Help please redbud trees

DRedSky

Hi all!
I’m absolutely completely and utterly ready to scream with frustration with an ongoing issue that nobody seems to be able to solve.
And today i found what might be the culprit and have a photo but am even more confused.

i planted 2 forest pansy (redbud) trees last year and all their beautiful leaves were chewed to bits and i was surprised they’d die but they recently grew new leaves and i bought a rising sun (redbud) tree and of course it was a stupid thing to do because now i have 3 trees being defoliated and it’s driving me crazy.

photos below.

just to mention for an entire year I constantly see very fine spider web on them BUT never catch sight of culprits.
I have repeatedly sprayed organic insecticide and nothing helps. Someone recently said spider mites so i bought 7 bottles (i did mention how frustrated i am) of bug clear which is also in photos.
After repeated spraying the webs continue and damage continues and trees are almost bare.

but then today i finally finally saw a little spider weaving the webbing. At last i found what was doing it and i took a photo.
But….. its not spider mites. In fact this spider is approximately half the size of tour little finger nail.
So it’s small but surely not a mite?

please help me. I will be so sad to have to dig up my 3 redbud trees. But i can’t find anyone to help

I had a similar issue with a small oak that has been growing in a pot, I thought maybe all the rain had washed the nutrients out but also that there might be a mite problem. I relocated it to a new pot and sprayed with a home made neem oil mix. I don't know if it has resolved the issue, it still looks a little chlorotic although there is new growth and it continuing to bud.

I'm not a tree expert but they do look a little washed out and might need some chelation. Someone else might have better advice but they might just need some nutrients, especially if your soil is high Ph.

wildwillow

I think you have a nutrient and watering problem. A web won't damage a healthy plant.

DRedSky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122238071#Comment_122238071

thanks Wildwillow! It’s possible that its overwatered, i used a soil tester after reading your comment and it hit 10 for wetness so certainly it’s overwatered.

In terms of nutrients what could i use? Seaweed plant food or tomato feed maybe?

I use seaweed on trees and shrubs and tomato feed when I have it on things like dahlias and begonias. I should probably just buy proper flower food but it's what I have so I use it.

As an aside if they are planted a little low or have sunk a bit they'll be more likely to stay wet so if they haven't been in the ground long maybe raise them a little to keep them dry?

standardg60

Agree it's nothing to do with spiders or mites.

Cercis are from the middle East (hence Judas tree as it's purported that's what he hung himself from) so need warm dry sheltered conditions. It just looks a bit exposed and struggling with excessive moisture to me.

Edit, I should add it doesn't look too bad!

DRedSky

super thanks very much to you both! Really appreciate the advice, thanks!! :)