produce a vigorous plant. Quite often a large section or an entire tray of seedlings is killed.

extension.umn.edu

I thought it was a surface fungus too, but then wondered if it was an accumulation of cottonwood fluff which has been abundant lately and is on the surface of my other trees' pots too.

 

[hamme1rl]

Full sun, sun-up to sun-down, water every day it doesn't rain. Your pinching is what you do to shape a healthy tree. Not healthy, stop pinching. Kepping a tree out of a summer wind is also counter-productive. Lots of wind means lots of transpiration. That is part of the process of evaporating gases out of the leaves which draws fresh replacement liquids containing water and compounds from the roots to the leaves that are used to produce sugars that are used to grow. The more fluids transpired, the more growth (within limits). I don't know what your tree's problem is or was, but good practices are always helpful.

It's raining today now and threatening to do so for the rest of the week. I didn't want more water on those roots yet, but will put it out between showers tomorrow.

 

[hamme1rl]

I thought it was a surface fungus too, but then wondered if it was an accumulation of cottonwood fluff which has been abundant lately and is on the surface of my other trees' pots too.

I did spray with Mancozeb to treat fungi if present.

 

[wireme]

I really hope it pulls through for you. How did you get yourself a nice European larch like that in N.A.?
Did someone grow it out from seed?

 

[Forsoothe!]

You live at the southern-most extent of Tamarack and you acquire a European Larch? What'sa matta you? Only ours will stand, -must have very moist conditions, and you have one of the other seven varieties, all of which do not like wet feet. ?? If I read this right, you have evidence of surface fungus, which means MOLD? Boo Hiss (...everybody in the Colosseum on their feet, booing loudly, arms over their head, thumbs pointed down. The Emperor comes to his feet, raises his hand...)

 

[hamme1rl]

I removed all Cottonwood cottony webs from tree yesterday to examine better for mites and left overnight. I do have red spidermites via the white paper test. I sprayed this morning with soapy neem oil mixture combined with peroxide and 5 hours later mites are still moving around. I retreated this afternoon. I'm not sure this is the entire problem with this tree, but this is no good.

 

[hamme1rl]

You live at the southern-most extent of Tamarack and you acquire a European Larch? What'sa matta you? Only ours will stand, -must have very moist conditions, and you have one of the other seven varieties, all of which do not like wet feet. ?? If I read this right, you have evidence of surface fungus, which means MOLD? Boo Hiss (...everybody in the Colosseum on their feet, booing loudly, arms over their head, thumbs pointed down. The Emperor comes to his feet, raises his hand...)

I have some native tamaracks too. I was treating this tree somewhat similarly to its' detriment. I've only had it (now lost it) for a year.

 

[hamme1rl]

I really hope it pulls through for you. How did you get yourself a nice European larch like that in N.A.?
Did someone grow it out from seed?

Gee Farms in MI.

My once beautiful European Larch is flagging. It emerged well from winter this spring. In Mich it is still spring, very wet and cool. I experimented with varying watering and amounts of sun exposure. In mid May brown tips were visible. Rest of tree seemed healthy. I clipped off brown tips but others formed. I was still pinching vigorous candles until last week when tree faded. Yesterday it became droopy. It's gone I thought. This morn I emergency re-potted by slipping tree into bigger pot w/ minimal disturbance of roots; I didn't even compress new soil around old, just soft placed it. After I pulled it there was some muddy decayed clay material in the bottom that may have inhibited draining a little. Deepest roots were wet. I have tree indoors for now to get it out of wind and hot sun today.

Following two sprayings of friendly bug spray of soap, neem and peroxide I resorted to Raid House and Garden. No webs this morn but two mites. Sprayed again just now. Tree hanging on, but struggling. I trimmed off much of the browned and droopy needles and hoping for the best.

 

[BackyardBonsai]

Sorry, I think this one is a goner. When all the needle drooping that means the roots are dead.

 

[Vance Wood]

Sometimes the cure is more deadly than the disease. If you lose the needles just leave it in a shaded area and see if it comes back; this is possible.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Full sun, all day. Will not survive in shade. Sink the pot.

 

[Vance Wood]

Full sun, all day. Will not survive in shade. Sink the pot.

A stressed tree will not tolerate full sun especially after all of the chemicals dumped on it.

 

[Forsoothe!]

The foliage that's there is kaput and will not aid the tree in any way. Basic triage: treat tissue that will live because you treated it :: abandon that which is going to die no matter what you do. The only salvation is to grow from new buds. It won't happen quickly, if at all, but it's the only hope of generating buds and energy to survive next spring.

 

[hamme1rl]

I removed all wiring this morn along with almost all remaining foliage. With wire gone, trimmed back to the few buds that are barely emergent. Pulled it out of the hard rain this morn. Back outside now. A few mites still around. Red pin head sized mites all gone, but near microscopic ones that I can see thru magnifying glass still moving. Tree still not brittle.