Help, shrubs are dying!

[Jared515]

Help! My pines have started to turn red/dying! I'm not sure what to do. It started a about 2 seasons ago, and I thought it was lack of water-not it. I'm attaching a link to them, please help. What's wrong? How do I fix it?
Thanks in advance,
Jared
https://picasaweb.google.com/jared515/Trees?feat=directlink

[vintagejuls]

Jared 515,

I'm so sorry. They're such cute trees. I suggest cutting a piece of the brown and the green part and take it to your local nursery. They should be able to give you an answer on what it is and how to treat it.

There was a type of beetle that was killing off pine trees slowly in certain parts of the country but not sure if that is what is happening to yours.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[valleytreeman]

This is a Dwarf Alberta Spruce and the the problem looks very much like Red Spider mite injury. Take a piece of white paper and hold it under several of the affected branches. Give the branches a sharp shake or two and then carefully remove the paper and give it a close examination. If its mites you will see tiny specks peppered on the paper about the size of a pin head. Closer examination with a magnifying glass will reveal that they are red or re/orange and have tiny legs.

Dwarf Alberta Spruce are a favorite of spider mites and can do serious injury. You will need to treat with a miticide. Contact your garden center or Extension Agent for recommendations on what to use. I don't know of any organic solutions to spider mites, but perhaps sopme other readers do.

[valleytreeman]

I just had a thought, Neem Oil would be considered organic and does have miticidal properties. Whether its effective on red spider mites I don't know.

[vintagejuls]

valleytreeman,

Great post! ...good way to diagnosis. I hope Jared can save the little guys.

[valleytreeman]

You may want to also check the "Dwarf Alberta Spruce Thread" [url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14002[/url]. Magman offers another possible explantation that may well be plausible in climes colder than mine.

[MagnoliaMan]

There are several chemical controls for mites and yep, this sure looks familiar. If you are an "oganic person" and willing to work a bit, washing the foliage thoroughly every 3 or four days with a strong stream of regular old water actually knocks them off and drowns most of them. The key is timing since they reproduce from laid eggs every three or four days. You have to keep at it, however! Hope your plants come back - they look rough.