they are conifers ... there is a conifer forum ... though i care not where you post ... come on over and do some learnin' and enabling ... no conifer holds its needles forever ... most conifers end up bare inside ... interior browning is NORMAL .. and increased by severe stresses like drought.. or TRANSPLANTING .... life is all in the buds.. and if they are nice deep green.. and growing.. you ought to be all set.. as long as you continue PROPER WATERING for the rest of this season ... they should be free range by next year .... unless they were 8 foot transplants ... w/o a soil test.. they should NEVER need fert ... mulch would help ... now .. why did you spray them ... did they come with bugs attached at planting...??? arbs are pretty bullet proof.. and i question the need for preventative spraying ... just because you read something online .... good luck ken

YAHHHH! tj Now were talkin': Picea abies Aurea Jakobsen (Jacobsen) Picea omorika Aurea Abies alba Green Spiral Abies balsamea Weeping Larry Pinus contorta var. latifolia Chief Joseph Abies veitchii Glauca Pseudotsuga menziesii Graceful Grace Picea abies Weeping Blue Picea orientalis Skylands Abies balsamea Pinus strobus Stowe Pillar Deciduous: Metasequoia glyptrostroboides: 'Waasland' 'Sheridan Spire' Larix kaempferi 'Blue Rabbit' 'Jakobsen's Pyramid' (Jacobsen Ginkgo biloba 'Fastigiata' 'Princeton Sentry' Acer rubrum Red Rocket Fagus sylvatica 'Black Swan' 'Purple Fountain' rod2 - if you want a more formal look that will look spectacular mixed every other and a very similar growth rate, Thuja occidentalis 'Wintergreen' aka 'Hetz Wintergreen' is the perfect companion. 6' wide at the base when 30' tall. Grows 3+ feet per year. Another plant that would mix well would be Pinus strobus Stowe Pillar - it shouldn't be much wider than 6' at the base when 30 feet tall, either... Dax

It didn't take any strength at all just a push sideways and the root was out. I'm assuming the roots didn't get established much. ==>>> you are correct ... it was probably a poor specimen when you got it ... return it for refund if you can ... your success with the others tells me.. you basically did the process right ... planting.. watering.. etc ... so dont lose any sleep about it ... an 80% success rate in anything endeavor is usually a happy time .. ken ps x 2: a... thats not a very big root mass for that huge tree .. and it shows no indication of any root growth since planting ... from what i can tell on this pic ... b. i hate to say it.. if not a root issue .. the culprit could be standing there staring at his best friend ... any hint of dog pee when you pulled it out???

Well now...It turns out I might have a little bit to offer here.