In article ,
brooklyn1 wrote:

alienM wrote:


i have 5 conifers they are about 5 years old, 4 of them are 3/4 brown
and 1 is completely brown, they were ok last year, could it have been
the bad winter. what do you think.

Without knowing which kind of conifers and in what climate all anyone
can offer is wild speculation.

My wild speculations

Wild Speculation #1
I have had winter burn on two conifers. They came out it.
Also the two conifers were topiaries which I think opened them up from
the cold. I should have covered them during winter.

Wild Speculation #2
If they are winter wind burned, the damage is usually on one side of the
tree. Then again could be going though a natural phase in shedding the
needles (If such things exist). I have seen my austrian pines go brown
then loose their needles and go back to looking fine a month later.

Wild Speculation #3
Poorly planted trees. Five years is about right when the trees start to
expand beyond the hole that was originally dug. Soil may be too hard for
the roots to break trough and become root bound in the hole. Are roots
turning upward and out of the soil? Roots should be going downward and
out. Does the tree limbs expand beyond the hole that was dug? If not,
not much hope for the trees.

Could try and drill one foot deep holes around the trees at the drip
line and beyond. Fill the holes with fertilizers. Get a tiller and
loosen the soil around the trees. Cut off any roots that have turned
upward.

If this fails, you will have lots of good mulch the next season.

When planting trees take a heavy pitchfork and puncture the side walls,
of the hole that was dug, this helps the roots to punch through the
heaver compacted soil so roots will grow out and down.

--
Enjoy Life... Dan

Garden in Zone 5 South East Michigan.