answered at the conifer forum

What is brown is dead and the green never regenerates. It's time to get rid of it. They are easily replaced with just about any size you need. If spider mites are caught early you can blast them off with the garden hose. Done it many times thus avoiding purchasing any insecticide. Dave

forget about rust and spraying.. its all normal ... i suspect recent transplant.. within 3 years.. and a large transplant at that.. they stress more in that regard... can you add any facts in that regard ...??? i suspect a weather anomaly ... adding to the stress above... i had 8 weeks near 100 with total drought.. most of my conifers look like this.. can you add any more pertinent facts ... ??? the key.. or the future of this plant is in its buds.. of which there are no pix ... but next years buds are already there ... they should be tan brown.. and hard as nails... and as long as they remain so.. this plant is ready for next year.. [dead or dying buds turn black and mushy] go out there.. and trace back 6 to 9 inches.. and you will see where last years buds were .. and you will note no browning of this years crop of needles.. then track back to the prior set of buds.. and you will note there is no brown.. so last years growth is fine .. and then track back further.. and you will probably see some browning on the oldest needles.. this is NORMAL ... no conifer holds its needles forever.. usually only 1 to 3 years .. all older needles are shed.. interiors of conifer are bare.. so what you are seeing is within normal limits ... now.. look up to the leader ... this tree is getting established.. because you will note the rather normal aggressive growth now starting ... much more than the horizontal growth.. this tree is wildly happy ... but as above.. trace down.. it has needles on the trunk only from this year.. and last year.. and is shedding those needles 3 years back ... and as you trace the trunk further down.. you will note it is bare.. and starting to form mature bark ... which is needle-less ... whoever suggested chemical intervention is wrong.. and frankly .. probably only wants to sell you something you dont need ... and since its all normal.. spraying is just pollution ... step away from this plant.. and relax.. it is doing fine ... i would increase the mulch to another foot or two.. and start wondering what you are going to do.. when this thing is 50 to 100 feet tall .... do not start trimming the horizontal growth.. to keep it confined to what little space it has now ... this is a forest tree of great potential .... not some tree you are going to keep as a cute little xmas tree in the middle of your lawn ... there are named varieties which would be better suited for that ... good luck ken Here is a link that might be useful: its native potential

It is not a blue spruce but an Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica), and the pink needles at the end of the branch tips are signs of a very common needle blight on these and Deodar cedars. Usually it appears rather early in spring, encouraged by our mild and damp climate. And it tends not to be all that serious........generally just clipping off the damaged portions will suffice in keeping the disease in check. It seems to show up most often on the weeping forms of these, where removal is manageable due to a lower height. If you do nothing, the needles will eventually turn brown and fall off. Best to rake up and dispose of all dead needle at base of tree to limit spread. Cedrus Needle Blight