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Northwestern Gardening

My Contorted White Pine's needles are yellowing and falling!

evergreen_addict

16 years ago

Hello from Seattle!

My Contorted White Pine (Pinus strobus torulosa) was planted in the early spring and has been doing fine all summer until this past week. Now, the needles (starting from the bottom) are yellowing and falling off! I have read that some evergreens will turn yellow in the winter (My Wate's Golden Pine/Pinus Sylvestris is supposed to turn yellow in the winter but starting to do this now- although we are only in fall!!) but I can't find any information on the CWPine. I have checked for aphids, I saw one or two but no webbing or major issues- is this normal or a problem? Thank you for your help, I am new to this and have no friends who will know....

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Comments (5)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
16 years ago
Providing most of the needle drop is in the interior (not on the new growth) and barring any photos that would show otherwise, what you are seeing is perfectly normal. Pines only hold their needles for a short period - 2-3 years depending on species - and a fall drop of old needles is typical. Some years, the browning and shedding of old needles is slow and virtually unnoticeable and in other years, it can happen very rapidly, giving rise to the supposition the tree is "dying". It's not - it's fine.
jean001
16 years ago
That said, it's important to check the rootball. Is it moist or dry?

Dry is the most common problem for recently planted woodies. (The rootball needs to be watered more often than the surrounding soil.)

But too wet can also occur due to overly attentive gardeners.

So check the rootball for moisture by sticking a finger an inch or so into the top surface. Wet? Moist? Or dry?
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Clay soil has to be amended, not replaced. The hole was too big, it's holding too much water, and the breaking apart of the root ball didn't help either. The short, stumpy root you refered to was the tap root, which is why it was so big. When you buy a balled and burlapped tree, you only purchase 5-7% of the root system. Thats PLENTY if planted properly. To successfully plant any tree in clay soil, dig your hole wide and shallow. You only want it deep enough to set your plant on and have about 2-3'' of root ball above ground. Don't try to break up the soil underneath, you want it like a shelf.Use a tarp when you dig your hole so you can properly mix the compost(any type of compost-it brings good microbes to the soil to break up the clay) 50-50 with your existing soil. This is the mixture you will use to backfill. When you have your hole prepared, gently place the still wrapped root ball in the hole and when you have it exactly the way you want it,and you arent going to move it any more, cut the ties on the root ball, peel the burlap back so it's not against the trunk of the tree, and backfill. Then cover with mulch and water in. You want to keep newly planted trees evenly moist, not wet. One slow, deep water a week (45 min or so) should be plenty. FYI- the reason you dig your hole wide and not deep in clay soil is because you are breaking the soil interface...giving the water a place to drain off when you do water. It prevents water from sitting around the root ball like a clay pot. The taproot, which is the one that was cut, is only temporarily used by the tree for nutrition. When the tree is established, it kills the tap root and it's used as more of stabalization system. The trees feeder roots will all be in the top 18'' of the soil. Another reason to amend out as far as you can. If you amend too DEEP, the first time it rains, your tree settles and is sitting in a cereal bowl full of water. I hope that wasnt too random. I had a lot to say.
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Embothrium
16 years ago
Timing would suggest annual shedding of oldest needles. Timing could also imply the rootball has dried out over the summer, too. Conifers are often sold balled in burlap, unless small enough to be offered as one- to 5-gallon (or more) container stock. If you got this one B & B, the fine-textured field soil likely to have been on the roots may have had a problem with losing moisture to the surrounding soil you planted it in, especially if you have made it more coarse with soil amendments.
edtekca
15 years ago
I have a wonderful contorted pine in my front garden. One of the unique things I found is it's needles brown & drop off twice a year - not all, just some of them. In the early spring & then again in the fall. It isn't dead - this is just a natural trait for this specific evergreen. It's a conversation piece in my community - most people here have never seen them before. We love it! We keep the needles raked up because they have a tendency to change the PH of your garden soil for other flowers, etc. We too thought it was dying but it is more beautiful when the brown disappears. Take heart & enjoy it! Regards, Pat
fdjc2newfs
5 years ago
Thankd for all the info this is happ to me also and though it was dying.

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