We've lived here w/ this big beautiful tree for 3 years now and I've never seen the needles die off (dry and rust colored). To the best of my knowledge it has always remained evergreen well "everblue" year round. Anybody know what's happening? I want to be able to save it. The needles are dying off from the trunk outward and so far have not reached out to the outmost say 12" of the tips. However within that foot you can see the blue turning into a pale green. Any arborists out there? Or anyone w/ Blue Spruce experience? Thanks in advance.
2006-10-10 15:29:52 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Like Judy said they may have spider mites. They could also have a disease that would require a fungicide spray. However, if the tree is really full it could be a natural occurance. Needles on the inside of a tree eventually die off because they are only a drain on a tree. If it's so full light can't get to those inside needles they are using food but not producing any. The tree's response is to drop them. It's a good idea to thin a tree by pruning so there is good airflow through the tree and some sunlight penetrates into the tree. This thinning helps the plant's overall health and helps reduce the chance of disease. I'd also fertilize it with Espoma Holly*Tone if you haven't fertilized in while.
If the problem seems to get worse after thinning a little take a sample to your favorite L&G Center.
2006-10-11 01:47:39 · answer #1 · answered by college kid 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I just took down two 60-foot blue spruces last year, because they just got too unmanageable. Okay, it's normal for conifers to lose a certain amount of needles. If you go to a forest and look up, you'll see a lot of space inside the tree. This is for several reasons: the tree must grow and cannot support both new and all old growth, so some dieback is necessary; the canopy must remain open somewhat in order for wind to penetrate, or the tree would succumb to falling easier; wind must aerate the tree to allow for wetness to dry faster, so fungi will not take over. But if the tree is dropping more needles than appears normal, it could be spider mites. These nasty bugs suck sap and steal nutriment from the tree and could eventually kill it. There are two methods toward eradication: simple water is one. Spider mites appear in dry conditions; simply spraying with the hose up the tree on a regular basis will help repel them in the first place. (This also works for aphids on roses: when they're displaced by the water, they fall on the ground and die.) Number 2: Safer's soap: a good broad-spectrum insecticide, it is natural and safe, but still treat it as a chemical. Wear a mask when spraying into the air that you breathe. There's another method you should be made aware of: dormant oil spray. This is a fine spray, but don't use it on blue spruces! It will actually cause the blue colour of the tree to become green like a regular spruce! Then the new growth after that will be blue, on a green tree, and look quite comical. (Unless that's the look you're going for.) Anyway, I think there is a refined version of this spray on the market that can be used on blue spruces safely, but be cautious: try it on an unseen area first just to be sure. Quite frankly, I'm glad I took out those trees. It opened up the yard, and no more blasted needles and cones to pick up and clean out of the eavestroughs! Hope this helps...
2006-10-17 12:43:56 · answer #2 · answered by steviewag 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It could have mites, take a white piece of paper and shake one of the branches over the white paper and look for little specks, they will either be a reddish color or dark in color, if this is the problem you will need to spray with insecticide, you may also want to fertilize with a ferterlizer high in acid, like you would use on azlelas, think it is Miro Acid, spelling might not be right, but if you go to Walmart or Lowes you will be able to find it.
2006-10-10 16:28:58 · answer #3 · answered by judy_derr38565 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like needle cast
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/plantpath/clinic/Rhizosphaera%20Needle%20Cast.htm
2006-10-14 16:44:11 · answer #4 · answered by fluffernut 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to your Nursery and ask them. It come be a case that it needs a little food.
2006-10-10 15:49:02 · answer #5 · answered by whataboutme 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try mastergardner.com I go to link quite often and always happy, good luck.
2006-10-17 14:32:19 · answer #6 · answered by Jae 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