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Help with connifer please
trislowes0b_gCTuR
Posts: 1
Please could I get some advice on how to help my connifer. We seemed to have had an aphid infestation and subsequent soot mould issue.
I used provanto pesticide to clear the aphids (no sign of them now) and have been spraying with soapy water for a little while and have nearly cleared the mould.
It's still looking a bit sorry, would fertilising it help? I'd like to avoid the brown area leaving a gap but fear it may have gone too far
It really needs a trim but nervous to do that until its better.
Thanks
Tris
Pics:
I used provanto pesticide to clear the aphids (no sign of them now) and have been spraying with soapy water for a little while and have nearly cleared the mould.
It's still looking a bit sorry, would fertilising it help? I'd like to avoid the brown area leaving a gap but fear it may have gone too far
It really needs a trim but nervous to do that until its better.
Thanks
Tris
Pics:
0
Posts
It may simply have been damaged on one of the branches, or it could have got dried out. That can often happen a long time before the obvious signs are there.
Feeding will not help - it would do more damage. A stressed plant can't cope with that. Conifers don't need food - just water in very dry spells, although mainly when getting them established initially. Established ones can cope with some drought, but as mentioned, they can show no signs until it's too late. It may not recover, so you might have to just replace it.
In general, a healthy shrub or tree will shrug off aphids and most insect pests, so it's possible it's been struggling for a while. There is a disease which affects conifers called Phytopthora, so it may be that.
Here's a link to info
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=542
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...