Blue Spruce Going Brown

Thanks for the reply.

We?re just outside a city though and there?s no deer anywhere round here. We get foxes and cats but little else.

This browning is mainly on the inner, lower part of the tree which I wouldn?t have said was easily accessible for foxes or cats though. There?s another plant around the base of it which makes it even harder for them to access.

We had really cold temperatures and heavy snow earlier in the year if that could be a factor?

It?s also planted in a relatively shallow bed of soil... about 2 to 3 feet.

My main concern is that it?s disease or something else that needs treating to halt it.

Thanks again.

Spruce doesn't like wet soil, if it's in a low spot that stays wet for extended periods that could be the problem.

Not sure if your climate or location would necessarily have these problems, but here are specific pics of needle browning that might match and give hints.

Is that the type they have at the HUD apartment you live in?

Sandman1600 wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@gardenbanter.co.uk:

Might not be anything particularly terrible. Inner/lower branches of spruce normally die off as the tree grows and they don't get enough light. Dryness can accelerate the process.

Thanks again for all the replies.

Looking at that link, it does look very similar to Rhizosphaera needle cast... how it's browning but new shoots appearing on the ends of the "dead" branches.

I've uploaded another photo with a closer look at the needles... are these dots not what needle cast looks like?

I confess that is out of my area of knowledge. Does one have local agricultural services provided by government there? We call them "extension" services and they can often provide information specific to the area about growing, blight, etc. If you have such, you might want to check there.