a pic would sure help ...

but if you mean plug.. the way i think plug ...

then there was digging stress ... at the nursery ...

shipping stress ...

planting stress ...

micro climate change stress ...

and winter stress ... most likely wind or sun damage for not having a fully established root system .... and the plant perhaps not being fully full of water [turgid] .. going into winter ...

concern.. sure ... dont over do it ... not much you can do about it ....

your soil isnt frozen... like mine.. give a a sip of water ...

if they live.. they will outgrow the phenom ... as the roots get settled in ....

and once they bud out... you will quickly forget about this ...

ken

Here should be a photo

are you afraid its going to attack someone.. lol ..

frankly .... it looks like every single one of my 650 conifers.. after a MI winter ...

and after 10 years... i learned to look.. ONLY AT THE BUDS ... and yours look fat an happy ...

they are the future ... they are all that matters.. as all conifers eventually shed needles ...

trouble is when they shed buds ...

i would kill the grass ... out to a 3 or 4 foot circle.. and add 3 to 5 inches of mulch.. that will settle to 2 to 4 ... i do it.. mostly to keep the idiot with the weed wacker and riding mower.. away from them ... and that would be me ... lol...

if the buds start turning toward black.. and get squishy.. then you will have problems... but i doubt that will happen ...

ken

Thank you for the reply.

I do need to kill some of the grass back.

The wire is to keep deer away