Trees Rapidly Dying - Ask Extension
Hello,
We moved into a house in unincorporated West Linn this summer and since July, 5 of our very large trees have died. These are all pine trees th...
Knowledgebase
Trees Rapidly Dying #817078
Asked November 30, 2022, 12:37 PM EST
Hello,
We moved into a house in unincorporated West Linn this summer and since July, 5 of our very large trees have died. These are all pine trees that were apparently planted as Christmas trees about 15 years ago. We will start seeing hints of brown and they will be fully brown and dead within a few weeks!! When we have chopped several of them down we don't see any signs of bug infestations, etc. Could this just be from our dry/hot summer and Fall?!!
Thanks so much for any help you can provide! We are worried about the rest of our trees, but also wondering if we should not be using the bark chips from these trees on other parts of our property.
Kelly Sabom
Clackamas County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Kelly,
The hot/dry weather for the last number of summers are stressing conifer trees. See this article:
https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/western-oregon-conifers-continue-show-damage-due-drought
For trees you want to keep, I would water them deeply once a month or so during May-October (depending on precipitation). Soaker hoses are a good choice.
Using the chips from trees that you've taken out should not be a problem.
The hot/dry weather for the last number of summers are stressing conifer trees. See this article:
https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/western-oregon-conifers-continue-show-damage-due-drought
For trees you want to keep, I would water them deeply once a month or so during May-October (depending on precipitation). Soaker hoses are a good choice.
Using the chips from trees that you've taken out should not be a problem.
Thanks so much, this is good to know! Do you know of any affordable work around for watering trees that are beyond where any hose we have would reach? (We are on 2/5 acres so this is easier said than done)
Thanks again,
Kelly
You can buy 100-foot and 500-foot rolls of 3/4-inch polyethelyne drip irrigation distribution tubing.
Connect that to your hose bib and then move it as needed to your different soaker hose set ups each time you water.
Or, get a manifold and timer and use separate distribution runs to each of your soaker hose zones.
Connect that to your hose bib and then move it as needed to your different soaker hose set ups each time you water.
Or, get a manifold and timer and use separate distribution runs to each of your soaker hose zones.
