Pine tree looks terrible - Ask Extension
Planted these trees last summer, dry summer as you can imagine and watered as best as I could. Then dry winter! In the spring had new growth which was...
Knowledgebase
Pine tree looks terrible #873934
Asked June 20, 2024, 1:33 PM EDT
Planted these trees last summer, dry summer as you can imagine and watered as best as I could. Then dry winter! In the spring had new growth which was encouraging but as the spring and summer has progressed looking very sad and coloring changing quite a bit. Wondering if diseased or if there is anything I can do to help it. Thank you!
Dakota County Minnesota
Expert Response
I think you have a spruce or fir tree not a pine. Pines have long needles in clumps. Spruce and fir have shorter needles growing individually from the twig. Consult this web page for various diseases.
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/evergreen/spruce/index.html
Also send a sample to the Plant Disease Clinic. See their web page for directions and cost.
https://pdc.umn.edu/
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/evergreen/spruce/index.html
Also send a sample to the Plant Disease Clinic. See their web page for directions and cost.
https://pdc.umn.edu/
Agreed it is a spruce tree, can you tell me what might be happening and if I can get it feeling and looking better or do I need to assume it is dead or diseased and replace? Thank you! Gisele
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 20, 2024, at 6:46 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
It's too hard to diagnose for sure based on a picture. The web page I referred you to lists several diseases that could be occurring. The top of the tree could recover, but those branches that are dead will not. That area of the trunk will be bare with maybe a few volunteer branches emerging years from now.
Another thought. Was the tree planted correctly? That is, if it was a tree grown in a container, the roots reached the side of the pot and then curved around. If they were not trimmed just before planting, they would continue to grow in a curve instead of extending out into the yard. There could be problems in the soil which is why I recommended a soil test. Herbicide drift could be a cause if you or a neighbor sprayed another plant and there was enough air movement to move the chemical onto the tree.
This tree appears to be severely in trouble. I would remove it, but wait a year or two before putting a new tree in that place, just to be sure that whatever caused the issue may have left.
Another thought. Was the tree planted correctly? That is, if it was a tree grown in a container, the roots reached the side of the pot and then curved around. If they were not trimmed just before planting, they would continue to grow in a curve instead of extending out into the yard. There could be problems in the soil which is why I recommended a soil test. Herbicide drift could be a cause if you or a neighbor sprayed another plant and there was enough air movement to move the chemical onto the tree.
This tree appears to be severely in trouble. I would remove it, but wait a year or two before putting a new tree in that place, just to be sure that whatever caused the issue may have left.
