Sick junipers

Hello

I have a number of junipers which have been sick for several months. I've read widely to try to discover what the problem may be and taken the advice provided by that reading. However, it hasn't worked. Do any of you have any suggestions?

Attached are photos showing some of the sick parts. In short, the leaves have browned in certain areas.

From time to time a white, fibrous webbing has formed over the leaves. I have treated this by spraying with white oil and Microcrop Ecopest oil.

I have watered them carefully: only watering when the soil has become dry but watering as soon as this occurs. This usually means watering once a day.

I have them on a balcony facing west. Unfortunately that's the only direction I have available. I have put them in as much sun as possible at the moment following advice from someone at a bonsai store.

I've also stopped fertilising them because I read somewhere that you should not fertilise when plants are sick.

Can anyone offer any advice as to what to do?

Many thanks

Oscar

From the pictures it looks like juniper scale - spray it with confidor.
Yours sincerely.
Leong

Oscar,
I am led to believe that is a no-no to spray white oil or any kind of pest oil on junipers.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but because of the surface area of the leaf (for the want of a better word) of a juni is so small the oil can effectivley starve the plant of air, O2 etc..
Good luck with it mate.
Cheers......Brian

Hi Brian and Leong

Thanks very much for the advice.

I'll try to wash the leaves thoroughly with water and then spray with confidor.

Am I right to hold off fertilising until they're better and keep them in full sun?

Thanks again

Oscar

Yes Oscar..It doesn't help to fertilize any tree that is in anyway distressed for whatever reason.
As to the washing of the trees foliage, it certainly won't hurt but I don't think it is entirely necessary though.
Good luck with them......Brian

Thanks very much Brian.

Just to add to what Brian and Leong have said Oscar,take precautions when using confidor,ie,don`t spray in a wind and avoid breathing the mist, this was told to me by the nursery I bought my confidor spray from for thrips on figs,alternatively,you can get confidor tablets that you bury near the roots and the plant absorbs and quite probably will have longer lasting effects but I`m no expert on the matter.good luck Chook

Hello Leong, Brian and Chook

I have now tried spraying my sick junipers with confidor about 4 times (about 10 days apart each time). Unfortunately, things are getting worse - see the attached pictures.

I have been sure to keep them well watered, in light of the instructions on the Confidor to do so.

I have several maples which do not have the problem, yet all of my junipers have the problem.

Do you have any more suggestions?

Thank you very much.

Kind regards

Oscar

Could you possibly have grubs in the pots eating the roots that may be worth checking if you haven't already. Good luck with it

You appear to have some
Healthy growth still
First thing I would do is remove
All the dead brown needles
To allow light and air into what is left
And lessen the hiding places of any pests