Red Needle Pines

Excessive Red needles in Pines are a sure sign of a sick tree.  It must be made sure that we are not looking at the group of old needles falling from the inside of the tree.  Of course all speceies are different- but generally needles are persistant (they stick on the branch ) for three [...] [...more]

Excessive Red needles in Pines are a sure sign of a sick tree.  It must be made sure that we are not looking at the group of old needles falling from the inside of the tree.  Of course all speceies are different- but generally needles are persistant (they stick on the branch ) for three or five years.  The second normal factor affecting interior needle drop is shade intolerance (all needles or leafs need light to continue to grow).  So if we are looking at the needles on the out side of the tree, and they are red, there is a problem.  If all of the needles are totally red and crunchy, then the tree is dead.  If there is a clump of red needles on top or on  the side … borers.  they need to be cut out and the tree treated with a long term insecticide.  If the damage is severe, a nutrient booster can be injected as well.

There are several disease and insects vectores that cause sickness in trees.  Usually there is more than one disease at work affecting a trees’ ability to grow vigorously.  For instance, root rot and scale, or bacterial cancors and mites….Similar to humans, when too many stresses are applied, sickness results.  Allow the sickness to continue and death will follow.

Mites are really small and cant really be seen with out a hand lenz.  They were really bad last summer and probably will be when it gets hot again.  They will cause red needles in clumps and they create a “web” when the infestation is bad.  Mites can be killed by spray, but the entire plant needs to be saturated and the process repeated weekly for three weeks.  This is feasible for small trees under 15 feet tall (plus or minus)  For green house use there are preditor mites and mite distroyers available.  Here in Utah, it is too dry for these benificial bugs to be used out doors.  Drenches and Micro Injections are effective applications of mitacides.

 Scale tend to make needles yellow and are visable on the needles as little scales.  They are only suceptable to chemical sprays durring a soft stage for about two weeks in the spring.  The Hard Scale feed by sucking sap an are vulnerable to systemic applications of insecticide.

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Spring is Sprung!

Hello All!  Time to get the rake out again and rake up all the leaves that may have blown in to the the yard durning the winter.  The over wintering stages of many insects can be removed or exposed to birds to eat.  Now is a good time for a final dormant oil spray on [...] [...more]

Hello All!  Time to get the rake out again and rake up all the leaves that may have blown in to the the yard durning the winter.  The over wintering stages of many insects can be removed or exposed to birds to eat.  Now is a good time for a final dormant oil spray on the bark of fruit trees to kill any over wintering insects.   Start paying attention to your Aspen trees!  If you have had concerns about black spot in the fall,,, they need to be treated soon after the buds first burst.  These bacteria caused blemishes are more prevalent in the fall of years with proleonged wet springs.

Have a happy day!

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