This past June, our dwarf Alberta spruce suddenly developed large patches of bronzy needles. A week later these needles fell off. What happened and is it still salvageable?
The damage you noticed is a result of spider mites feeding on your dwarf Alberta spruce. Mites are active on the underside of the needles and their feeding causes the leaves to take on a bronzed appearance. The best way to confirm the presence of mites is to shake the needles above a piece of white paper. The paper will help you see the extremely small mites scurrying around. They may be black, red or yellow.
Smaller outbreaks of mites can be easily controlled by regularly blasting them off with water; however, if the damage has gone too far use either a horticultural oil, insecticidal soap or a miticide. Look for mites starting at the beginning of June through August. Water your dwarf Alberta spruce during droughts and a secondary flush of growth should occur, lessening the visible damage.
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