Pinus sylvestris yellowing problem

Question

I'm pretty new to gardening and I recently (~2 weeks ago) got a Pinus sylvestris 'Fastigiata' plant and I noticed that some needles started to yellow. Here are a few pics:-

The yellowing is mostly on the internal and lower needles, but there is also some yellowing on the tips of top needles, with the tips completely brown with some white stuff on them. And I also noticed the plant is full of ants, you can see it on one of the pictures.

Is this a problem that I need to do something about, and if yes, what exactly? Thanks.

Answer 1

Brown tips could be either over or under watering.

Pines tend to have sprawling root systems. To keep it happy in a pot you need to keep it moist, but not wet. If wet, roots drown. With fewer roots, the top doesn't get enough water. So the signs of too much vs not enough water can be similar.

The pine should be in a potting mix that is well drained. Do not use garden soil in a pot. It almost always has too much clay in it, and with the pot's small drain holes it will water log.

Scots pine needles live 2-4 years, then drop off. That part of the stem doesn't make new needles. This is why a pine looks like a collection of bottle brushes. So the interior needles aren't a concern.

Scots pine needles are in pairs. The base of each pair is in what looks like a celophane socket a few mm long. In your pics you can see these. At first glance they look like dry tips of young needles.