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Tario Street

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
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Location
Colorado
My four Vanderwolf limber pines planted last fall have not been doing well this spring. Pictures are attached below but it is what I believe is plant mildew. I am far from an expert so please help!

Over the last two weeks I have been trying some of the diy stuff I found online (listerine, milk, and neem oil) and it doesn’t seem to be helping too much. We are in Colorado.

Feedback and solutions are very appreciated!
 

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More pics. Thanks.
 

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First things first. They appear to be White Pines and not Austrian Pines. I could be mistaken. Are the needles in bundles of 5 or 2?

Some of it looks like transplant shock. Where only the tips are yellow it looks like Cantarvergella Needle cast.

What’s your watering schedule like? Where the burlap and cages removed when planted. Any amendments to the soil?
 
First things first. They appear to be White Pines and not Austrian Pines. I could be mistaken. Are the needles in bundles of 5 or 2?

Some of it looks like transplant shock. Where only the tips are yellow it looks like Cantarvergella Needle cast.

What’s your watering schedule like? Where the burlap and cages removed when planted. Any amendments to the soil?
My fault actually vanderwolf limber pine

It is on the backside of a neighbor on a hill so we don’t have a set watering schedule.

Burlap and cages were removed. We did add amendment to the soil upon planting. Normal stuff from Lowe’s.
 
That top sure looks desiccated.

That white stuff is not powdery mildew.

Is it hard and sticky or more "fluffy"?

Can you take better close-up clear pictures of the trunk right where it turns from green to wilting?

I'm thinking white pine weevil? That would normally curl the top, but it may have just happened and the curl may not have happened yet. The white stuff would be sticky sap if it is WPW.

Maybe pine bark adelgid if the white stuff is more fluffy. It would generally take more adelgids to cause wilting...but a tree that is already stressed could have that.

You just planted it? Ask the nursery about it...if it is either of those 2 pests, the tree most likely came with it.
 
I appreciate the feedback. I’m doing something wrong. Is the white stuff on the trees powdery mildew?

I’m not aware of pines being susceptible to powdery mildew. More of a broadleaf deciduous tree issue.

If you have not been watering with any regularity, what’s your rainfall been like?
 
That top sure looks desiccated.

That white stuff is not powdery mildew.

Is it hard and sticky or more "fluffy"?

Can you take better close-up clear pictures of the trunk right where it turns from green to wilting?

I'm thinking white pine weevil? That would normally curl the top, but it may have just happened and the curl may not have happened yet. The white stuff would be sticky sap if it is WPW.

Maybe pine bark adelgid if the white stuff is more fluffy. It would generally take more adelgids to cause wilting...but a tree that is already stressed could have that.

You just planted it? Ask the nursery about it...if it is either of those 2 pests, the tree most likely came with it.
I feel like the powdery stuff is more fluffy.

Will get pics hopefully tonight or tomorrow. Thanks to you and everyone for the response

These were bought at Home Depot. They aren’t in a super sunny spot. I have two other bigger versions of the tree in a different location that are thriving. They have been there for years from Home Depot as well.
 
OK..I zoomed in on a better screen. There are definitely holes in the twigs - something is feeding under there. I'm going with white pine weevil.

That doesn't mean there aren't pine bark adelgids there too...but WPW is causing more damage. You'd need to prune out and train up a new leader.
 
New pics
 

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OK..I zoomed in on a better screen. There are definitely holes in the twigs - something is feeding under there. I'm going with white pine weevil.

That doesn't mean there aren't pine bark adelgids there too...but WPW is causing more damage. You'd need to prune out and train up a new leader.
Thanks for the all feedback. What do you recommend I do for wpw?

I did find a beetle on the best looking tree (not saying much).
 

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Oh..wow. Those two left-most trees - that goes too far down for WPW.

There is something in there feeding under the bark. I'd talk to Home Depot about replacements and not worry about these. Get store credit and plant later in the fall rather than trying to transplant a tree going into the heat and dry of summer. (may have to buy from a real nursery to do fall planting...home improvement stores around here don't stock plants in the fall - they just have the leftovers that barely got watered all summer).

If they won't replace, then we've got to figure out what is eating the trees to know a treatment plan. That means autopsy. Cut out a dead branch. Take a pic of the end of the branch. Cut up a foot or so and repeat. Then gently scrape off the bark to see what kind of tracks they boogers left behind. I wouldn't do that if you are going for replacement because they'll say you mutilated the trees...

Most likely a systemic treatment will work, but which product and timing is what we need to figure out. There may also be a bark spray that is appropriate - especially on trees that small. Again, timing is important.
 
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