At a local job in Bucyrus, I was called out to diagnose some issues with these Black Hills Spruce. I determined that they were getting a disease called needle cast, which is a fungus due to the root system being stressed. The original planting was done by so called professionals however these trees were planted 6-8” too low, especially for this area where we have heavier soils that do not drain well. Spruce trees are not native to this area and will struggle when planted improperly or in poor soil conditions.
My prognosis was that these trees had to be raised up to a proper elevation and we were able to do that thanks to our tree spade shown in the picture. We spaded them out and added an amended mix of sand and topsoil to raise them 6-8” so that the roots can drain better and have better air flow.
We are also putting these trees on a disease and fertilization program to help ensure that the homeowner has a successful tree planting.