If you have ever wondered why some pines seem to grow poorly in the Midwest, you have already noticed the disease I want to highlight today--Tip Blight.
Tip blight is a fungal disease spread during spring rains. The disease only affects new needle growth, which turn brown, fail to develop fully and may form a "Shepard's Crook."
Tip blight is fairly easy to identify and treat. You will have to use plant protection products annually to keep the infection from coming back every year. If you do not treat, the tree will continue to decline and will eventually die.
The most common hosts of tip blight are Scotch pine and Austrian pine. Avoid planting these species when possible. If you already have some of these trees in your landscape, keep them healthy (this is the first line of defense). Water well during dry periods, including the winter season.
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