Dying Pine Trees - Ask Extension
Hi,
I hope you can help, I have a row of pine trees that line the parameter of my house.
it appears that one or two in particular in the middle are ...
Knowledgebase
Dying Pine Trees #365230
Asked September 23, 2016, 10:20 PM EDT
Hi,
I hope you can help, I have a row of pine trees that line the parameter of my house.
it appears that one or two in particular in the middle are starting to die from the ground up.
As you can see the pine needles are turning brown, but the top of the tree looks healthy.
there are no bag worms in the tree and I don't see any discoloration or fungus growing on the bark.
I live in Hampstead, MD located in Carroll County.
Any tips you can give me to help save my tree(s) are greatly appreciated.
Carroll County Maryland
Expert Response
The trees look like leyland cypress. There may be several reasons for decline. There are several lnsect (bagworms) and disease issues (seridium canker) that can impact Leyland Cypress when stressed due to poor site conditions, drought, poorly drained soils, etc. They are not that winter hardy here during cold winters and can grow to about 60-70 feet high.
We notice that your trees are planted very close together and there will be a lot of competition for moisture and nutrients from the other trees. If growing in the shade, they will grow slowly and lose foliage. Due to all the above issues, It is difficult for us to recommend these trees as screening plants.
All you can do is remove dead branches and dead trees and keep well watered during dry periods. Make sure mulch is no thicker than several inches and keep away from the base of the plants. If some or all of them need to be replaced, we recommend planting a diverse selection of plants in order to avoid the problems associated with using only one species of tree.
mh
We notice that your trees are planted very close together and there will be a lot of competition for moisture and nutrients from the other trees. If growing in the shade, they will grow slowly and lose foliage. Due to all the above issues, It is difficult for us to recommend these trees as screening plants.
All you can do is remove dead branches and dead trees and keep well watered during dry periods. Make sure mulch is no thicker than several inches and keep away from the base of the plants. If some or all of them need to be replaced, we recommend planting a diverse selection of plants in order to avoid the problems associated with using only one species of tree.
mh
