Thursday, March 17, 2016
Q. Some of my spruce trees are losing needles, especially at the bottom and going upwards. They are planted in a row, but far enough apart to allow a lot of air flow and sunshine on them. I don’t see any sign of fungus that I can tell.
Connie from Lisbon
A. First, it’s great that the trees are planted far enough apart to allow for air flow and adequate sunlight to dry off dew in the morning and after rains. This practice decreases the opportunity for most fungal diseases to affect the trees. Most clusters of trees in landscapes are planted too close together.
Without seeing the tree, the situation is difficult to diagnose because there are many things that can affect the life and health of a spruce tree.
There is a natural, seasonal needle drop on all evergreen species. This is not the case in Connie’s situation, but it does happen every year and can be worse in some years. In general, this yellowing of needles happens in late spring and early summer, but sometimes in early fall – depending on the species. Be careful not to confuse natural leaf drop with a disease issue.
In the case of Connie’s spruce trees, the tips were affected. Thus, there could be a couple of issues at play when it comes to these trees during the winter season.
One possibility would be desiccation due to salt spray if the plant is located near a roadway or street.
Another possibility would be soil conditions around the trees. Take time to notice if there is standing water around your trees after a rain. This could be the sign of a root problem stressing the trees.
Spruces are susceptible to fungal diseases, so that is an option as well.
In general, there is no great answer to Connie’s question this time of year. Waiting till spring and looking for more specific symptoms will solve this puzzle. Depending on the actual problem, new growth and continued needle drop may or may not happen.
Through our clinic, we encourage gardeners to get started early in diagnosing problems. To help in this situation, I’ve provided some common diseases of blue spruce to use in identification of the problem. A list of these is located at go.osu.edu/bluedisease.
If you have a similar problem in your landscape, be sure to provide as many details as you can about the site where the tree is located and include a sample.
Eric Barrett is OSU Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Mahoning County. Call the office hot line at 330-533-5538 to submit your questions. Regular clinic hours begin April 4, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon.