Help - what is wrong with my conifers? Can I fix it?

MiketheMechanic

Hi All.
I have a row of conifers at the back of my garden.
Planted circa 2007. They are planted in a line from North to South.
There is a wall directly behind them to the West for shelter (see photos)

In past winters, some of them got small brown patches that grew out and repaired themselves in the summer.

This year, most trees got biggish brown patches, but this seems to be getting worse as the summer goes on.

Does anyone know if I can repair this damage?
What causes it. Too wet, dry, lack of nutrients?

The brown patches are unsightly and I would hate to loose these trees.
Any suggestions?
MtM

Oldtree

MiketheMechanic wrote: »

Hi All.
I have a row of conifers at the back of my garden.
Planted circa 2007. They are planted in a line from North to South.
There is a wall directly behind them to the West for shelter (see photos)

In past winters, some of them got small brown patches that grew out and repaired themselves in the summer.

This year, most trees got biggish brown patches, but this seems to be getting worse as the summer goes on.

Does anyone know if I can repair this damage?
What causes it. Too wet, dry, lack of nutrients?

The brown patches are unsightly and I would hate to loose these trees.
Any suggestions?
MtM

That looks like serious damage and sadly they look too far gone to regrow from the green bits back over the holes. They don't really regrow from the brown stems.

There was a similar post a short while back with similar trees.

It is pointing towards damage all in one go, like trimming to late or too early and the softer newly exposed growth getting hit by frost. Or somthing nasty like honey fungus. As the damage is so uniform I don't think that it's drought, but that could be a contributing factor.

celticbhoy27

Oldtree wrote: »

That looks like serious damage and sadly they look too far gone to regrow from the green bits back over the holes. They don't really regrow from the brown stems.

There was a similar post a short while back with similar trees.

It is pointing towards damage all in one go, like trimming to late or too early and the softer newly exposed growth getting hit by frost. Or somthing nasty like honey fungus. As the damage is so uniform I don't think that it's drought, but that could be a contributing factor.

Think you understated the damage there I'm afraid. Clicked on pics expecting to see a couole of spots of damage. Too far gone I'm afraid. They look like thuja? Smaragd probably, if so they're incredibly slow growing and don't need pruning to retain their shape. I'm assuming you don't prune them anyway? I'd hazard a guess then at some sort of fungus that's done the damage sorry but they're irreparable

MiketheMechanic

Thanks for the replies.
Sounds bad :-(
Yes, they are slow-growing. Miniature conifers. Probably Thujas all right.

I never trimmed them. That's just the shape they are. About 9-10 feet tall now.

Funny thing is, the last tree in the line, to the north, is perfect.
I wonder if last year's dry spell was to blame.

Is there any final heroic measure I can try? Fungucide, feeding, prune back?
Hate the idea (and expense) of losing/replacing them.
MtM

celticbhoy27

MiketheMechanic wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.
Sounds bad :-(
Yes, they are slow-growing. Miniature conifers. Probably Thujas all right.

I never trimmed them. That's just the shape they are. About 9-10 feet tall now.

Funny thing is, the last tree in the line, to the north, is perfect.
I wonder if last year's dry spell was to blame.

Is there any final heroic measure I can try? Fungucide, feeding, prune back?
Hate the idea (and expense) of losing/replacing them.
MtM

I noticed the one just out of pic looks healthy alright. TBH I don't think it's anything to do with water, be it over or under watering. Much more likely to be a fungus. No point in giving you false hope I'm afraid. They're beyond saving. They'll never look anything except neglected I'd get rid before whatever did the damage finds it's way to the unaffected trees