Yellowing needles

[f1pt4]

I collected this larch in May. It was growing very well. On its second flush of growth this year!! I noticed though, that the needles are yellowing, yet it's still pushing new growth. It's only August so I don't think they should be turning color waiting to fall off. Not yet at least. All my other larches, even those collected with this one have lush green needles and also pushing new growth.

It's in 100% organic. The soil it was collected with (sand and decomposed forest matter) with container promix to fill the rest of the pot.

It sits in the sun all day. Only shade after 6/7pm.

Gets watered once a day.


Should I or shouldn't I be worried? Thanks.

Mike

 

[jcrossett]

I'd move it in the shade some. I had both of mine in the full sun and they both started to do that I move one to shade and that one recovered but the there I waited to long and didn't make it. I think they should be treated like maples imo.

 

[wireme]

I had a larch do that last year, needles yellowed but buds looked nice. It did just fine this year, no problems. It wasn't a tamarack, it was western larch.

There's an insect here that causes a lot of larch needle problems too. Damage looks a lot like your needles in the very earliest stages, then it gets worse. It's called the larch casebearer if you want to look up symptoms.

 

[f1pt4]

I'd move it in the shade some. I had both of mine in the full sun and they both started to do that I move one to shade and that one recovered but the there I waited to long and didn't make it. I think they should be treated like maples imo.

hmmm. I'll look into that. Thanks. Strange though that all my larches grow in full sun but only one is showing signs of stress. I thought maybe it's a root problem?

 

[f1pt4]

I had a larch do that last year, needles yellowed but buds looked nice. It did just fine this year, no problems. It wasn't a tamarack, it was western larch.

There's an insect here that causes a lot of larch needle problems too. Damage looks a lot like your needles in the very earliest stages, then it gets worse. It's called the larch casebearer if you want to look up symptoms. View attachment 113424

I'll look into this. I'll check my tree tomorrow morning for any signs of that moth and its eggs.

Why must we resort to Malathion?

Dammit.

 

[wireme]

I'll look into this. I'll check my tree tomorrow morning for any signs of that moth and its eggs.

Why must we resort to Malathion?

Dammit.

Ha, dammit, I haven't yet but sometimes wish I had!

I'll bet that Bt (a Bt strain is the active ingredient in mosquito dunks) would work pretty good against casebearers though, if that is what's happening there. I don't really think that's what's happening to your tree but thought it worth mentioning, it's possible.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis

 

[f1pt4]

Ha, dammit, I haven't yet but sometimes wish I had!

I'll bet that Bt (a Bt strain is the active ingredient in mosquito dunks) would work pretty good against casebearers though, if that is what's happening there. I don't really think that's what's happening to your tree but thought it worth mentioning, it's possible.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis

I do appreciate it. Thank you for the info I really hope it's just overwatering, or too much fert (once a week-10 days).

Yet another pest to be worried about.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.


Mike

 

[sorce]

too much fert (once a week-10 days).

Just here to doubt the quoted and wish you the best.

Sorce

 

[JudyB]

I don't know if your weather has been very hot like it has been across much of the US this year. Very hot weather can cause stress and sometimes early fall coloring, although I don't know if that's whats going on here, as it's mostly the tips. I doubt very much it's the fertilizer, once a week isn't too much at all. And larch really do like water as well, but I would ask what your soil is, and if it's maybe clogged up and not draining properly?

 

[Dav4]

Don't larch like water? If you've been getting the same kind of heat as the rest of the country, I'd say that's most likely the issue. I'd also say it doesn't look too bad and I doubt you have much to worry about.

 

[Dav4]

What she said.

 

[M. Frary]

I do appreciate it. Thank you for the info I really hope it's just overwatering, or too much fert (once a week-10 days).

Yet another pest to be worried about.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.


Mike

I have a couple in their native soil and I treat them just like they are in inorganic soil. Lots of water and 5 times the amount of Miracle-gro prescribed on the box once per week. I don't believe it's too much water or fertilizer.

 

[twisted trees]

Lift it out of the pot. There should be a profusion of white growing tips. If not, put it in the ground and pray. Otherwise it looks like it maybe got stressed out at one point, maybe skipped a day of watering or excessive heat as others have said. Sometimes Epsom salts will green them back up. Definitely filtered sunlight to can help green it back up. And water water water. Larch bonsai do not like to dry out. Also about this time of year you can start adding bloom fertilizer to your mix to encourage root development and possibly flowers for next year. Good growing.

