Smoke help? Trident fungal problem

[james]

Smoke (and/or any other trident fungus experts), I would appreciate your thoughts. I have 2 fat old trident, grown with Boon. Received them at my house last summer, weakened with what I believe to be severe fungal issues. Small, curled leaves with black edges. Then fall off. Started rotation of 3 different fungal sprays, 1 each week. Granular systemic placed on soil. Limped through last year, all leaves removed in autumn and sprayed down with lime sulfur.

This year reported, and new growth came out. Not real strong, yet not curled or black. Systemic granular placed on soil. Black coming back, leaves curling. Cut out all the black, and trees are now pretty sparse, with green buds and occasional shoots.

Images below, most recent first (with leaves removed), later images showing curled leaves and black.

Suggestions from here? I do have sphagnum on soil, take off to decrease humidity?

 

[cmeg1]

My guess is soil to warm and wet so the naturally occuring rot fungus( phytophetoriawhatever) that is present everywhere was allowed to thrive in an anaerobic environment….once in roots it throws all ph behavior way off and mineral assimilation completely detered……or its an actual systemic bacteria that is winning.
It is also odd how two trees would have it denoting a mineral feed or environmental condition occuring by garden owner horticulural practices…….. Because usually one plant here and there then it’s a fungal ……if it’s many of your plants than it is nutrient and ph related.

By normal process of elimination standards

 

[Shibui]

I've had similar down here. Only seems to affect tridents.
A number of different causes - fungal, mites on resting buds, etc - have been offered but no-one seems to have proven a cause.
Fungicide appears to solve the problem as later leaves are usually OK.
Miticide seems to solve the problem as later leaves emerge OK.
My do nothing approach seems to work as later leaves are OK.
My take is whatever causes this is temporary and seasonal. Just because new leaves are normal after some treatment does not mean that particular treatment was effective.

Here, this was only a problem for a couple of years and I have not seen it for around 5 years now.

 

[james]

Your thoughts on pH are interesting. Many of my trees were boarded elsewhere, and the water pH became a major problem. Many of the trees there got sick, black pine, shimpaku and maple. I lost one Japanese maple (to whatever it was) last summer. Shimpaku and black pine better. These two trident are obviously still struggling. The tridents were bare rooted and washed, all former soil removed, and replaced with new. So I believe the pH problem has been addressed, now I’m dealing with an opportunistic infection (of some kind), which seems to resemble fungal disease.

 

[cmeg1]

Your thoughts on pH are interesting. Many of my trees were boarded elsewhere, and the water pH became a major problem. Many of the trees there got sick, black pine, shimpaku and maple. I lost one Japanese maple (to whatever it was) last summer. Shimpaku and black pine better. These two trident are obviously still struggling. The tridents were bare rooted and washed, all former soil removed, and replaced with new. So I believe the pH problem has been addressed, now I’m dealing with an opportunistic infection (of some kind), which seems to resemble fungal disease.

That is a bummer……good luck

 

[markyscott]

You might find Eric’s video helpful.

I’ve had luck with prevention with a dormant treatment- I apply that religiously.

Dormant Season Spraying Part 1: Broadleaf Deciduous Trees

Introduction Application of dormant sprays have been a game-changer for me in the health of my garden. This is not meant to be an endorsement of a specific brand of spray, but rather a discussion of the steps I undertake in my garden during the...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[bwaynef]

Did you spray w/ Lime Sulfur during dormancy? I had something similar on one of my maples. (Not trident.). Since I've been spraying w/ LS, I haven't seen this anymore. <Edit> I see I'm not the only one suggesting that. We posted at the same time.</edit>

 

[bwaynef]

Here's Eric's followup video.

 

[james]

Thanks for the help all. I found Eric’s videos very helpful, and he got a great result