Tree Disease

I have a few White and Blue spruce trees(I think that is what they are called) and they are starting to loose there needles. I googled it but not quite sure what it is and If I can save them and stop it from spreading to the rest of my trees.
So anybody have similar problems with your trees and what did you do to save them.
Thanks
Gary

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The golf course lost over 140 Eastern White pine due to disease and I lost 5 in my back yard also. I have Blue and black spruce and they are doing fine. I have the U of M extension to be a good source of info on trees.

I have similar issues with my spruce and a lot can be attributed to crowding or sunlight availability.

I have had problems with spruce saw flies in the past and that has also done some damage.

I’m not an expert to answer your questions, but just transplanted a bunch of 4′ tall ones that are about an inch in diameter at the base.

If someone chimes in I’m all ears to try and protect them too.

My neighbors spruce trees did that too and it kept spreading to other trees. I believe a tree person said it was some sort of beetle. Then ended up cutting them all down and putting up a fence.

I have a regular pine? in my front yard that has a spot on the lower end on one side that looks like that. I just thought maybe it was because it was buried in snow the whole winter.

Its a fungus called Cytospora. Somewhat common in older spruce trees.

It cannot be treated or reversed. What you can do is remove the affected branches and minimize spread to the rest of the tree. I would recommend wearing gloves should you attempt that.

Quite often, it has occurred as a result of other stress such as drought, lack of sunlight/overcrowding, or insect infestations.

Well I went to the U of M that Big Crappie recommended.
Could be Rhizosphaera needle cast.
This sucks I planted these trees for wind break 15 years ago from seedlings and are about 20 feet tall. Hate to loose them . I might cut bad ones down so the rest don’t get it.

Replace them with white pines. They grow fast and look much better when they get old. Overcrowding doesn’t seem to negatively affect them either. You will be happy you did.

I had the same thing happen to my spruce trees. Kept cutting branches off until it was looking pretty bad. Big trees and block neighbors so was really hesitate to cut down. Tree service said they could spray something I will have to look up receipt to tell you what it is but it worked. Trees look great needles started growing on what I thought were half dead branches. Only thing have to have sprayed every year and runs about $ 300 for 4 really large trees. So not cheap but don’t want to look at my neighbors either. Probably go another few years and let it go and see if the tress go bad again.

TOM R
Did you find out what you used for spray for your trees..

Dithane Strider windsurf pro mixed with water. Could not find receipt so called tree service and this is what they said they are using. Thought for sure would have to cut down trees but they look great now.

You have to have two applications two, three weeks apart. Price was for both applications.

I’d stay away from white pines if you’re in a deer infested area, which is pretty much everywhere outside of the suburbs.

My white pines were eaten down to the nub this winter..

stout93 wrote:

I’d stay away from white pines if you’re in a deer infested area, which is pretty much everywhere outside of the suburbs.

My white pines were eaten down to the nub this winter..

White pines can be protected from deer by stapling a roughly 4×8” piece of paper around the very top clump of needles. Make sure the staple grabs a few needles so the paper stays put through winter. Do this in the fall and remove in spring. Deer may still chow on the rest of tree but it will still grow well and fill out. This is assuming you still have young trees

stout93 wrote:

I’d stay away from white pines if you’re in a deer infested area, which is pretty much everywhere outside of the suburbs.

My white pines were eaten down to the nub this winter..

Arbovitae trees and shrubs are deer candy. Stay away from those if in deer country.