Yes I know about pine for use as firewood. It can be used indoors in a HOT stove but definitely not for a slow burning indoor fire. That's a different project altogether, getting a stove insert for my fireplace. What would the recommendations be for where the 3 "scrubs" are now? One thing I don't like and my neighbor hates are all the cones these trees drop. I don't mind myself, I scoop up what I find before I mow, they are tough on blades. I'd like to put in some type of ornamental several feet in from the location of the scrubs now. I definitely need a neighbor screen but want it to look good with some openings. They are nice people, a little finicky about there lawn but nice enough, an older couple. I do have a large Pin Oak near the house that creates afternoon shade but don't remember how far the shade extends, most of the back area is full sun. As far as the 2 trees in the other picture I just don't like the one that grew at an angle. But the other as I said is hiding a smaller bald cypress. I definitely need a neighbor screen on that side as well, kids, pool, and they can see right to my deck from theirs. I will do a trellis right off my patio for the deck to deck screen but other than that I'm not sure.

IMHO!!!!! i doubt.. "a couple of inches" will have any impact on a mature tree .... unless the machinery issue brandon noted... that tree is said to be twice as big underground... did you cover the entire root zone.. with a foot or two of soil????? i doubt it.. IMHO.. there is no way that is the issue with those CONIFERS ... in a small yard .... any decent sized tree.. has roots half way to the 3rd neighbor down in suburbia with small lots ...... and they didnt add soil .... we need a picture .... and a heck of a lot more info before we can help you .. how big.. soil type?? any actual description of the damage .... is this internal thinning due to maturity.. as in.. the canopy has gotten so big and dense.. that it is losing interior needles and branches as they shade each other out???? DO NOT REMOVE THE SOIL... and potentially create more problems... until you give us some more facts.. and some pix ... if you cant do that.. contact your county extension office and ask them to visit ... and give a hands on opinion ... do NOT hurt them by applying too much love... FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM REALLY IS ... BTW rick.. where the heck are you ... the wrong trees in the wrong zone would be a bigger issue than the little bit of soil ... and ... i wonder aloud.. whether they are actually pines.. or if you are using the term generically .... a pic of the bark.. the needle clusters.. and the whole group.. will get you some good information ... i look forwarded to helping.. ken

are you sure your not talking about Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda)? Ponderosa Pine is a western species...not native to long island...hope you mean long island NY here. If you mean the Loblolly Pine they are dying out because of global warming. Sea levels are rising and salt water is starting to fill in underground freshwater aquifers along the coast. The rising sea levels are forcing water to the surface creating poor drainage and a higher pH. This is happening all along the atlantic coast by the way.

There is only one degree of dead, and it's a permanent thing. That the decline began after the repot (did you actually repot, or did you pot up?) might be a hint. If the plant was getting too much water before the work, the added soil that is not colonized by roots would exacerbate the problem. When you can't identify the problem, you should consider making sure you have the basics covered. That your plant IS in decline is indicative the plant is being asked to tolerate conditions it's not programmed to tolerate - that's a given. You need to make sure you're watering effectively and in a timely manner. IOW, you should be sure the entire soil mass is being moistened when you water, that you're flushing the soil when you water, and you're not watering until the plant needs it. Are you monitoring soil moisture levels or guessing when it's time to water? You should also flush the soil thoroughly the next time it needs water. Do this by slowly pouring a volume of room temp water through the soil = to at least 10x the volume of the pot. This is like hitting the fertilizer 'reset' button. After flushing the soil, you can fertilize with an appropriate fertilizer. My goal would be to help the plant increase it's vitality to the point it will tolerate a full repot; then, I would repot it into a soil that allows you to water appropriately. In more than 90% of the cases we see here, poor root health is the underlying cause, so that's where I'd look for the solution. Too, there's nothing stopping you from lifting the plant from the pot so you can evaluate the condition/health of the root system. Al