Dwarf Alberta Spruce Tree Needle Problems

Q: When the needles of a dwarf Alberta spruce fall off will they grow back or is it dead?

A: Needles that are shed will not grow back, but this doesn't necessarily mean the plant is dead.

Pines and spruces shed their older needles as they become non-productive, so this is a normal thing. Generally you'll have a couple years' growth worth of needles at the end of the branches, and the needles interior to this will be shed naturally.

However, if the needles are falling off on the ends of the branches, there could be something wrong. If it's an isolated branch here and there, look for breaks in the branches.

Or, you may have spider mites than have fed enough to cause needle drop. In this case, the plant may produce new needles, but not until the next growing season on new twig growth. And, you'll need to start treating to control the mites.

If the entire plant is shedding its needles, you may have a root or trunk problem that is restricting, or totally preventing, water from ascending into the plant. In this case, you may have no choice but to replace the tree.

Q: I purchased a Dwarf Alberta Spruce around the beginning of December. The 16-inch miniature tree has not been transplanted into the ground or another pot. It was doing just fine until recently when I noticed all the miniature needles are completely dry and falling off.

Is there any hope?? If so, would you kindly suggest or offer advice. My inexperience will be compensated by my tremendous sentimental drive to breathe some life back into this little tree.

A: If the spruce has been out of the ground all winter, it's very likely that the roots have frozen or completely dried out in the meantime. If so, this very likely spells doom for the plant.

All you can do at this point is plant the tree, water it once a week during any dry spells this spring, and wait to see if anything grows.

You can gently scratch several twigs with your thumbnail to see if there's moist, light green tissue beneath. However, if the roots have died it may not matter if the top has some life to it -- the roots won't be able to provide it with the necessary water and elements, and the plant may be history.

Q: I was dumbfounded last evening when I noticed our two-year old (3 ft high) Dwarf Alberta Spruce was turning brown. Went up to it, shook the branches and saw many pine needles "shedding". Is it dying?

Water should not have been a problem, because of late we have had a lot of (Detroit, MI) rain. Insects? If so, what do I use for a spray? Help and I will be eternally grateful.

A "green-thumbless" Michiganian.
Richard

A:If the needles that are shedding are on the interior of the plant, it might just be normal needle drop of older, non-productive needles. If the needles are shedding from the tips, then you may have a problem.

First, check the soil moisture. It's possible that, due to our extremely wet spring, the roots actually got TOO much water.

Water-logged soils have low oxygen content. Oxygen is critical for roots, and if excess water forces the oxygen out of the pore space in the soil, the roots can be damaged and die. This can translate into symptoms like what you're seeing.

Check also for spidermites, although I would put them low on the suspect list so far this year. Cool wet conditions typically keep spidermite populations down (they don't like cool wet conditions), so their numbers, at least at this point, should be very low or non-existent.

Hold a white piece of paper beneath the branches and rap the branches soundly. This will dislodge needles, other plant debris, and spidermites onto the paper. Wait 10 seconds, gently tip the paper to allow excess plant debris to fall off, then hold the paper flat and swipe it with the back of your hand.

Greenish streaks are bad guy spidermites (orange or red streaks are, too, but these are the predator/good guy mites). If you have a lot of greenish streaks, you'll probably need to treat.

Use something labeled for spidermite control. Your local garden supply or garden center can help you choose the correct material, and be sure to follow the directions on the label.

Using more chemical than necessary doesn't work better, and can actually worsen your problem, so don't exceed the rate on the label!

A: It actually sounds like there is nothing wrong with your dwarf Alberta spruce.

The interior needles are supposed to be cast off as new growth continues outward. Unless the browning is within the last few inches of the tip of each branch, it seems like nothing is out of the ordinary.

If the browning is the more recent growth then you may have a problem, and it's usually spidermites. However, you haven't spotted any, nor their webbing, so I think the needle loss is probably just normal attrition due to shading out and aging of the interior needles.

But continue to check periodically for spidermites -- they can sneak in undetected.

Q. One of my dwarf Alberta spruces is losing a lot of its needles. It seems that it is dying. I watered it almost daily because of the hot weather.

Could you let me know why the tree is dying and is there any way I can save it? Thank you very much.

A. There are many possible reasons for your Alberta spruce to be doing this. Spidermites absolutely love dwarf Albertas, and they also love hot weather, so this would be high on my list to check for.

To check for mites, hold a white piece of paper beneath some branches and rap them soundly to dislodge mites onto the paper. Wait 10 seconds, slightly tip the paper to let plant debris fall off, then smear the paper with the back of your hand. If you see green smears, you have spidermites. Depending on how many smears you see determines how bad of a problem you have.

If you seen red smears, these are "good guys" (predators feeding on the bad guys), but if there aren't enough good guys to take care of the bad guys, you may need to do a treatment anyway. Use horticultural oil at the summer rate listed on the label.

You can also dislodge mites with a direct stream of water from the hose. Once knocked off the plant, mites can't find their way back on very easily (if at all), so this takes care of them quite well.

The needle loss may be a normal thing as well. The older, interior needles naturally fall off as new growth is produced. Since Alberta spruces only grow an inch or so a year, you will usually have only a couple inches of green needles at the branch tips, and the ones interior to these brown and fall off.

If the dying needles are at the branch tips, it may be a result of girdling roots strangling the tree, or from insufficient water. If the roots have not dried out to the point of being unable to absorb water any more, you may be able to revive it with 1 or 2 deep waterings per week.

Check around the base of the trunk for any wounds or physical injuries that may effect uptake. Also check for any string that may be wrapped around the trunk, or a root that has encircled it. Both of these can choke the tree, and are another potential cause for the needle loss.