I have a JWP I bought a few weeks ago to train as a Literati. I noticed that the needles of the new candles have a pale yellow band in the middle of them. Is this an indication of some kind of problem? Over watering? Insects? Disease? If so what should I do?
The tree in still in the planter pot and soil I bought it in. The soil doesn’t seem to dry out very fast, so I am concerned it is developing root problems due to the soil. But it is not the “normal” time to repot pines.
This blog from Michael Hagedorn deals with diagnosis.
Needle cast / fungus / overwatering.
The garden soil is a problem because it does not allow enough oxygen to keep the tree healthy. Treating the foliage with Daconil or a copper fungicide needed to be done in the spring, but I am doing a treatment the last day before summer solstice!! Any needles that fall off should be removed and any tools used should be sterilized with alcohol. The rubbing kind, not the drinking kind.
Thank you for the reply. I’ve Googled Needle Cast but the images I’ve seen don’t match what I see on my JWP. I looked for Daconil, but it doesn’t seem to be available for retail sale in Ontario (they banned many pesticides and other 'cides here 10-15 yrs ago). There is a “wettable copper fungicide powder spray” from Brodo that I can buy, but I’m not sure if it is the same kind of fungicide as Daconil.
I’ll take the tree to our next club meeting and see what the more experienced than me members have to say about it.
