When mine weren't doing well it was because they weren't getting enough water --- I thought they were because of where the irrigation system was... nope, nada where they are, so I had to open some new lines. Are you SURE they're getting all this water you THINK they are? You might want to dig down next to them to check. I also found that a weekly spraying of the tree itself seems to help.... maybe because it washes off the bugs. When mine were new I watered them well almost daily; now once a week. I think I'd try dousing them with a weak dishsoap solution, then rinse them well with clear water.

This is a very typical problem and has come up a lot lately. I think this type of deterioration of a newly installed tree is most often a product of having a poorly grown product and /or having it improperly installed. Mulching a newly planted tree is really important. But you need to do it right. More often the worst possible practice is used. A wide (several feet) circular mound of mulch should be built around the planting area to try to create a well around the rootball so that more water will penetrate around the roots - before it drains away. That's a good idea in my opinion. But the exact opposite is more commonly used. There is no reason to mound up mulch right up to the trunk, like a giant anthill. I see landscapers do this all the time. I cannot imagine what purpose it serves. In fact, it's probably much, much worse than not mulching at all. Mulches (or soil) shouldn't ever touch the trunk of a tree!! They defintely should not touch 12 inches of trunk in a weird volcano shape. Tree trunks are not supposed to be suffocated or wet. That shold be common sense. Trees do not grow like that in nature. Trees should be installed so that you can see the trunk flare out right at the soil line. When fresh bark (the most common mulch) dries, it sheds water, it certainly doesn't direct it to the roots of the newly planted tree. A volcano of mulch will only keep water from getting where a newly planted tree's roots are. When I see trees mulched this way in shopping center parking lots, I'll sometimes kick the mulch away into the street to help out the idiot landscape company and prevent the needless death of a tree. No "professional" (for money) landscape work in my area is ever done "professionally" (in a responsible, workmanlike manner according to certain standards). People forget the word "profressional" is supposed to imply that certain standards are observed. When neighbors ask me about good nurseries or landscapers I can't tell them anything. No one does better work here than I do in my spare time as a hobby. I've said it before - but growing plants is a race to the bottom, lowest common denominator business -- and planting and selling them is too often the province of illegal immigrants who don't speak English, more less know the best practices of their trade. I'm not disparaging people who are just trying to earn an honest buck - but just pointing out they generally don't do their job well. What's worse is that people look to nurseries and landscape companies for advice - and both generally have very low standards and knowledge - at least at the employee level. Just my opinion.

trim it up a bit and apply Bayer Tree and Shrub as directed on bottle. same issues here on cypress......it works.

i would get rid of them.. probably all related to the harsh winter you note ... are these known mini's??? .. if not.. you probably have it planted at least 5 feet to close to that structure ... you have to plant things for their future potential ... not the current size .... ken