Picea glauca var. albertiana 'Conica'

I've got a couple of these flanking the end of a path but, at five feet tall, I'm thinking I will have to replace them soon :-(

I have lost the one I had in my back garden...and the one in my front garden is dying... they are about 15 yrs old... so would guess that this is just about the extent of their life span? the trunks are huge. I thought it was salt damage that caused the needles to scorch and die on the south side...while the northside is lush and green... ??

Lori, the problem is likely to be infestations of Red spider mites which unfortunately this cultivar is prone to, At 15 years it's still a mere youngster :0)

Thanks Bluespruce...I have seen the mites in the soil in spring time...never expected that they would be so plentiful as to take down my lovely Alberta spruce(pine) whatever! lol.... mites and sawfly larvae have been having their way with all my conifers...I will try to save the specimen in my front garden if it's possible. when should I attempt this?...it's mid-winter (read COLD) here now...should I prune in early spring or now? I'll give it a dose of miticide in early spring perhaps?

Lori, I don't have any experience with sawfly here in the UK, the only problem we really get here on 'Conica' is Red Spider, which cannot be seen with the naked eye.
I would just start spraying in very early spring, with a second application about two weeks later, then perhaps another couple of times, say mid and late summer especially if the weather is hot and dry, use an systemic pesticide if you can still get them in Canada. You can also give it a feed in the spring and summer to try and perk it up. If by the end of the summer there is no real improvement then I would remove it completely and replant with something a little more suitable.

Lori....another thing you can do...more of a preventative measure but one I have found works fairly well....hose the foliage down frequently...spider mites like dry conditions. If you try and increase the humidity they are less likely to make a home on your conifer. That's probably why the southside has more damage where it is hotter and drier.
Try and get a hold of some Safers End All. It works well on mites and sawfly larva. Systemics aren't sold anymore in BC but I don't know about Ont. End All works well and is easy on the environment.

Sorry Blue Spruce....I also meant to say that is a beautiful tree. I love these but the deer also love them so I haven't had much success.... :o(

thanks Bluespruce and Gilli...I hadn't made the connection between the warm south side and mites liking dry conditions! Will try to follow through with the moisture but will pass on the systemics...Is the Safer's stuff soap based? I've used Safer's Soap before. by far the best was from an old (read antique) recipe of my Mom's that called for Comfort Soap..(it was a laundry soap used in the first part of the last century which is carbolic based...lol..) but just a tad of that in warm water and it produced a suds that would coat and kill larvae and insect alike... it worked well as a soil drench for fungus gnats! I'm giving away my age, aren't I?
thank you both...I hope I can save it...