JBP needles turning yellow.. Help!

[joelham]

Hi guys I have a jbp in training (early years) and its needles are turning yellow with brown tips.
It looks to me like its carking it.
Do they do this through winter... Any help would be appreciated.
It's in a free draining mix and not overwatered.
Thanks for any help
Cheers
Joel

[EJZ]

Hi Joel,

Japanese black pines are pretty robust pines and can usually handle harsh conditions.

Yellowing needles could indicate a number of things… a pic would help

From my experience yellow needles could be a sign of the tree being hungry or in need of a repot.

Also Pines needles last for approx. 3 years and theses needles will usually fall off the tree or brown off and should be removed.

How long has it been since your last repot and does the tree appear to be root bound?

If it’s the case now would probably be the best time to repot
Your further up north than me so I presuming spring has already started.

These are all hypothetical causes and a picture would at the least be required to diagnose the problem

I’m sure someone on Ausbonsai should be able to put you in the right direction.

Wish you all the best with your tree

Cheers

[dansai]

Is it all the needles, or just old ones?

Like EJZ said, pines shed their old needles after about 3 years, less if they are not healthy. A picture or further info would be needed to help.

[joelham]

Thanks guys. Here's a pic.
Not in need of repot its in a missive training pot I just put in last season. The tree is probably only 3 years old,
Do they like to be well watered. I let mine dry right out before watering.
I have it a chop back to the first bracnh a few months ago which has me worried I have done it too late.
Any help is awesome.., thanks for the responses
Joel

[Grant Bowie]

A classic combination of errors here i think.

A tree in a big(massive) pot that has been hard chopped going into winter. Shock sets in; too much soil and water, not enough foliage equals root rot and other problems. Remaining needles don't look good so pray for good spring growth and do not trim anything for at least a year.

Drench with Fongarid and Seasol and cross fingers. Repeat if necessary in a couple of weeks.

Your climate may be the saviour in this case with a mild winter about to end.

Do not fertilise until late spring if the tree survives.

Good luck,

Grant

[joelham]

Yes sounds right... I've just informed myself in the last litte while about overpotting.
I will seasol and bring in at nights I think.
Thanks grant

[Grant Bowie]

Yes sounds right... I've just informed myself in the last litte while about overpotting.
I will seasol and bring in at nights I think.
Thanks grant

No need to bring in at nights unless you were expecting torrential rain. Cool/cold shouldn't hurt it unless you are expecting severe frost either.

Grant

[treeman]

This tree is dying. If you don't do something right now I would expect you will lose it.
If the tree is worth the trouble, I would immediately remove it from its pot, clean most of the soil off the roots, trim back to live tissue, (cut dark brown /black roots) soak in Banrot or Fongarid and pot in pure corse sand in the smallest black plastic pot which the roots will go into. Do not move it until the pot is full of roots. Water once then let dry before watering again. Keep out of the rain but in a sunny position. It might come good but it looks really far gone to me
It is unlikely to improve if you leave it in the big pot.