Back in July I treated a number of black and red pines for suspected root aphids (see “Why are my trees yellow“). I’ve noticed a few changes since then and wanted to share what I’ve seen.
- Some yellow growth has turned green
- The healthiest trees are sending out summer shoots
- The weakest trees remain unchanged
My biggest worry when drenching the two- and three-year old pines was that the treatments would damage roots. Although it’s far too early to tell, I can report that there has been no evidence to suggest catastrophic changes to the trees that were treated. On a more positive note, I’ve noticed a few trees turn from yellow to green. The new needles on the pine below were yellow before treatment. Although the old needles remain yellowish, the new needles have greened up considerably.
3-1/2 year-old black pine
Spring growth
I have no way to tell whether or not the greening resulted from any treatment, but I’m happy nonetheless as it’s a sign of the tree’s health.
Some of the healthiest trees are now sending out summer shoots.
Summer shoots on 2-1/2 year-old black pine
Summer shoots
We often think of black and red pines as trees that send out new growth one time per year – two when we decandle – but healthy pines regularly send out summer shoots when they’re growing vigorously. This is particularly true of younger pines.
1-1/2 year-old black pine
Summer shoots
1-1/2 year-old red pine with summer shoots
Pulling a flat out at random, I noticed that all but one of the trees had summer shoots.
1-1/2 year-old pines
These trees will all need wiring and repotting before next spring. In the meantime, I’ll continue to feed heavily to help the trees prepare for winter.
