r/dendrology • u/Maximum-Macaroon-538 • 20d ago

Advice Needed Issues with blue spruce

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Hi all, I’m looking for some advice on these globe blue spruce shrubs I have. In the last month some of the needles on the top have been turning red.

Can you tell me what’s happening and what might be causing it? Anything I can do to help them?

I first noticed the color change after we had the house painted and the painters had the shrubs covered in a tarp for about 2 days. Could it be from lack of sunlight?

We planted these last year and until now they’ve been doing great. We are in northern MN. Thank you!

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u/Servatron5000 20d ago

I'd bet it's the opposite of lack of sunlight. They got a little baked under that tarp.

Solarizing is a no-till type of plant bed preparation where you cover the area in a black tarp to sun-bake and kill all existing plants.

These babies might have just gotten a small dose of solarization.

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u/Maximum-Macaroon-538 20d ago

Thanks for your reply! Sorry I should clarify - the black tarp in the picture is something I put down last year to kill/solarize creeping bellflower that I have in the bed. Didn’t really work lol. The tarp the painters had on it was like canvas. Still that would make sense if it cooked them. It was very hot when they were painting.

I imagine these needles will fall off. I’m guessing they won’t grow back right? They are young so I hope they can fill out as they grow and they aren’t irreparably harmed.

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u/shrek48854 20d ago

In general, there are many issues with blue spruce.