My parents' spruce is dying, not sure which sub-species, looks decent at the top but thin, a couple of lower branches turning brown and thinning there too. Mid-Atlantic climate, thick-ish bed of needles at base, direct sunlight. I'd guess it's 75 ft tall, been there for years and years. Please help!
Help with dying Spruce?
- Thread starter andrewsexton88
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Hello again Andrew. I thought I would post this link to a blog about this very subject. I think it may prove useful to you.
blog.davey.com
Why Your Evergreen is Dying from Bottom Up & How to Save | Davey Blog | Davey Tree
If your evergreen or spruce tree is turning brown from the bottom up, does that mean it's dying? Or, can you still save a brown evergreen? Well...
blog.davey.com
Thanks so much for the help AGAIN! New Jersey and 6a. That article was helpful I'm not sure how much they've been watering it..Andrew, if you could go back to your profile and add your actual location, it would help us to identify where you are and it would help also to have an idea of your hardiness zone - cheers
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Systemics are useful for evergreens, but plants that size grow slowly so you will never get an immediate result from a systemic fungicide or insecticide. Think more in terms of 3-6 months, and in terms of by the time you see a problem it is not only advanced but you are also almost critically late to the party.
And the hard part is identifying the issue.
And the hard part is identifying the issue.
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I so agree with this. I have always found that when a tree gets to this stage it gets left to its own devices, and in many cases needs removal. That's the sad bit. When it happens, plant two new trees to replace - that then becomes the happy bit
the lawnsman
lawn and garden super freak
google needle cast, it's hitting the blue spruce hard.
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Fungicides with the active ingredient chlorothalonil, copper hydroxide or mancozeb will protect new spruce needles from infection by Rhizosphaera. (needle cast)
To my knowledge these are not systemic. You may need a firehose to get to the top of that tree.
Good news though, in this copypasta from the Ortho Website:
This disease is caused by a fungus (Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii) infecting only spruce trees. It is most common on Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) but also infects white spruce (P. glauca) and occasionally Norway spruce (P. abies). From late spring to fall, rain splashes spores from diseased needles-on the tree and the ground-onto young healthy needles or to stressed older needles. The fungus grows within the needles for almost a year with no symptoms; then needles turn yellow or purple-brown and die. The cycle begins anew the next spring, Spores infect leaves that are wet for at least 48 hours, so they are worse during wet springs (like this year). The fungus does not usually kill trees, but dead branches spoil the appearance.
To my knowledge these are not systemic. You may need a firehose to get to the top of that tree.
Good news though, in this copypasta from the Ortho Website:
This disease is caused by a fungus (Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii) infecting only spruce trees. It is most common on Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) but also infects white spruce (P. glauca) and occasionally Norway spruce (P. abies). From late spring to fall, rain splashes spores from diseased needles-on the tree and the ground-onto young healthy needles or to stressed older needles. The fungus grows within the needles for almost a year with no symptoms; then needles turn yellow or purple-brown and die. The cycle begins anew the next spring, Spores infect leaves that are wet for at least 48 hours, so they are worse during wet springs (like this year). The fungus does not usually kill trees, but dead branches spoil the appearance.
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the lawnsman
lawn and garden super freak
the landscape people around here won't do blue spruce installs now, and my local nursery stopped selling them-don't see an easy fix, the older trees are really taking a hit.
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we had a couple that just started dying. after a bit, just decided to cut them down. which we did. one I left the trunk tall using it as a hose hanger. the other near the front , the truck level to the ground, maybe I will make a new garden in that area, or not.
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@andrewsexton88 this may be a case where you want to call a local tree service with a certified arborist on staff. I had to do this for a GIANT maple that was in front of the house I was buying.
If you have to remove this tree and replace it take a few walks around the neighborhood. Look at the trees in the neighbor's yards, figure out what are the common ones, and plant something different.
If you have to remove this tree and replace it take a few walks around the neighborhood. Look at the trees in the neighbor's yards, figure out what are the common ones, and plant something different.