My blue spruce is losing needles and branches Turing brown, is this an insect or disease that needs treatment?

Question: My blue spruce is losing needles and branches are turning brown, is this a disease or insect issue? How can it be treated? Thanks

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 14, 2023, 3:54 PM EDT
response: Based on the tree's appearance, we suspect disease may be involved overlapping with abiotic issues. (Abiotic problems are those with a non-living cause, like environmental conditions stressing roots, and not a pest or pathogen.)  Despite their continued popularity in area landscaping, spruces (Blue Spruces in particular) are not well-suited to mid-Atlantic conditions, except perhaps in the highest-elevation areas of our western MD counties. They are vulnerable to heat and drought stress, compacted and poorly-drained soil causing root rot, and at least two fungal diseases that kill foliage and branches.  The pictured tree is planted too close to the house wall for its canopy size and the root space it would need to stay healthy, and the location of a nearby roof downspout outlet at its base is also concerning since the added water (at least in rainier years) could encourage root rot. Even though fungicides sometimes can be used to suppress infection (protecting uninfected needles on young growth), they are impractical to use in home gardens: potentially quite costly over the long term (compared to just replacing an ailing plant) since they will need several applications made each year; may risk harming beneficial insects; and don't always work well. They also cannot cure existing infection, and spruces cannot replace growth lost to pruning or dieback, so badly-affected specimens won't regain a symmetrical, even shape even if the infection is successfully suppressed.  In this situation we would recommend replacing the plant with another species. If you are interested in suggestions, we can share some ideas with more information: how much direct summer sun the site receives, how dry or wet the soil tends to stay (in a year where we get more regular rains, that is), if deer browsing is a problem, and about how tall/wide you want a plant to reach without relying on pruning to restrain size. Aesthetic considerations, like if you prefer a blue-toned foliage color or want a pyramidal "Christmas-tree" shape at maturity, can also help narrow-down our list.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 14, 2023, 4:31 PM EDT
response: Thanks, what Christmas tree type would you replace it with?Sent from my iPhone On Jul 14, 2023, at 3:54 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:﻿

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 17, 2023, 11:07 AM EDT
response: It's hard to narrow-down a list of candidates without knowing the site conditions and desired mature size, but here are a handful of ideas to get you started, assuming you intend to replant in that same location in the yard: pyramidal boxwood variety (botanical name Buxus) There are many boxwood cultivars, and while the most disease-resistant selections tend to be smaller and rounded, there might be some with a conical (Christmas-tree) shape. Boxwoods are easily pruned but should not be sheared into a dense-growing manicured shape as this predisposes them to pest or disease problems. Deer avoid boxwood and they can handle mostly sun to at least a half-day of shade. Soil must drain well.pyramidal holly variety (Ilex) There are many holly hybrids and cultivars, several of which have a conical shape or which can be pruned into that more defined shape if they are upright-growing. The varieties with more spiny foliage, like 'Dragon Lady' and 'Red Beauty' will be more unappealing to deer. Some, like Japanese Holly, look very much like boxwood. Tolerant of full sun to mostly shade, as long as the soil drains well, hollies tend not to be very picky.Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Soft Serve' Only if the site receives 6+ hours of direct sun and drains well. Probably not of interest to deer.several varieties of Cryptomeria japonica Most are either too tall or more rounded, but a few dwarf forms are conical in shape. Deer-resistant and prefers full sun with good drainage.Juniperus chinensis 'Blue Point' Other juniper varieties would work well as a more columnar accent (more slender than pyramidal), like 'Moonglow', 'Blue Arrow', and 'Gold Cone'. All require excellent drainage and full sun to thrive.  Miri