Potted pine not doing well?

I have a potted pine tree I bought last christmas. I have repotted it several months ago and it was doing fine. Then suddenly it wilted. The needles have a white powdery coating on them that look just like overspray from fake snow in a can.


I tried to clean it off, and it worked somewhat, but the tree is still wilted. What is wrong and how can I save my tree?

Potted pine not doing well?
Here is the answer to your problem. What you have are "woolly aphids". They are commonly found on coniferous trees such as your potted pine. The white fuzzy appearance is a waxy filament or protective cover. If you were to remove it you would see the aphid itself. They suck the plant juices and weaken the tree and if there are enough of them, it can and will cause the tree branches to wilt and turn brown and may cause death. The only way to get rid of them is with a systemic insecticide. Go to Walmart, Home Depot or Lowes garden center and purchase a liquid insecticide made by Ortho called "Systemic Insect Killer". It contains the active ingredient "Acephate" which is a strong systemic killer. It kills on contact, as well as systemically by entering the foliage, protecting the tree for up to about 3 or 4 weeks. If anything chews, sucks, or nibbles on the foliage, it's history! This will take care of the Woolly Aphids. Here is a link with some info about this product. Hope this answers your question.


http://www.scotts.com/media/media/pdf/pr...


http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomo...


http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomo...





Added Info: No, don't fertilize just yet. If the tree is wilting like you say, it's pretty well stressed out and needs to come around and perk up before you feed it. The aphids have apparently drained it pretty good. Hold off until it perks up and you see that the aphids are drying up after the treatment with the systemic.





**Billy Ray**
Reply:Sorry to here it might not make it. Next time you'll have a good idea what your dealing with. Good Luck, and thanks for choosing a best answer.. Report It

Reply:They don't like wet feet - how much do your water it? does the soil smell sour


Consider dye free wood chips in the bottom and then soil from just above the root base.


Doodad
Reply:sounds like you have an infestation...probably wooly mites... usually plants only get attacked when they are stressed out and unhappy...where is your tree living? Not many pine trees do well inside of a house...or in a pot for that matter!!! The bugs can be eliminated with a washing down with insecticidal soap...then a good shower a few days later.The best place for pine trees is outside in the ground...good luck!!
Reply:this one stumps me. it sounds just like powdery mildew, but none of my books mention it as a disease pines get. and i've never seen it, either. if it is p. mildew, the best thing you can do for it is spray it with neem oil immediately. very effective. non-toxic. if neem doesn't work, you know you don't have p. mildew--but god knows what.
Reply:i hate when that happens...
Reply:If there is still spray snow on the tree it will be suffocating it you must ensure this is all removed