Description of the causes and symptoms of cedar diseases, how to deal with pests

When growing conifers, you need to prepare in advance for the fact that sooner or later you will have to deal with cedar disease. There are many symptoms that will tell you what kind of disease has affected the tree. Having understood the rules of treatment, you will be able to quickly get rid of the lesion and prevent the death of the plant.

What diseases and pests are cedar susceptible to and how to deal with them

Typically, damage to Siberian cedar occurs extremely rarely; the tree is immune to infections. With age, the plant's endurance decreases, there is a risk of developing fungal diseases, and even unfavorable conditions can cause harm to the tree.

Fungi often settle on the plant, especially if it is not properly cared for or grown in conditions of high humidity. Insects can also cause harm to the tree and provoke the development of diseases.

Spruce mite

The spruce mite, which feeds on the sap of young needles, poses a significant danger to cedar. After the pests work, the needles wrinkle, lose their rich green tint, and dry out completely. Measures to combat them are regular treatments with Fitoverm.

Folk remedies cannot be used; the mite will withstand treatment and continue to parasitize cedar needles.

Spider mite

The spread of spider mites on a tree is not difficult to recognize; the presence of the pest has several signs. The presence of an insect is indicated by the following symptoms:

• thin cobweb on needles;
• dried needles;
• yellow color of needles.

Fufanon solutions are used against ticks; prepare strictly according to the instructions.

Aphid

It is not difficult to identify aphids on cedar; fairly large insects densely occupy branches and pine needles. What to do to get rid of the pest? It is recommended to irrigate the tree with Karbofos. It is better to carry out several treatments at intervals of 10 days.

Small spruce scale

The pest provokes intensive needle shedding, often even small branches begin to crumble. If the necessary measures are not taken in a timely manner, there is a risk of losing the tree.

To get rid of false scale insects, insecticidal preparations are used.Lepidocide treatments are often carried out, especially if the pest colony has already occupied the entire cedar.

Hermes pine

Hermes larvae densely populate cedar needles and resemble a gray coating. If you look closely at it, tiny insects can be easily distinguished. The larvae are unable to harm an adult tree, but they can easily destroy young plants. To get rid of Hermes, use “Fufanon”, “Iskra” (treat the needles), it is also recommended to water the cedar generously with “Aktara”.

Pine armyworm

You will have to deal with the cutworm in the spring; with the onset of warm weather, insects actively attack the needles, gnaw completely off the branches, and suck out the contents of the buds. In arid areas, the destructive work of the pest leads to the extinction of huge plantations. Usually the biological product “Lepidocid” is used (triple treatment).

Seryanka

The main symptom of the disease is formations on the surface of the branches and trunk of the cedar. In spring, aecidia (yellow-gray mass) appears from them. If left untreated, the spores contained in the aecidium rapidly spread throughout the wood, which leads to weakening of the tree and subsequent death.

It will not be possible to cope with the disease; the only way to prevent damage to healthy trees is to remove the diseased cedar.

Moth

The moth butterfly does not harm conifers, but its larvae, which in May quickly begin to feed on pine needles, are destructive. Caterpillars destroy everything in their path, leaving bare branches (pests often eat even young shoots). It is recommended to use insecticidal agents against the enemy of conifers. One treatment is not enough - 3-4 irrigations of the needles.

Rust diseases

When affected by rust diseases, a white coating appears on the needles and branches.The lesion usually begins with the buds and, if left untreated, rapidly spreads throughout the tree. The cedar pine needles fall off and the plants begin to dry out. To treat them, use fungicidal drugs. If possible, make stem injections (injected under the bark of the conifer).

Pine silkworm

Usually the pest penetrates into young shoots and buds. Evidence of the presence of silkworms is the deformed tips of the branches. Lack of measures will lead to drying out of the cedar.

The control measure is the complete removal of the affected parts of the tree. Be sure to complete the procedure by spraying the cedar with Fastak.

The first signs of infection and disease of cedar pine

The owner of a cedar pine should be alerted to a change in the shade of the needles. If the needles become lighter in color or become covered with an unpleasant coating, you should carefully inspect the affected branches. Be sure to check the kidneys, pests usually hide there.

The next sign of the disease is the falling of needles. If the necessary measures are not taken and treatment is not carried out, the branches will begin to dry out, indicating that damage to the wood has begun.

Measures to improve tree resilience

Regular treatments and proper care will help prevent cedar diseases. Preventive irrigation should be done with insecticides at least three times per season. It is better to start in the spring; it is with the onset of stable heat that the pests activate their work.

Monitor watering; increased soil moisture is detrimental to the tree and contributes to a decrease in immunity. A weakened plant gets sick and is attacked by pests much more often.

How to protect cedar from insects and diseases

To protect conifers in your garden plot from pests and infections, it is recommended to plant them in a suitable location. The following plants will repel insects and prevent the development of diseases:

• mint;
• rue;
• marigold;
• lavender;
• castor bean;
• sage.

Among the trees, an excellent neighbor for cedar pine would be walnut, which repels most pests.

You should not be afraid of diseases or insects that can harm cedar - timely treatments will get rid of the tree’s enemies and prevent death.

The main thing is to carefully examine the plant, react immediately when pests are detected, and do not forget about preventive treatments.