I have had a problem with needle loss and loosing whole branches on both spruce (Engelmann) and Sub Alpine fir. Everything looks ok on the tree and then all of a sudden one branch just drops all its' needles. It might happen on one branch or several in different places. I have also had the same problem with SA Fir. Any ideas? Thanks for help.
NEEDLE LOSS ON SPRUCE AND SA FIR
- Thread starter August44
- Start date
Cruiser
Omono
My alpine fir and e spruce do not do this.
Did you recently wire the branches or repot these trees?
Do you lose branches every year? If so, what part of the year?
Was any work done to the trees between last fall and now?
How did the buds look on the branches before they died off?
Where are the trees positioned? (Full sun, damp area? Etc)
Got any pics to go off of?
Did you recently wire the branches or repot these trees?
Do you lose branches every year? If so, what part of the year?
Was any work done to the trees between last fall and now?
How did the buds look on the branches before they died off?
Where are the trees positioned? (Full sun, damp area? Etc)
Got any pics to go off of?
mwar15
Omono
Are these collected? And if so what is the time line?
Good replys and questions. This trees was collected 3 yrs ago and always healthy, wired last fall and the tree was healthy at that time. I am suspicious of the wiring (but nothing biting in) and what's going on down below. Have to go do a job and will come back and slip pot out of nursery container and have a look at roots and drainage situation. I will be back.
This tree was a lot healthier than this last fall.
This tree was a lot healthier than this last fall.
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Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
One important thing that might help diagnosing the problem: were the needles green when they dropped?
Hmmm. They were partially green if I remember correctly. What does that mean?
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
I have just two spruces and one of them has two branches that for some reason get spider mites. Just two. And spider mites are usually not an issue here at all.
Those two branches have gone bare a year ago, but just before it dropped those needles they got a golden glow to them; a little brownish here and there and a bit paler green than normal.
It might be a clue to what got your branches.
If the needles drop while fully green, it's sap flow or root damage. If they have discolored, it might have been mites in the last summer that did them dirty.
