Question: My Dwarf Alberta Spruces Are Dropping Needles. Are They Dying?
"I have two dwarf Alberta spruces that were planted 3 yrs ago in the front
of my property. It is a north side and the two trees flank the four foot
deep, 12 foot wide area in the front of the house. I had all new plantings
put in and they have been doing well until now. The two dwarf Alberta spruces
are dropping tiny pine needles by the droves this April, one in particular.
The other one isn't doing as bad but I am afraid it will follow suit. Is
there any thing I can do to save them or do I need to replace them? Is
there a chance they will produce new growth?"
Answer:
If the leaders of the dwarf Alberta spruces are okay, the plants still have a chance, even if they have dropped some needles. The needle drop may be due to lack of water, or else the other extreme: too much water. Possible remedies for the latter problem: transplant the dwarf Alberta spruces to a sunny area with good soil drainage. I'd wait till fall to transplant, so the plant isn't trying to acclimate to its new location during the heat of the summer. In the meantime, if you have a clayey soil and suspect the problem could be poor drainage, consider building a quick, makeshift French drain to improve drainage in the area.
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