Repeat the spray every 14 to 21 days, as necessary. To enhance the effectiveness of the fungicide mix with Nature's Own Spray Helper. Spray the tree with Fruit Tree, Vegetable & Ornamental Fungicide in the early spring. When you think your spruce trees have a disease, try to identify it. Both diseases occur because of fungus growth on the trees, but each has different symptoms.

To control Needlecast on a tree that is already infected, prune severely infected branches. Norway spruce is susceptible to a variety of diseases, but the two main ones are cytospora canker disease and Rhizosphaera needle cast. When pruning evergreen trees, avoid pruning when the trees are damp or wet and be sure to sanitize the pruning tools after each branch, thus preventing spread from branch to branch or tree to tree. Use the TreeHelp Annual Care Kit for proper fertilizing. To reduce the chances of a tree contracting needlecast it is important to promote strong healthy vigorous growth by properly watering and fertilizing the tree. Recommended Steps to Control Needle Cast: Trees that are infected with Needlecast disease exhibit very slow growth and become much more susceptible to other disease and environmental stresses because the Needlecast substantially reduces the tree’s ability to undertake photosynthesis. The spread of needlecast often occurs from the base of the tree upwards, with lower branches of the tree dying first as the infection progresses.

The following spring the spots appear more pronounced and the needles turn yellow, brown and then drop mid-season.īranches that are severely infected often died. When a tree is infected, it will begin to show small brown or black spots on new needle growth. Needlecast (or needle cast) disease is a fungal disease that attacks a variety of evergreen trees, including spruce and pine trees.

Needle blight spruce trees