Spruce tree has a few yellow needles - Ask Extension
We have 7 evergreens in our back yard. Our two green spruces are starting to develop a few yellow needles. They were planted 3 years old. I root...
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Spruce tree has a few yellow needles #603839
Asked October 23, 2019, 12:16 PM EDT
We have 7 evergreens in our back yard. Our two green spruces are starting to develop a few yellow needles. They were planted 3 years old. I root water about every 3 to 4 months. Should we be concerned? Is there something we should do (have a tree service come fertilize). Or is this normal.
Douglas County Colorado
Expert Response
A few yellow needles does not sound bad, and it sounds like you are watering sufficiently. Could you send some photos? Seeing just where the problem is could help us narrow the diagnosis.
Most established trees do not need much fertilizer. But if nitrogen is really inadequate, the older needles will turn yellow, as the nitrogen is reallocated to the new needles at the branch tips. If the interior needles, near the trunk and base of branches, are browning and dropping, that could be normal age-related needle loss. (The tree is evergreen, but the needles are not; needles naturally die and drop after a couple of years, and new needles form at the branch tips.) If all the discoloration is on one side of the tree, it is more likely an abiotic problem - like wind or freeze or sun damage. If there was root damage, you might see die-off on the areas of the trees that were impacted. If the new baby needles at the tips of the branches are discolored, that could be a problem, perhaps fungal or insect. This time of year it is tough to identify insect or disease activity, since things are shutting down for the winter.
Sorry to send more questions than answers! Send some photos and more information about just where the trees are, and we will diagnose further.
Most established trees do not need much fertilizer. But if nitrogen is really inadequate, the older needles will turn yellow, as the nitrogen is reallocated to the new needles at the branch tips. If the interior needles, near the trunk and base of branches, are browning and dropping, that could be normal age-related needle loss. (The tree is evergreen, but the needles are not; needles naturally die and drop after a couple of years, and new needles form at the branch tips.) If all the discoloration is on one side of the tree, it is more likely an abiotic problem - like wind or freeze or sun damage. If there was root damage, you might see die-off on the areas of the trees that were impacted. If the new baby needles at the tips of the branches are discolored, that could be a problem, perhaps fungal or insect. This time of year it is tough to identify insect or disease activity, since things are shutting down for the winter.
Sorry to send more questions than answers! Send some photos and more information about just where the trees are, and we will diagnose further.
