On Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:42:11 GMT, bruceh wrote:

Phisherman wrote:
On Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:39:10 GMT, bruceh wrote:

My father has a couple of old (Japanese?) pine trees, each
about 8 feet tall in which the needles are browning.
He says that he only waters the trees and has never used
any fertilizer.

Is there any fertilizer/additive that can help with
these trees?

TIA


Don't need to fertilize pine trees. They can be mulched but the mulch
should not touch the bark. There are acres of dead pine trees in the
hills of TN due to pine beetle destruction.

I have heard of the beetle problems as the forests here in
Southern California have been infected due to the droughts.
As I understand it, however, it's due to the lack of water
that the trees have weakened and could not naturally fight
off the beetles. My father does water the trees so I'm
thinking this is not the problem.

So if fertilizers are not required, a thought came to
my mind. If I remember the way the soil is around the
base, it may be a bit compacted. Could compacted soil
prevent the roots from getting enough water? BTW, he
doesn't mulch.


Adding 3-4" of compost around the tree, being careful not to allow the
compost to touch the bark or trunk, will help retain moisture,
conserve water, help neutralize the pH and encourage beneficial worms
and microbes. Worms help aerate the soil and add castings. The
compost/mulch will deteriorate over time and should be renewed. Small
frequent waterings will encourage a shallow root system--a good
monthly soaking should be enough for an established mulched tree. Most
pine trees are draught tolerant, making them a good choice for dry
climates such as southern CA. You may also want to have an arborist
take a look at the trees to determine the reason for the browning
needles. Has there ever been browning of the needles? Some pine
trees go through season cycles.