My big conifer is dying

amateur_gardener · June 2020

Hi Ya, We have a big conifer which looks brown and dying. Any idea what’s the issue and how we can treat please?

Thanks & Kind Regards

Dovefromabove · June 2020

Hi @krithika.srinath and welcome 😊

Remember that long hot summer a few years ago? From our bedroom window in the mornings we watched a huge conifer going ‘brown at the edges’... it’s still there, but last summer it got browner and the branches seemed more sparsely covered with foliage. This spring it’s looking even thinner and browner. It’s not going to recover but it may be a a few years before it becomes unsafe and has to be felled.

A lot of trees are on their way out because of that long hot and dry summer. Yours may be one of them?

Buttercupdays · June 2020

It is probably the effect of this year's hot, dry weather. A tree that size will require massive amounts of water and even if you have been giving it some, it won't have been enough. There is still some sign of green, so you could try giving it a real soaking every couple of days for a week or two, to see if there is any response. If not it's not good news I'm afraid, as conifers don't regrow from dead wood and brown bits will stay brown.

Lizzie27 · June 2020

For a tree that size you would need to leave a hosepipe running for a couple of hours at least.

Lyn · June 2020

It won’t matter how many gallons of water you give it, Brown will not turn to green.

amateur_gardener · June 2020

Thanks so much for all your advice. Will try watering and see how it goes.. hopefully if it recovers it will be nice. Feel sad if I had to let it go.

Mike Allen · June 2020

Conifers often remind me of that old saying. 'Old soldiers never die. They just fade away'

We have to remember, most conifers go exceptionally deep in search of water, that is why and how they can damage the foundations of buildings.

My big conifer is dying

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