WARNING Pine Needle Blight

 Pine Needle Blight (Dothistroma septosporum) is a fungal disease that can devastate your bonsai pine collection if not treated early.  Better still it is recommended that preventative measures be taken throughout wet/humid weather.

 A simple application of a copper based fungicide like Kocide Blue (Copper Hydroxide) can prevent infection and spread of the fungus.

However, the last growing season at The Australian Bonsai Gallery we experienced an extended wet Spring and Summer.  Despite the application of Kocide Blue one of our oldest Black Pines became heavily infected.  We continued to apply the copper spray throughout the season and into Autumn to prevent it from spreading.

The infection was so serious we did not needle pluck or bud select this bonsai in fear of further weakening it.  Fortunately this bonsai is normally very strong and this season it started to produce a good first flush of un-infected needles.

As shown in the image below we, finally and out of season, needle plucked and bud selected the tree as well as removing all the infected needles......  Looks like this venerable old tree has made a full recovery.!!!!