Hello friends! Today I will tell you about the most common causes of browning of Dwarf Alberta Spruce needles.
QUICK ANSWER: Winter sun and spider mites are the most common causes of browning of Dwarf Alberta Spruce. Additional causes can be root rot or fungal diseases.
1. Winter sun and wind
Sometimes, the needles of the Dwarf Alberta Spruce turn brown in winter. This occurs because the tree is hibernating and does not receive water from the soil. As a result, the winter sun simply dries the needles. If there is a frosty wind at this time, the tree can lose even more needles.
Solution:
Wrap the spruce with a protective plant fabric. This will reduce the effects of sun and wind on the needles.
Next fall, water the spruce to ensure it has enough water for the winter but do not overwater it. Be sure to mulch the root zone for a more comfortable overwintering.
2. Root rot
The next cause of browning is root rot. In this case, the root system cannot supply water to the needles, and they dry out quickly.
Root rot can be caused by both overwatering and improper planting location. In addition, sometimes the roots can rot due to mechanical damage.
Solution:
Water Dwarf Alberta Spruce only in dry weather when the soil is more than 1-2 inches dry. Do not use too much water; usually, one or two gallons is enough.
Make sure that there are no surface water flows in the area where the spruce is growing. By that, I mean the spruce should not grow close to where water runs off the roof or close to a pond (etc.).
To help the spruce get rid of root rot, do not overwater it and fertilize it with a slow-release fertilizer.
3. Spider mites
Spider mites are very fond of parasitizing spruce trees. As a result, the needles turn pale and then brown. These are very tiny pests that are difficult to detect, but the damage they cause can be significant.
Inspect the needles on the spruce using a magnifying glass. If you notice very small insects moving through the needles, and there is a thin web between the needles, then these are spider mites.
Solution:
Spray the spruce with an insecticide designed to control this pest. Repeat the spraying in 2 weeks.
4. Underwatering
The next cause of needles turning brown is dehydration. Very often in a summer drought, spruces do not have enough water and the needles first turn pale and then discolored.
Solution:
Water the spruce when the soil is two inches dry to remedy the situation. Also, mulch the soil around it to avoid overheating and rapid drying out.
If you planted the spruce in late spring and very hot summer followed, shade it until fall. By fall, the shade can be removed.
5. Diseases
Diseases can also cause the needles to turn brown. There are a number of pathogens that cause spruce diseases. In this case, small black dots appear on the needles. Over time, the needles dry out and change color.
Solution:
To prevent the disease, give the Dwarf Alberta Spruce at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day and avoid planting it very close to other plants.
If you notice symptoms of the disease, spray Dwarf Alberta Spruce with an aqueous solution of copper fungicide. After a week, repeat the spraying.
6. Scorching sun
In the summer, the scorching sun can burn a spruce’s needles and turn them brown. However, this only applies to spruce trees that grow in pots.
The fact is that in summer, the pot gets very hot, and the soil in it dries out quickly. All this leads to the fact that the tree can get burned.
Solution:
Move the potted spruce to partial shade. The best sun exposure for a potted spruce is direct sun in the morning.
Pour a generous portion of water over the spruce. After two weeks, water it with a liquid multi-purpose fertilizer.
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