We live in Toronto (Rosedale) and the soil has a tendency to be clay like. Our Weeping Spruce was about 8 years old and does not seems to be happy with branches near the base dying and some slight signs of deterioration at higher levels. It receives the same amount of water as the annuals & other shrubs in the same bed but there are some big Maples nearby that would compete for moisture.
Your expert guidance would be appreciated.
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners. We believe your Weeping Spruce to be a Norway Weeping Spruce (Picea abies ‘Pendula’).
We have researched a number of university extension sites and our best guess is that your tree is suffering from cytospora canker and the Michigan State University site describes this disease: https://www.treehelp.com/cytospora-canker/
For an accurate diagnosis, we recommend that you consult a certified arborist. Landscape Ontario maintains such a list.
We wish you well in bringing your tree back to health.