Evan, my inspector was here recently and said to use a systemic in the fall on the conifers. He suggested the Bayer tree and shrub drench to drench the ground below the conifers. have you used that? I will use it this fall. I have two blue spruce, in a row of blue spruce that are about 5' tall that are dying on the top. Kinda makes me sick to see it. They were in such perfect sync with each other.