Blue Spruce Is Turning Green - Tips On Keeping A Blue Spruce Tree Blue

Greening in blue spruce like this can result from several different causes. The tree produces the wax on its needles (that creates the blue color) in spring and early summer. The wax can wear off over a rough winter or erode by wind, hot sun, pouring rain and other types of exposure.

How do you keep blue spruce blue?

None of the tricks promoted on the Web and over garden fences on how to make a blue spruce bluer actually work. That includes adding aluminum sulfate to the soil, pounding rusty nails into the ground at the tree's base and watering with Epsom salts.

How do you save a dying blue spruce tree?

The following will help you manage rust disease:

Prune away dead branches, twigs, and infected areas of the tree.
Remove fallen foliage and destroy it (burn it). ...
Apply a fungicide to the tree after removing signs of the infection.
Deep water the tree once per week to help it recover from the stress.

What is the best fertilizer for blue spruce trees?

Colorado Blue Spruce trees don't require frequent fertilization, but can benefit from the extra nutrients from fertilizer that can increase the length and improve the color of the needles. I suggest feeding spruce trees with a slow-release shrub & tree type fertilizer or a natural, organic plant food.

How often should you water a blue spruce?

However, during periods of drought, be sure to give your blue spruce a good soaking with the garden hose to the tune of about 1 inch of water per week. A deep watering once per week is much better than a shallow watering four to five times per week.

Do blue spruce like coffee grounds?

Expert Response. Yes, coffee grounds can be used as a fertilizer and organic materials source for plants. ... Coffee grounds are a low-level source of nitrogen, having a fertilizer value of around 2.0 N-0.3 P-0.2 K, as well as a minor source of calcium and magnesium.

How do you know when a blue spruce is dying?

Here's what to look out for:

Needles Turn Yellow or Brown and Drop Off. It's easy to tell whether your blue spruce trees are healthy or not. ...
Drying and Dying of Lower Branches. When you see lower branches of a blue spruce drying and dying, you should expect the worst. ...
Dying of New and Emerging Shoots.

How do you treat a sick Blue Spruce?

The fungus is spread by splashing and dripping water beginning in spring and continuing into the fall. Newly emerging needles can become infected during wet spring weather. Control - If symptoms appear, diseased trees should be sprayed with a fungicide in the last 2 weeks of May and again 4 to 6 weeks later.

Should you trim the bottom of a blue spruce?

Also, inside of the spruce, there is almost no sunlight; this contributes to the development of fungi. All of these problems can be solved by trimming the bottom. Your spruce will become healthier after that. Finally, in nature, blue spruces also lose their lower branches.

What is the lifespan of a blue spruce tree?

The Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) is a member of the pine tree family that is native to the Rocky Mountain regions of North America. The tree has a mature height of around 70 to 80 feet. While blue spruce grows relatively slowly, it is long-lived and may reach ages of 600-800 years.

Is Epsom salt good for evergreens?

According to the Epsom Salt Council, Epsom salt increases the production of chlorophyll and helps plants grow bushier. ... Use 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt for evergreen shrubs, and 2 tablespoons for evergreen trees.

What disease is killing blue spruce trees?

Rhizosphaera needle cast, a fungus disease caused by Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii, is primarily a disease of blue spruce (Picea pungens) trees in New Mexico, though it can affect other conifers, such as ponderosa pine, Japanese black pine, and Douglas fir.

Can you top a blue spruce tree?

Pruning blue spruce excessively causes undue stress that can kill the tree. If your spruce is especially unkempt, plan to shape it in stages by pruning unwanted branches over a period of a few years. Do not shape a blue spruce by completely cutting off its top because that may lead to decay and disease.

How do you keep a blue spruce healthy?

This tree is drought-tolerant and can survive in periods of low water, but it does thrive with moderate water levels. During the first season, water the tree regularly to keep the soil moist. Once the tree is established, water only during dry spells. Avoid waterlogging the tree or creating areas with standing water.

Why is my blue spruce tree dying?

When entire lower branches on a spruce have died, the problem is more likely to be cytospora canker, Yiesla said. This fungus lives under the bark and destroys the vessels that carry water and nutrients, so the whole branch dries out and dies. ... Another common symptom is white sap on the trunk or branches.

What is the best time of year to plant a blue spruce?

Bare root Colorado blue spruces should be planted while dormant so roots can become established before leaf and shoot growth begins. Late winter through early spring is best depending on your climate and ground thaw date. Bare root spruces can also be planted in very early fall.

Which plants do not like coffee grounds?

In most cases, the grounds are too acidic to be used directly on soil, even for acid-loving plants like blueberries, azaleas and hollies. Coffee grounds inhibit the growth of some plants, including geranium, asparagus fern, Chinese mustard and Italian ryegrass.

Do roses like coffee grounds?

Coffee grounds can be of great benefit rose bushes when used in moderation, but go sparingly. Fertilising around your roses with an abundance of coffee ground can burn the roots of your roses because of the particularly high nitrogen content.

Do raspberries like coffee grounds?

Raspberries love nitrogen, and UCG have lots of it to offer. By the spring, when the raspberries will actually want the nitrogen, the coffee will have started decomp and provide the nutrients right where they're needed, right when they're needed. ... They are, however, still very high in nitrogen. And the recipe!

How do you treat a blue spruce fungus?

Fungicides with the active ingredient chlorothalonil, copper hydroxide or mancozeb will protect new spruce needles from infection by Rhizosphaera.

Make one application in spring or early summer when the new needles have grown to half their mature length.
Make a second application 3 to 4 weeks later.

Why is my blue spruce turning green?

The tree produces the wax on its needles (that creates the blue color) in spring and early summer. The wax can wear off over a rough winter or erode by wind, hot sun, pouring rain and other types of exposure. ... Poor nutrition can also be one of the reasons wax diminishes and blue spruce turn green.

Will blue spruce branches grow back?

Well, the short answer is no, the needles will not grow back. Long answer is, as long as the growing tips of the branches are not damaged, the tree will most likely produce new buds next year as long as the tree has been properly cared for (good water, maybe a bit of fertilizer this past spring, etc.).