# Is this tip blight? 😢 **URL:** \ **Category:** Horticulture\ **Created:** [December 31, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764 "2019-12-31T04:52:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_Bentley](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bentley/32/7792_2.png) [@Bonsai\_Bentley](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_Bentley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764/1 "2019-12-31T04:52:09Z")
If so, how do I treat it? Mankozeb? ![IMG_20191230_173109](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/2X/2/2d5c9200bcec6a77805a1e6399d44e452f6d637f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![AndyK](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/andyk/32/2330_2.png) [@AndyK](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/AndyK)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 7:48am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764/2 "2019-12-31T07:48:41Z")
Hi @Bonsai_Bentley How old are those needles? The fresh ones look okay? ---
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_Bentley](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bentley/32/7792_2.png) [@Bonsai\_Bentley](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_Bentley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 8:39am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764/3 "2019-12-31T08:39:48Z")
Probably a 2-3 years old. I grew this from a seed and it’s 3 years old. I’m hoping that it’s just dropping old needles, but figured I’d make sure that it’s not something else. ---
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_bob](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bob/32/35621_2.png) [@Bonsai\_bob](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_bob)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764/4 "2019-12-31T17:03:33Z")
Possibly overwatered? Or just losing old needles? Read this blog from Michael Hagedorn. > **[Be a Bonsai Sleuth: What is Needle Cast and What is Overwatering for Pines?](https://crataegus.com/2018/06/11/be-a-bonsai-sleuth-what-is-needle-cast-and-what-is-overwatering-for-pines/)** > > Many of the problems we see on our bonsai look very much the same. Needle Cast, a fungus, and overwatering, a care mistake, often look a lot alike. Here are two photos that might help determine if … The soil in your photo looks really dark to me. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_Bentley](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bentley/32/7792_2.png) [@Bonsai\_Bentley](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_Bentley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764/5 "2019-12-31T17:14:59Z")
It has been raining a lot lately and it’s not in the best soil. I’ll be putting it into a colendar/pond basket this spring in a 1:1:1 soil. Thanks for the link! ---
**Author:** ![KurtP](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/kurtp/32/16188_2.png) [@KurtP](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/KurtP)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764/6 "2019-12-31T17:21:35Z")
It would be healpful to know what kind of pine it is. Probably fall needle drop. . You are in South Carolina. Never see winter there. Hopefully it is a local acclimated pine species. Looks like white pine (?), or red pine. . I use a palative antifungal in the fall. Now would be a good time there. Keeps the new spring buds from being infected IF it is a needle fungus. COVER your soil. You WANT the mycorhiza there. ---
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_Bentley](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bentley/32/7792_2.png) [@Bonsai\_Bentley](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_Bentley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764/7 "2019-12-31T17:25:12Z")
Oops, sorry. Japanese black pine. Good call on covering the soil. I guess an old grocery store bag will do. ---
**Author:** ![nmhansen](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/nmhansen/32/114_2.png) [@nmhansen](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/nmhansen)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 7:30pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-tip-blight/4764/8 "2019-12-31T19:30:07Z")
If you have any of those akadama bags left over, those make good rain skirts too. Hold up a little better than a grocery bag.