The original owner of the house planted trees and landscaping in the most perfect way – it blocks all neighbors house views from our back patio. Something is definitely off with these trees, more so the one on the left. Can it be saved? Or do I need to cut it down and plant a new one?
by achinesepotato
9 Comments
Blue spruce – try watering it this summer
They also do lose lower branches that are shaded too much. Not sure if that is case here.
Absolutely removing the branches and “lifting the canopy” would improve the overall appearance of this tree.
blue spruce get needle cast disease when planted outside their native Colorado rockies.
I had same issue and had to remove four blue spruce (and a Bradford pear).
Remove and plant something native. Perhaps a black hills spruce or white fir.
Blue spruce and Bradford pear were popular in the early 2000’s unfortunately.
You can treat needle cast(which this appears to have) with a fungicide. Some are copper based foliar sprays. Before treatment, prune dead branches and clean discarded needles out from under the tree and remove/burn/landfill them. You may need more than one treatment, it’s usually once in spring, once again 4 wks later, and then again the next year, if you set on keeping these!
Edit: when pruning the dead wood, ensure that you’re sterilizing your tools between cuts that get close to your new growth with 70% min alcohol and allowing to dry.
Clear some of the bottom dead branches so light can hit the trunk, mine started growing fresh branches. I read that the bottom branches help stop wind from toppling the trees though so consider that as well. Otherwise you need to spray the new growth each season with a needlecast treatment so they dont get infected and die. Over time the live branches will start to fill in but you need to spray every year or replace them with a native evergreen.
That’s how needled evergreens grow. They hold 2-3 years growth at the ends of stems. When the shoot is elonging the oldest needles will drop. The vigor here isn’t great but you can work with that.
Deadwood the trees. Plant something that gets 10-15 feet high and plant about 5-10′ out of the drip line of the trees. Don’t know where you are but something like one of the large viburnums.
ETA To retain the bed line underplant with something shade loving. Deep aeration with something like a compost fork and topdressing with composed whatever’s available where you are. Compost falls in the holes and get organic matter in there. Just don’t put a nitrogen fertilizer down. You want higher numbers fr P and K.
Replant some varieties resistant to needle cast fungus. By the time you get those straightened out you could have some nice trees established.
I have one of these planted by the previous home owner, and it appears fairly healthy right now, but they raised the canopy a bunch because they planted too close to the house, so now the ground around it heats up. I read that these trees do not do well with raised canopy / unshaded ground around the roots. I put arborist chips down but fear this isn’t enough as some of the ends of some branches have lost needles in the last year
doesn’t really answer your question but I’m assuming i will be needing to take this down in the next 5 years or so, since they don’t do well in this area.