Forum home Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Blue Spruce problem

My beautiful blue spruce has started turning brown. I don't know why. I've added some pics to see if anyone can help. There are a few white spots on one branch and the needles are going brown? It's sticky, I can't see any resin or anything. 

Posts

  • morph78morph78 Posts: 3
    Hi
    I had a similar problem last year. Mine was infested with spider mites that like to feed on the previous years blue foliage. Ended up spraying with a pesticide and then used the the strongest hose setting to knock them off. Literally hundreds dropped off. 
    Plus mine looked like yours when I managed to figure out the problem and the new foliage thats coming through ended up masking the old that went brown and dropped. Looks good now a year on so you may be able to rescue it yet. 

    Some good info here

  • Thank you for your information, unfortunately it's not spidermite or another insect. I've magnified close inspection, can't see anything. I'm wondering if it was the belting hot summer last year- could it be drought? We have shale sandy, dry soil. 
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    More than likely ; that depressing heat was enough to kill anything !
    Picea can withstand long dry-spells , but only when well established . Yours may well recover , and it's quite normal for the lower branches to appear a bit 'tatty' as the older needles fall .
Sign In or Register to comment.