Sooo much pooping

[Gertie]

Hi there wise omleteers

 

I wonder if you can help? I have about 6 massive Christmas trees which I think are Sitka spruce (but not a tree expert). The 2 outside the house are 50 years old. I've noticed the lower branches in particular seem only to have needles at the end of the branches. The rest of the branch is just stick & looks quite dry & skeletal. We did cut off 2 or 3 of the lower branches in February. Could this have caused a problem? Is it just age? I've tried to research on line & I see there is supposed to be some kind of disease affecting trees, but not sure if that's what's happening to ours.

 

Thanks for any insights!

Edited October 7, 2012 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

I think I read somewhere that there's a mite going around that's killing them off, similar problem with box as well apparently. There's a big cypresses at the back of our office and it's been slowly dying off this year.

[sjp]

pine trees don't grow back from old wood which is why in old pine forests you only see green growth from the middle up also if you prune to much green growth out you end up with a bare area i.e. all branch and no leaves

[Gertie]

Thanks for your replies.

 

It could just possibly be natural die back then. The tips of the branches are still green. It's the undersides & centre of the lower branches. Maybe it's because we removed a few lower branches. I think I might get the tree surgeon to come & look. It's worrying me. I will try to post a photo.

 

 

 

 

 

From a distance the trees look green as the green is all on the outside at the bottom branches, but further up it looks green all the way through.

 

I managed to reach a branch on the left hand tree. There didnt seem to be anything unusual about the needles, the ones that are falling off are just plain brown. I couldnt see any spots or bugs.

 

Thanks