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Strange bad things happening!!

a.sollittDBfpMNvLa.sollittDBfpMNvL Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Help! we have a nice mature garden with a huge mixed hedge amd a few trees in the lawn. ...but terrible things have started to happen and I have no idea why or what to do! my big acer has suddenly had all the leaves go crispy and fall off...I think its dead but I don't know why! then the hedge next to the tree appears to going brown on the ends. A huge conifer has also started to go brown inside ! it's all going wrong....what could be the cause and what can I do? many thanks in advance.

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Drought is the most likely cause. Wind and sun can also cause browning of foliage. It could be a combination of all three. The tree will also be suffering being planted in the grass with no cleared area round it - grass is a lot of competition for moisture. Without some close ups, it's hard to be more exact. 
    It's difficult to see from the photos how damaged the hedge is. It looks like hawthorn - or a mixture, but it could simply be a damaged branch which is dying back. That's perfectly normal. No plant/shrub/tree stays immaculate all year round, especially hedging if it isn't being trimmed/pruned regularly. You could trace the damage back, and just prune those branches out, then see how it fares.   :)

    Conifers do go brown in the inside - it's how they grow.  :)

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • a.sollittDBfpMNvLa.sollittDBfpMNvL Posts: 4
    Thank you so much for the comprehensive answer fairygirl! yes the acer doesn't have the clear area ! the lawn is pretty wet most of the time tho, in fact we lost a big monkey puzzle 5 years back due to honey fungus as it was so wet....do you think I can check if its truly dead? I have snapped a few small branches off and they seem dry but I am not sure if I should try to revive it??? you are right about the hedge its mainly hawthorn and I will give it a trim and cross my fingers!  :/
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Hopefully it's not the honey fungus back again... acers are susceptible, and so is hawthorn, so it's just possible.  Are there splits in the bark low down on the acer?  If so, can you see a sheet of white fungus just under the bark?  I hope the answer is "no".  
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    As @Liriodendron says - the wet ground could be a real problem - especially for the Acer. While they need water, they won't appreciate sitting in it permanently.
    Not possible to see from those photos though. 
    Some close ups might help. Hopefully it isn't honey fungus, or the other problem for Acers - Verticillium wilt.  :/
    Link here
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=255
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • a.sollittDBfpMNvLa.sollittDBfpMNvL Posts: 4
    soosoooo here are the close ups:-) ...not looking good huh? various bit of my acer...the tree is over 6 ft tall. The drought thing looks about right for my hedge...see next photo...but I just can't see why the acer is so sad/dead! I am off to get my shovel to clear a nice patch around the trunk ... no real sign of the honey fungus ...it was obvious on the monkey puzzle.  🐒 anyway I think the hedge will recover...but maybe I need to think of a replacement for my lovely acer! thank you both!! 
  • a.sollittDBfpMNvLa.sollittDBfpMNvL Posts: 4
    hedge...
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