Need help with emerald greens planted early summer last year

8 years ago

I planted many emerald green's last summer (May) and they all looked very good. We've had several warm days here (mid to high 70's), so I watered them. I looked at them today and the trees feel very rough and almost dried out compared to last summer they were so soft feeling. They also are changing from dark green to light green. Am I doing something wrong?
When I planted them they were about 12 inches tall. I have not pruned them or put fertilizer on them. Do I need to do that anytime soon? They do have mulch around them.

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Comments (8)

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
8 years ago
Carolyn, can ya put up some pics?
Carolyn Walters
Original Author
8 years ago
Here are some pictures of the trees. I've included a picture of the one that's turning light green and feels dried/out instead of soft and also one that's still dark green.

Emerald Green · More Info

Emerald Green · More Info

Emerald Green · More Info
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interior yellowing.. then browning is NORMAL ... increased by transplant until fully established....a couple years ... also increased by hot dry summer... or extreme cold winter ... the bottom line .. if the growth tips are not coloring.. then all is well .. NO evergreen.. of any type.. holds its needles forever ... a certain per cent always are falling off .... unless its a plastic plant ... lol ... no plant needs water every day .. period ... and youa re correct to cut way back.. when days are cooler.. and nights are cold.. there simply is no heat to pull moisture from teh ground.. especially if mulched.. which you dont mention ... dont know where you are.. nor the mulch ... so i cant tell you how to water up to.. and thru winter ... you really need to go dig some 3 to 6 inch holes thru the planting... a foot or two out.. and FIND OUT SOIL MOISTURE IN THE ROOT ZONE .. dont get all tied up on what the soil surface looks like.. you cant ask strangers.. how the soil in your yard.. is holding water .... more info.. better answers .... next year.. ONLY water in drought.. if any ... and then free range the next year ... they are looking great for large transplants .. with a late spring planting .. lets not try not to kill them with too much love... now ... ken
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The trees can show similar symptoms both if too wet or too dry. Too much water and the fine roots can die, showing top browning, because the tree is no longer able to absorb water and send it up the vascular system. If it's to dry there's not enough water to send up the vascular system and browning happens there too so you can't really tell by looking. If you have heavy clay soil, you can have the problem of water pooling at the bottom of the hole, called the 'bath tub' effect. The undisturbed soil at the bottom of the hole doesn't let water soak away very fast at all but the loosened soil used to fill around the root ball is more porous so it lets water in easily which then pools at the bottom. So if you have have enough rain or if you water enough to keep the top wet, you can actually drown the root system, because it's retaining water at the bottom of the hole. But water is the easiest thing to check. What the others have said more than once. Just dig down, both around the root ball and inside the root ball, with something narrow like a large spoon of garden trowel. Do this in a few different spots and it will be apparent if the soil is too wet or too dry. You could even did a deeper hole, next to one root ball and see if water is pooling. Again this is if you have heavy clay soil.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
where are you .??? ... what was winter like

the first pic looks a bit wonky ... dont know if its the pic... or the plant ... is it yellow on the backside???

the other two pix.. look like very happy plants ....

plant colors can vary.. season to season ... me thinks you might just be a bit of a worrier here ... lets let them start growing for spring .... before we go trying to kill them with too much love ...

air temps dont mean much ... as compared to soil temps ... in my MI ... with ground freeze .... it can take a few weeks after soil thaw ... for many plants to get moving.. regardless of air temps ... hence.. where are you ...

ii hope you watered ... because you stuck you finger in the soil ... and found it dry ... no guessing ....

ken
Carolyn Walters
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The first pic is just another picture of the same tree that's in the 2nd picture. It's the lighter green on the back side that is displayed well in the 2nd picture. We are in Wyoming and are considered planting zone 4/5. Winter was a pretty easy winter. A bit of snow here and there. It's always windy here. I watered it because other people in our neighborhood said they watered their evergreens and I probably should water mine. lol I'm new to evergreens and plants in general so I'm sure I'm more of a worrier at this points. I planted 36 Emerald Greens/Spartans last summer, and would hate to loose them all because I'm not an experienced plant person.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
read up on watering at the link ... learn to do it yourself.. and not rely on others ... insert finger.. and find out ...

knowing 1 and two are the same ... i am not happy for it .... i bet it will brown.. when the heat of summer hits .. not all of it... the off color grey part ... hard to say what will be left then ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub
wisconsitom
8 years ago
Carolyn, from the plant's perspective, snow is not a stressor. In fact-and especially for evergreens like these-snow would have been immensely helpful. funny how so many people thing snow hurts plants. It does not.

You're in an arid environment compared to where these trees hail from. So water management is going to be your issue. Learn to water when the soil is dry, not when the date on your calendar says it's time to, that sort of thing. And probably your plants will be ok, but they may need to put on some new growth before you'll be feeling that wonderful soft growth again.
Carolyn Walters
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks. I think it looks a bit better today after watering the last couple of days. Here's the same tree from above.

Emerald Green · More Info

Also, is the top of the tree below signs of new growth?

Emerald Green · More Info
Mike McGarvey
8 years ago
Yes, that's new growth.

Mike

Need help with emerald greens planted early summer last year

Comments (8)

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis

Carolyn Walters
Original Author

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Need help with emerald greens planted early summer last year

Comments (8)

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis

Carolyn WaltersOriginal Author

Related Discussions

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Carolyn WaltersOriginal Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

wisconsitom

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Mike McGarvey

COMPANY

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CONNECT WITH US

Carolyn Walters
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Carolyn Walters
Original Author