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bill1123

green giant arbs turning brown

bill1123
10 years ago

I have several established green giants with sections that are first turning light green then brown. They have been doing this since spring, but getting worse now. Other sections of them are doing fine. Some brown right next to just fine green even getting new growth in the interiors.

Doesn't seem to be leafminers. Damage is not starting from the tips, no signs of tunneling, little holes etc, no moths. Also emerald greens on property are just fine.

First thought it was lack of water. Deep watering once a week didn't help.

I think I fertalized with Holly Tone in the spring. Is this bad for Giants? Other evergreens seem to like it.

Comments (17)

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    overall view of giant arb showing yellowing and browning

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    closeup of giant arb showing yellowing and browning

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    another closeup of giant arb showing yellowing and browning

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    looks like damage from the garbage cans below... or whatever that stuff is.. is a teenager involved in moving such??? .. lol... in other words.. mechanical damage ....

    that is not the standard form of a Green Giant... are you sure of this ID... not that it makes any difference to the problem... just a curiosity ...

    i knew you werent in snow country.. as that plant would be decimated in a MI winter ...

    snip out the brown.. INSURE good watering.. skip the fert ... wont hurt.. just not needed ....

    ken

    wait a minute.. WAG .... why is it so bare on one side.. did you remove some other larger plant ???? if so.. its leaves are sunburning.. as they were not accustomed to blistering sun ....

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ken thanks for the response

    >looks like damage from the garbage cans below...

    nope, multiple plants have the issue on all sides. I a posted bigger view. The first picture was the worst of them. Apologies for the bad lighting but you can see the other areas as well.

    >that is not the standard form of a Green Giant... are you sure of this ID

    nope

    >i knew you werent in snow country.. as that plant would be decimated in a MI winter ...

    some snow on long island, but not 15 feet deep.

    >snip out the brown.. INSURE good watering.. skip the fert ... wont hurt.. just not needed ....

    already snipped out three times, I keep getting more dead

    >wait a minute.. WAG .... why is it so bare on one side.. did you remove some other larger plant ???? if so.. its leaves are sunburning.. as they were not accustomed to blistering

    prior leafminers (few years back)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    hey!!! ,, only 13 feet of snow... lol ..

    any chance at chlorinated water inundation ... i am still trying to blame the kids.. lol ...

    where are you.. super storm sandy hit you.. again salt water issues.....ahh.. long island ....

    they are not GG ... maybe joy can tell you what kind.. but for this exercise.. an arb.. is an arb.. is an arb ...

    i am still thinking.. overall.. they look pretty good.. and all i can think of is mechanical damage ... meaning someone is messin with them ...

    ken

  • danbonsai
    10 years ago

    Hey Bill,
    Good pics- looks like pic #3 shows a little nibble on the underside of the dead twig, 1" beyond the live, smaller sprout....twig girdler??? ....typical flagging symptoms....

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ken - I don't think it's a pool water issue. I have two others away from the pool with the same issue. Not salt-water, I am far enough away from the bay so no flooding for me.

    Also, I checked my original landscaping plan. The landscaper listed them as Green Giant Cypress which I don't think exists. Maybe they are Leyland Cypress? So maybe Seiridium canker?

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Danbonsai - thanks for the reply. I'll take a real close look for more nibbles and see what I can see. Anything in particular to look for?

  • danbonsai
    10 years ago

    Bill,
    Not sure, but possiblely night feeding beetles...you do the rest... no offence...
    Cheers

  • coniferjoy
    10 years ago

    Ken is right, the colour doesn't fit for 'Green Giant', it's to dark green for this cultivar.
    Because of this dark colour I think it's Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens'.
    Atro = dark
    Virens = green
    Together = dark green :0)

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Dan- I took a look last night. I didn't see anything eating the trees or any other chew marks. But thanks for suggestion.

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Joy
    I looked up Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens' - others names were Giant Arborvitae, Western Arborvitae, Western Red Cedar - I guess there is a lot of guessing out there :).

    But I also saw that Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens' has red-brown flaking bark. Mine has bark that is brown-grey (and flaking). What about Leyland Cypress?

  • coniferjoy
    10 years ago

    Bill, it's foliage isn't right for a Leyland Cypress.
    It's a Thuja plicata for sure.
    The dark coloured foliage is a typical characteristic for 'Atrovirens', but maybe it's another cultivar of this species...

  • bill1123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks Joy.
    So its a giant arbor Arborvitae, just not "green" (which seems to be the problem at hand :)

    So not being a Leyland Cypess, it's probably not Seiridium canker. Athough that fit pretty well (distinct separation of live vs dead branches, flagging, etc) expect for the lack of sap oozing.

  • danbonsai
    10 years ago

    Bill,
    I thought it might have been a weevil of some description. Possibley Pales weevel, usually a problem of pine, but will feed on T. occ.,but if there are no other girdling signs on other branches then ...???....
    Good Luck

  • wisconsitom
    10 years ago

    There are certainly Thuja occidentalis cultivars with dark green foliage, 'Nigra' for instance. If anything, that's what these look like to me, what with the multiple competing leaders, darker green coloration, and not very tree-like growth habit. Any T. plicata's I've ever seen, other than dwarf cultivars, had strongly tiered branch arrangement.

    Absolutely do not appear to be GGs.

    +oM