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Blue Spruce problem

JillianallenbyJillianallenby Posts: 2
in Problem solving
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

  • JillianallenbyJillianallenby Posts: 2
    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: 3,129
    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 .
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