 

[Dav4]

Lift it out of the pot. There should be a profusion of white growing tips. If not, put it in the ground and pray. Otherwise it looks like it maybe got stressed out at one point, maybe skipped a day of watering or excessive heat as others have said. Sometimes Epsom salts will green them back up. Definitely filtered sunlight to can help green it back up. And water water water. Larch bonsai do not like to dry out. Also about this time of year you can start adding bloom fertilizer to your mix to encourage root development and possibly flowers for next year. Good growing.

If it's pushing a second flush, wouldn't you think the roots are growing? I'd be concerned about disturbing the roots of a recently collected tree, particularly in August.

 

[f1pt4]

I don't know if your weather has been very hot like it has been across much of the US this year. Very hot weather can cause stress and sometimes early fall coloring, although I don't know if that's whats going on here, as it's mostly the tips. I doubt very much it's the fertilizer, once a week isn't too much at all. And larch really do like water as well, but I would ask what your soil is, and if it's maybe clogged up and not draining properly?

Thank you everyone for your responses!!!!

I think it's stress. It's so ridiculously hot this year, and everything is baking in the sun. Averaging around 35c every day, and we've had a few 40c+ days in a row, and more this week. Plus not a lot of rain, and very very strong winds. I don't remember the last time we had a summer like this.

I also checked all 16 of my larches and they don't show any pest issues but all but a couple, upon closer inspection are showing signs of stress. Heck, my burning bush is already red and it's not fall yet, yet still new growth. Wtf.

Actually I have about 12 trees I'm going to be digging into the ground and this was one of them. Haven't done it yet, but the wife is pissed that all of our tables in the backyard are covered in trees. All of my growing benches are full, and so I have no choice but to bury the left overs. 4 of the trees were collected this year. I excavated a spot by my house 1.5 meters by 6meters which will be a growing bed for the next few years until a deck is built. My main concern is that it's a south facing wall so I'm afraid of it heating up in the winter. Might use the white side of Mylar over the protective fence I'll build around them for the winter to reflect as much sun and heat as possible.

I plan on essentially slip potting them into the soil and not touching any of the roots.

Probably will do it at night too, when it's cooler.
Then water the hell out of them.

 

[f1pt4]

If it's pushing a second flush, wouldn't you think the roots are growing? I'd be concerned about disturbing the roots of a recently collected tree, particularly in August.

It might even be a third flush. I've lost track. Everything is growing like mad!

 

[f1pt4]

I have a couple in their native soil and I treat them just like they are in inorganic soil. Lots of water and 5 times the amount of Miracle-gro prescribed on the box once per week. I don't believe it's too much water or fertilizer.

So far I've had a 100% success rate when collecting larches to collect them with their native soil. I know some people bare root them, but I don't remove that soil until they get repotted a couple years down the road. Next year there will be a helluva lot of repotting going on. Lol.

 

[f1pt4]

If it's pushing a second flush, wouldn't you think the roots are growing? I'd be concerned about disturbing the roots of a recently collected tree, particularly in August.

If the roots aren't disturbed, and instead back filled into a bigger hole in the ground, how do you reckon the trees will fair. I don't really have a choice right now. Unless I just bury them in the pots. Then I'd be worried about the lack of drainage of potted trees buried in soil.

 

[f1pt4]

I would ask what your soil is, and if it's maybe clogged up and not draining properly?

It's in native soil (sand/decomposed forest matter) and back filled with promix container soil. It sits in a 14" pot, with 8x 1.5" drainage holes and 4x 1/2" drainage holes. There is approx 3-4" of 3/4- 1.5" growstones on the bottom of the pot.

The tree is approx 4 feet high.

 

[twisted trees]

If it's pushing a second flush, wouldn't you think the roots are growing? I'd be concerned about disturbing the roots of a recently collected tree, particularly in August.

Lifting it just to look at them will not do any harm. I'm suspecting they are probably ok but it doesn't hurt to check. In every pic that was shown almost all of the buds are dormant except a few that have mild growth. I would not suspect that taking a struggling tree out of a nursery pot, gently spreading the roots and plopping it in the ground will kill it. Currently I'm raising about 1,000 larch in various stages of development. Any tree that seems to be struggling in a nursery pot goes back into the ground until they are vigorous again.