Here are the instructions. It's not difficult, just time-consuming, with too many steps. This is assuming your photos are already on your computer.
Open a Photobucket account.
Click on the green upload button.
Click on the green Select photos and videos button.
A new window will open on your computer, with your files. Go to your Pictures, and find the photo you want to use. Click on it. Click on Open.
The photo will begin loading onto Photobucket.
When it's done, click the blue Save and continue to my album button.
Hover your cursor over the image. Four codes will appear. Go down to the third one, which says HTML code, and click. That will copy it. DO NOT USE THE IMG CODE it doesn't work on Gardenweb. Only the HTML code will work.

Go to Gardenweb and to this forum. Start a follow-up post. Write your message, then hit control c for copy. A bunch of computer code will appear, and that is good. Click Preview. Your photo should appear, and you can hit submit.
Renee

If they are podocarpus gracilior I suspect they are not getting enough water. I would dig down with a trowel to see how moist the soil is, and if it is dry, try giving them a good soaking.

They are planted too close together, so you can cut down every other one if you like, or just the ones that are not doing well. Otherwise, I would just keep them all sheared until they fill in.

How tall do you want them? Mine are about eight feet tall, and it's a real challenge to keep them trimmed, because the hedge is four or five feet deep, and it's hard to get to the center of the top with the hedge trimmer. If you want a hedge, you should start topping them. That will allow more light to get to the bottom so it fills in.

Renee

Here is a link that might be useful: Hedgezilla thread

1111111111 - Multi Colored Leaves - 11111111
{{gwi:538308}}

222222222 - Bald Spots - 22222222222

{{gwi:538310}}

333333333333 - Too dry? too Wet? - 333333333333

{{gwi:538312}}

44444444 - Too much water from lawn sprinkler - 4444444

{{gwi:538314}}

55555 - Weak Trunk? Lower Branches out of control - 5555555

{{gwi:538316}}

More Pictures with some discription
http://gardenboomer.weebly.com/podacarpus-screen.html

Here is a link that might be useful: GardenBoomer - Screen

You may be girdling the trees with the green tape- it appears to be cutting into the trunks. You may want to remove the stakes and tape.

If you want them to be bushy and thick, you should top them before they get too tall or they will turn into trees and lose all of the lower foliage. You also have to shear them to get them to fill in, because all of the new growth is at the end of branches. I wouldn't worry about your bald spots, that's just the luck of the draw, and the adjacent trees will send branches over there to fill in.

Since I keep mine so narrow, I have some bald spots here and there too, but they are slowly filling in.

I can't tell, but if they are sandwiched between the fence and the building they may not get enough sun at the lower level.

Some of them look a little yellow to me- have you dug down to see if the soil is too wet? If you carved out a bowl in your soil, it may be holding the water and rotting the roots.

Those are just a few ideas. I love the lacy, ferny effect you get when they are unsheared, but they grow to be 60 feet tall and very wide, so there's really no other option but to shear if you want privacy.

Renee

What hose said, If they are tall enough top them, then they will start filling in. Tip prune (shear) the rest of the growth to encourage it to fill in. There are a couple hedges in the neighborhood with them planted that close together, and they are fine. It did take more than 3 years for them to fill in.

You may have dry spots and wet spots, check to see. Don't worry too much about the sunburnt bits, they are still establishing.

I have had this Podocarpus for about seven years and it has been my favorite! This last January every leaf turned brown, but last month, to my amazement and joy, there was new growth! But this week I noticed some of that green has turned brown! I am so concerned about this plant for I truly have enjoyed it.
I have no idea what the problem is, but would love your insight.
Thank you,
G

This post was edited by glogirll-2009 on Mon, May 26, 14 at 16:10

Two things to consider glogirll. The root system and your past winter.

Root system: is the drainage good? Is the plant getting enough water (are you in drought)? Is there competition from a large tree nearby? Has the power company or such done some major digging close to the tree?

Past winter--was it extremely cold? Did you get some hard freezes? Most Podocarpus are listed as hardy to about 25F. Zone 8 might be too cold for it.

Alternate way to post pics, if you are using a device with the photos on it ( like an iPad in my case ). In your Post a Follow-Up option:

Choose File, Choose Existing, Choose Photo, and it will attach.

Then Message, Preview Message, submit.

I have a podocarpus that's been moved several times and finally rests next to the house. It did not fill in until I topped it, and then cut the branches in by half. It stimulated new growth in between. Mine is in clay soil but it drains well. My whole garden is in clay pretty much.