Help with my Podocarpus wall

[oswinondarza]

Hello everyone ! I need some help with my Podocarpus planted last year around summer. Not sure if it's the season "Winter" because in Florida we never really get cold weather but it definitely changes. My Podocarpus were very healthy and beautiful but lately I have found these concerning issues. I water once a week giving the season temperature, I keep it most until it shows dry on my meter so I can water again. If it rains I skip until the meter shows from moist to dry before watering. I don't want to overwater but not sure if I should water more ?

I recently added fertilizer first days of December and before that was summer after planted.

This is the product I used: Miracle-Gro Shake 'N Feed Flowering Trees and Shrubs Continuous Release Plant Food

Bellow some picture of my concerts, any help will be appreciated!

 

[Marck]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

Most of the damage to your Podocarpus macrophyllus hedge appears to be due to aphids or a similar Homopteran insect. The blackened leaves seen in several shots is Sooty Mold, which is a secondary infection caused by a fungus that lives on the honeydew secreted by the insects. If you treat for the insects the Sooty Mold will also disappear. First try to locate an photograph the actual insects so that they can be properly identified. They will be quite small, but you may be able to photograph them with the macro settings found on most modern cameras.

The brown leaves in the last three photographs may indicate a separate problem related to drainage and/or disease, but the exact nature and prevalence of this problem is unclear form the photos alone.

 

[oswinondarza]

Thank you @Marck , I've been applying Neem oil and it seems to be doing better. There one plant that I do think it's having drainage issues because I remember when I planted that specific one, the soil was super hard when I was trying to dig a hole. I live in Florida when it's usually sand but this part hard like hard clay I think ? What should I do for that one ? I will post more pictures of my pants and will show one specific one of the one plant I think has drainage issues.

Please let me know your thoughts !

 

[Marck]

That one Podocarpus macrophyllus with the stunted yellow leaves does show signs of poor drainage and saturated soil. Perhaps the soil is especially dense there, as you say. You might try try partly excavating around the shrub and replace some soil with a neutral to acid planting mix that drains well.

 

[oswinondarza]

Hello! Thanks for the recommendation, I have done this and it's already looking way better. pictures attached. I removed a much as possible of the bad gray clay soil which is horrible, it was completely wet and it's been weeks without rain.

However I still have issues with the tips of the new branches, they seem like burned, would it be the very cold days we just passed or the fertilizer (too much?) or any other factor ? I know for a fact it is not lack of waiter because I was having the opposite problem like you said, poor drainage.

Thank you all !

 

[Marck]

Are these yellow branch tips new? It has a month and half since the fiirst post. If nutrient deficiency is the issue. it will mostly be through new growth that the plant will recover. The current yellow leaves and gnarled tips will not change. additional water is not the answer; remember drainage is key. Double-check the tips to make sure there is not a pest issue as well.

Perhaps now just prune off all the seriously damaged tips. The shrubs will immediately look better, and then, if there is new damage, you won't get it mixed up with the previous old damage.