Sitka frost damage?

blue5000

Had a walk through a 12 yr old forest at the weekend. A lot of the sitka has dead needles especially on the lower branches. I think it's frost damage. Just wondering if anybody else has noticed anything similar, or if there are any other possible causes?

manjou

Could just be as trees shading out lower branches needles going brown.
Also could be aphids noticed mine went brown one year and was told it was aphids and that they recovered.If worried get forester to check them out. Could be near thinning stage if sitka

Harwarder

Late spring frost this year, severe damage across Sitka stands in the Midlands especially young two to three year old stands. Hearing reports of up to 60% damage in some plantations. The younger trees should come back by sprouting new leaders.

fergus1001

blue5000 wrote:

Had a walk through a 12 yr old forest at the weekend. A lot of the sitka has dead needles especially on the lower branches. I think it's frost damage. Just wondering if anybody else has noticed anything similar, or if there are any other possible causes?

Siltka flushes early so is at risk from frost damage

Schadenfreudia

fergus1001 wrote: »

Siltka flushes early so is at risk from frost damage

But it will almost certainly grow out of it. Sitka can be hit several years in a frost hollow but once it escapes it rockets.

You should be OK.

fergus1001

Schadenfreudia wrote:

But it will almost certainly grow out of it. Sitka can be hit several years in a frost hollow but once it escapes it rockets.

I'll plus one to that once it gains enough height to be above the frost prone area it is fine

blue5000

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

But it will almost certainly grow out of it. Sitka can be hit several years in a frost hollow but once it escapes it rockets.

You should be OK.

Thanks, tops are fine, it's mostly on the bottom 1-2 metres. I see some young wild ash burnt a bit as well.